Car Care Tips for Vehicles with More than 100,000 miles

If you’re anything like me, you are probably driving the same car you were driving 10 years ago.  You and your car or truck have been through a lot. Oil changes, flat tires, tune-ups and more.  You might even have a name for your vehicle and with each passing year, it gets harder and harder to let go of.  When your car’s engine crosses over into the 6 figures, however, there are extra precautions that need to be taken into consideration – both inside and out.

Switch to High Mileage Oil

Even if you’ve kept up with oil changes every 3,000 miles, once you cross into the hundreds of thousands, the likelihood increases that each stroke of the engine could be its last.  High mileage oil is especially useful in guarding against leaks and cleaning sludge and buildup in your engine.  Although it costs a little more than conventional motor oil, the high mileage variety is vital to keeping your engine running properly.  If you plan on driving your car past 100,000 miles, switching motor oils is highly recommended. 

Don’t Slack on Maintenance

When I was in college, I could think of a million other things to spend my money on other than maintaining my truck, and luckily I got away with it.  But as your vehicle gets on in years, even littler things have a larger impact on its overall health.  Bearings wear out, brakes need adjusting and the transmission needs a little tuning.  Failing to keep up on maintenance as your car gets older could lead to very costly repairs if something breaks down. Set a little money aside each month to keep up on replacement or maintenance of your vehicle’s inner workings; that way even if something does need to be repaired – as often happens with older vehicles – you will be financially prepared.

Protect the Inside As Well

The seats that have so faithfully supported you for the last 100,000 miles are getting older as well. Your floor mats have seen their share of wet and muddy shoes and your steering wheel grip might be falling apart.  Thankfully, upgrading the interior of your car can be very inexpensive.  Floor mats generally sell for less than $30 a set and your steering wheel can be redone for about the same price.  Investing in car seat covers can also keep your seats looking pretty, long after 100,000 miles. 

Your car, if you’ve kept it this long, obviously means something to you, so why not protect it as you would any other prize possession.  Take care of your car and it will take care of you for 100,000 miles and beyond.

Img by trickhips