How to Make a Car Last 500000 Miles

Do you want to see your car last 500,000 miles with ease? Read on and find out how to achieve this.

Today, it is difficult to find cars that surpass the 300,000 miles mark, let alone 500,000 miles. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average lifespan of an ordinary vehicle is 12 years, which is a little over 128,000 miles. Luckily, it is not impossible to find vehicles that last for 500,000 miles, and even more.

Modern cars consist of high-quality components that are more efficient and durable to better guard against tear, ensuring that they last for quite a while. These vehicles come with advanced powertrain technology and other game-changing products, like lubricants and rust prevention products, that make it quite simple for your car to reach and surpass the six-figure-mile mark easily.

Your car can easily last 500,000 miles by taking care of it properly immediately you get it. If you take care of your car properly and treat it the same way through the years, it will surely last for many years to come. Let us discuss some ways to ensure your car lasts 500000 miles.

How to Make a Car Last 500000 miles

Study your car owner’s manual and adhere to your maintenance schedule

Most answers to the questions about your car are in your car owner’s manual. Based on sound engineering and extensive testing, car manufacturers compile their recommendations on how to use and properly care for your car in the manual. As a result, this instructional booklet contains vital information about your vehicle to help you become a better car owner as well as a driver. Therefore, you should take time and get acquainted with your manual, even before driving your new car.

Similarly, there are about two pages entirely dedicated to a maintenance schedule in the manual. These pages have all the details you need to know when it comes to ensuring that your car is functioning correctly. For example, you can find information regarding routine oil changes, timing belts replacements, and tire rotations, which is crucial to the overall health of your car.

Many car owners know that properly inflated tires increase gas mileage and last longer. By prolonging your tires’ lifespan, you are also extending the durability of your suspension components, which puts less pressure on your vehicle’s metalwork. Remember to regularly align your wheels and rotate your tires to increase their lifespan.

Keep your car’s interior and exterior clean

Washing and polishing your vehicle regularly is another way of ensuring it lasts 500000miles. As you drive around, numerous foreign bodies that exist in the air will likely accumulate on the body of your car. When you do not wash it, these foreign bodies tend to eat through the clearcoat, which leads to the oxidizing of your car paint job that will eventually turn into rust.

Once the rust makes it to the vehicle’s metalwork, it spreads everywhere like wildfire, including its frame and chassis, making your car hazardous to drive. Specifically, this is true for vehicles in areas close to the ocean or where it snows since the salt from the ocean and snow catalyzes the rusting process, killing your vehicle’s surface.

Consequently, it is essential to invest in hand-washing your vehicle at least once every two to three weeks, and even more, if you live close to the ocean. Although Drive-through car-washes are fast and somewhat effective, they contain abrasives that can cause scratches and swirls on your car, leading to a dull clear coat and water spots. It is best to get an additional professional wax job for your car every once or twice a year for a more practical maintenance approach.

Study your engine, regularly check your fluids, and squeeze your rubber

If you genuinely love your vehicle and want to make it last 500000miles, you must make an effort to know its major components and other vital parts under its hood. The engine is the heart of a vehicle. It converts burning gas into heat and then into a force responsible for turning the car’s wheels. Various parts make up an engine, including an intake manifold, a valve cover, a cylinder head, and a block. Other essential parts located under the hood of your car include the brake master cylinder, a starter, a fuse box, and the air intake.

From time to time, you will have to do a self-diagnosis when your car begins acting unusually. By doing this, you will save tons of time and money since most problems simply need you to purchase replacement parts and affix it onto the car.

Over time, the hoses mainly made of rubber and drive belts crack because of various factors affecting the engine. If you find your hoses and belts have a bulge or break after squeezing them, you have to replace them. They are inexpensive to fix, and especially if you replace them immediately, you notice they are bulging, cracking, or splitting.

The fluids of your vehicle are the lifeblood of its engine. It is very beneficial for car owners to know which reservoir/tank contains which fluids and the respective colors and smell of each fluid. Pay attention to any leaks and get them fixed immediately. Some common fluids in your car include the brake fluid, differential fluid, coolant, transmission fluid, and engine oil, among many others.

Use high-quality gasoline and never drive on empty

Cheap fuel might save you some coins today, but it may imply more severe engine issues over time. Even if your vehicle runs on regular gas, low-quality fuel reduces your vehicle’s acceleration and engine’s lifespan.

One of the most helpful and life-saving tips to ensure your car reaches the 500,000 miles is ensuring that you never drive your car on an empty gas tank. Often, petroleum products leave a residue at the bottom of the gas tank, which gets pushed into the engine whenever you drive low on gas. As a result, a lack of fuel in your vehicle results in damaged injectors, seals, and pumps, which are costly to replace. Such damage can also lead to irreparable damage to the engine of your car.

Drive your car carefully

Regardless of whether your car is new or old, it would be best if you practiced driving with mechanical sympathy. Driving carelessly or on rough roads daily takes an impact on your car as it could potentially result in broken springs, damaged tires, and buckled wheels.

Once you begin driving carefully, it significantly reduces wear and tear, resulting in more miles with every tankful. Reduce the instances of sudden braking by paying constant attention to the road, and facilitate smooth inputs through major controls, such as the pedals, steering wheel, and gearbox, to ensure these parts do not wear out quickly.

Allow your engine to rev fully once every few thousand miles. As a result, it prevents carbon deposits from building up in your engine’s components, which could cause a misfire and drastically reduce the efficiency of your vehicle. However, only rev your car when you are on a quiet road, and the oil is warm.

Similarly, diesel vehicles may experience issues with clogged diesel particulate filters (DPF), whose primary role is to trap harmful exhaust emissions. Driving such vehicles on a long clear road at least once every month aids in clearing this problem.

Find a reliable and trustworthy mechanic

It is not always that you can easily find out what the problem is when you look under the hood of your car. As a result, you should find a skilled and trusted mechanic to help you discover the problem. The only challenge is that you need to find a reliable and trustworthy mechanic who knows exactly what they are doing. An auto mechanic should be like a family doctor or an extended family member, someone you trust wholeheartedly, and have expertise in fixing cars. It is advisable to find a mechanic who deals explicitly with your type of vehicle for the best results.

Conclusion

It is easy to use your car for every mile you can get while paying as little as possible. All you have to do is to read and follow your vehicle’s instruction manual strictly. Taking proper care of your car and listening to its warning lights helps you ensure that it lasts for more than 500,000 miles. Avoid abusing your engine at all costs and drive carefully to prolong the lifespan of your vehicle.