Everybody’s always talking about getting your oil changed on a regular basis to ensure our car lives a long and fruitful life. But there are actually about a thousand other things that you’re probably doing wrong on a daily basis that are contributing to the early death of your beloved set of wheels. Here are three things you may not have thought of that will help to extend your car’s life expectancy.
- Driving around with an enormously overburdened – and heavy – keychain. Some of us have way too many keys for our own good. If you’re the kind of person who sounds like a walking change dispenser because your keychain contains everything but the kitchen sink, you may want to lighten the load. It could actually extend the life of your ignition switch. Think about what’s going on down there and you’ll start to get the idea: your keychain, already heavy, is swaying and bouncing around as you drive. The end result of all that pulling and unnecessary motion? A loosening of the tumblers that are the “key” to your car kicking to life. If you ever experience trouble turning your key in the ignition, this is indication the end is near and you should get to a service station stat.
- Treat your gas tank right. One of the best ways you can do this is to not pump gas from stations where a big tanker’s just been. It’s common known fact that when a tanker pours the new gas in with the old gas, it can result in a circulation of all sorts of muck and sediment. That’s the last sort of thing you want to be pumping into your vehicle. The sediment beneath your feet should settle to the bottom within a day or two of new gas delivery. If you frequent the same station on a regular basis, it may not be a bad idea to note when you usually see the tanker arrive. This can give you a heads up to know when it’s safe to pump.
- Fix windshield rock chips ASAP. Sometimes, a rock chip will stay a chip for an eternity. Other times, they can spider-web into massive cracks that’ll eventually cause you to have your entire windshield replaced. Small rock chips in your windshield can be fixed quickly and simply – you can either do it yourself or you can take it to a professional to have done, and it doesn’t cost nearly as much as it would to replace your entire windshield. Expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 to $40. Just remember, a whole new windshield can cost you hundreds.
Whether your car lasts forever or goes belly up after just a handful of years is entirely up to you. Other than following these tips, you should become good friends with your local auto mechanic and visit them regularly. Your car will thank you for it. Need to find a good mechanic? Start with Openbay. Compare pricing and book service from quality local shops with the click of a button.