Driving your car is an amazing experience. When you can feel its power from behind the wheel, it’s tempting to push your vehicle to its limits.
Unfortunately, pushing your vehicle to the limits tends to cause wear and tear, especially after thousands of kilometres of driving.
Early signs of wear and tear are increased petrol consumption, an overheating engine, and loss of power or acceleration while driving. If left unchecked, these issues will worsen and cause your vehicle to break down.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help maintain your vehicle’s performance and prolong its service life.
From regular inspections to performance upgrades, here’s a list of the top 7 tips to prolong the life of your vehicle:
Drive with Care
It’s tempting to push your vehicle to its limits, especially when you’re driving a powerful sports car or a heavy-duty truck. But if you push it too far, you’ll be stuck with more issues and expensive repairs.
That’s why it’s important to always drive with care. With less strain on the vehicle, its vital components have a lower risk of overheating or experiencing premature wear. Not to mention, safe driving practices result in fewer accidents and a safer experience for you, your passengers, and other drivers & pedestrians.
Boost Your Vehicle’s Defences
If you’re a Jeep or truck owner who plans to take your vehicle out on off-road adventures, then you need to boost its exterior defences.
Install a bull bar, brush and grille guards, as well as other body armour upgrades to give your vehicle a layer of protection against rugged driving environments. With these, you can drive across the most challenging off-road terrains without fear of rocks, fallen trees, and other road hazards damaging your vehicle.
Keep Your Engine in Check
The engine is the heart of your vehicle. As long as it’s in good shape, you can rest easy knowing that you’ll be able to drive your car, Jeep, or truck without a hassle.
But just like hearts, engines can’t run forever. They’ll start to experience problems after driving for many kilometres. Aged spark plugs, low battery performance, and corroded parts can cause your vehicle to lose power. They can also be the reasons why your vehicle won’t start at all.
That’s why you need to inspect your engine regularly. This gives you the opportunity to spot problems earlier, giving you more time to address them before they get any worse.
Some problems can be solved through do-it-yourself methods – cleaning the cold air intake system, changing the engine coolant, and replacing old spark plugs are just a few examples. However, if the damage is too big or complicated to handle on your own, take your vehicle to your preferred mechanic for repair.
Inspect for Leaks
Leaks in your car, whether they’re from the engine or wiper system, are always bad. They’re tell-tale signs that there’s a damaged component that’s causing your vehicle to perform poorly.
Some drivers think that it’s safe to drive with a leak, as long as the fluid level doesn’t drop below the minimum level needed for the system to work. But if the leak isn’t addressed on time, it can cause several problems. Depending on where the leak is found, the following issues can arise:
- The engine heats up faster
- The brakes become weaker
- It’s difficult to steer the vehicle
- Poor engine lubrication
- Cleaning the windshield will become a hassle
If you suspect that your vehicle has a leak of any kind, address the problem immediately and refill the fluids.
Replace Damaged Components ASAP
Though there are times when you can get away with driving with a cracked exhaust pipe or dim lights, it’s not recommended. Driving with damaged components can lead to serious consequences, including your vehicle suddenly breaking down while driving.
To keep your rides safe and legal, replace old, worn, and severely damaged parts as soon as possible.
Don’t Rely on Your Petrol Reserve
Your vehicle’s petrol reserve is used to help you get to the closest petrol station and refill your tank. You shouldn’t treat it like it’s a part of your vehicle’s main petrol tank and only refill once it’s completely consumed.
Oftentimes, sediment collects at the bottom of the reserve tank. If you’re driving with low fuel levels, the sediment can be pumped into the engine, causing long-term damage. That’s why it’s best to refuel your vehicle before it reaches the reserve tank.
Upgrade to Better Parts
Switching to higher-quality auto parts will definitely increase your vehicle’s service life, as well as improve its overall performance.
High-performance cold air intakes, wheels, exhaust pipes, and other upgrades are more durable, so they last longer than stock components. They can also handle the demands of your heavy-duty drives, allowing you to push your vehicle to its limits with greater peace of mind.
As a responsible driver, you should do whatever it takes to keep your vehicle in good shape, so it can last longer. With the help of this list, you won’t have a difficult time increasing your car’s, truck’s, or Jeep’s service life, as well as enhancing its performance.
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