Last Updated on February 2, 2024 by John Robinson
After spending thousands of dollars to own a car, you’d realize how it’s quite a good investment. You likely depend on it for commuting to work, especially if you don’t have access to public transportation. You probably also use your vehicle to run countless errands around town and occasionally travel long-distance with family or friends.
Fortunately, there are several ways to ensure you keep enjoying this investment. For one, you can look at resources like Carshield reviews and Endurance warranty reviews, which provide plenty of information on important aspects such as customer service and the claims process. This way, you can choose the best warranty coverage for your needs.
To further protect yourself against road accidents and the potential financial blows related to owning a car, you have to stick with its maintenance schedule as well. Not only will your diligence extend the life of your vehicle, but regular maintenance also helps increase safety by ensuring that your car performs at its best.
What to Expect Once Your Car Hits Its 100k Miles
Did your car recently pass its 100,000-mile mark? Cars these days are designed to last way past that particular milestone. Instead of buying a brand-new car, it might be wiser to provide proper car maintenance.
To keep your car going for another 100,000 miles or so, you have to follow some key maintenance procedures. Examine your owner’s manual and determine routine maintenance services you must avail of for your specific vehicle. Visiting a reliable mechanic for a complete inspection is a good idea as well.
Here are some ideas to routinely groom your car for any possible hiccups:
1. Fluids
Vehicle fluids are the lifeblood of your car. Over the years, dirt and debris may accumulate and clog your engine. The affected car parts may then require expensive repairs or replacement. For this reason, you get the fluids examined regularly during standard maintenance checks. These fluids include the engine oil, which protects the car’s moving parts from friction or wear, and brake fluid. Other fluids to check are the coolant, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, battery fluid, and more.
2. Serpentine Belt
The serpentine belt on your car’s engine plays a vital role in its electrical charging system. Since this belt often lasts between 60k and 100k miles, you must include it in your routine car inspection. It’s possible for the serpentine belt to fray, crack, or even break early on. When this happens, you may have to get your car towed as the accessories this belt powers will stop running. By keeping the serpentine belt in optimum condition, you ensure that it can continue performing its critical role in your car’s operation.
3. Timing Belt and Water Pump
The timing belt has two important jobs: power the camshaft of your car’s engine and keep it in sync with the crankshaft. This belt ensures that the valves open and close at the right time. It basically times the valvetrain, hence, the name. Timing belts generally last between 90k and 110k miles. Since the water pump goes bad for just about the same amount of time, it’s advisable to replace both of them together.
4. Exterior
Just because your car (or any car) is old doesn’t mean it should look battered and dirty. Driving a clean, shiny, well-maintained vehicle is one of the small pleasures of life. But aesthetics aside, maintaining the exterior of your vehicle is important for many other reasons. Your car’s exterior protects your vehicle from the elements, and ignoring small issues like scratches can lead to bigger problems if not addressed immediately. It also lowers the value of the vehicle if you’re looking to sell it in the future. So take the time to clean your car exterior at least once every two weeks, touch up paint and recoat damaged areas when necessary, and always spot-check and clean between washes.
5. Tires
The tires of your car are the only parts that touch the pavement. This should prompt you to keep them in good working order all the time. To do this, check its tread depth and inflation level. Also, don’t forget to rotate the tires and see if there are any signs of uneven wear, bulging, or cracking. If you spot any of these problems, it may be time for an alignment.
6. Brakes
Along with tires and several other car parts, the brakes are essential car parts that require routine maintenance servicing. The braking system of your car is one of its most crucial safety features. In fact, well-maintained brakes can be the difference between evading a crash and a serious tragedy. Some brake pads need to be replaced every 30,000 miles or even less, while others can last 60,000 miles. Don’t wait for 100,000 miles as it’s not possible to reach that milestone without having a brake job. Keep in mind that poor braking performance may result in an accident.
Do-It-Yourself Car Maintenance Ideas
You don’t have to rely entirely on car mechanics and technicians to properly maintain your vehicle. Several routine jobs are easy enough that you can do yourself. Some of the simple maintenance tasks you can try at home are washing your car, getting new wiper blades, and cleaning battery terminals. Don’t forget to fix small dents, door dings, or leaky sunroof.
Whenever necessary, replace your car’s fuses, gas lifts, spark plugs, air filters, non-headlight bulbs, and broken antenna. Additionally, if you don’t touch up chipped paint, it will rust and you’d have a much bigger problem to deal with. All of these maintenance ideas can go a long way in keeping your vehicle in tip top shape while saving money from trips to the local garage.
If you want some assistance, you can check in with MOT & Car Servicing Stockport and they will be able to help you out!
Why It Matters
As mentioned, your car is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make in life. The last thing you’d want is for its value to drop significantly, or worse, for it to become a risk and liability. Neglecting routine maintenance can be catastrophic.Keep your car in good condition so you can avoid increased fuel costs and any unwanted vehicle problems. Besides, you don’t want your car to put you or your passengers in danger. Keep your vehicle well-maintained so your major investment can continue to add value to your busy life.
