What Car Owners Can Do To Prolong The Life Of Their Vehicle

The average price tag on a car has been growing steadily over the past decade. The current average car cost is around £20,000 in the UK, with some people paying upwards of £40,000 to get their hands on a vehicle that has all the mod cons, has great fuel economy, and will last. 

Of course, these are brand new prices, and there are various trade-in deals and auto loans on offer too. That being said, taking out a line of credit to afford a car can be risky, and even turning to second hand lots isn’t the shortcut it used to be. Seeing as the used car market is also at an all time high, whilst buying second hand will always net you a cheaper vehicle, the deals just aren’t as great as they once were. 

That’s why so many car owners are keen to keep a car they’ve already bought and paid for on the road. However, the knowledge and skill required for maintaining a healthy vehicle takes time to acquire, and even then, accidents and emergencies do occur. 

A tip list like the one below is essential at a time like this. If you’re worried about car costs and how they may affect your budget in the near future, here are the most cost effective ways to prolong the life of your vehicle. 

Drive Defensively

Actually driving is the highest risk of danger that your car will ever come into contact with. Driving, albeit mostly safe and efficient, poses all kinds of accident opportunities, even when you’re a good driver. 

If you’ve held your licence for a long time and you’ve never had a cause for concern, you’re also likely to treat driving as a very casual thing. You don’t need to think too much when you’re behind the wheel because you’ve been doing it for so long without a problem! 

But these two elements put together means a collision is more likely to occur. A laid back attitude, even when combined with all the common dangers of being on the road, could lure you into a false sense of security. 

Taking up defensive driving tactics can put these risk factors back down to low again. You can never 100% prevent an accident from taking place, and your vehicle could always be damaged and require repair whenever you use it, but you can make the experience much safer overall. 

Start by focusing on speed and space. Make sure you’re always aware of the speed limit and how fast you’re going, and try to keep the space around your vehicle as clear as possible. You always want to have vigilance over these two things, to ensure that you can slow down in plenty of time, and keep away from any problem drivers who may be on the road with you. 

You could also invest in a defensive driving course, which is always a good investment. If it’s been a while since you passed your test, getting a few more handy tips on the safest driving practices is never a bad idea. 

Store it in a Garage

Storing a car outside is another risk, to both the car itself and your wallet. After all, when your car is uncovered and exposed to the elements, and a more prevalent risk of theft, it’s going to run into more damage over time. 

Even parked off the street and in a driveway leaves a car open to being ‘dinged’ by passing cars, or even being scratched and bumped by various other vehicles, like electric scooters or bikes. 

Because of that, if you have a garage at your house, try to keep it in there as much as possible. Clear it out and get the car inside. If you have a covered driveway, or something like a carport, make sure your vehicle is snugly tucked into it whenever it’s not in use. 

It’s also important to note that if you own a car that isn’t started by inserting a key, you should also protect the fob you use to lock and unlock the doors. Seeing as these cars are operated via signal alone, it’s best to have a ‘faraday cage’ to prevent anyone from copying the signal, who then could open and use your car themself. 

Buy New Parts Yourself

It’s quite common for car owners to invest in parts required for a car repair job themselves, and only then take the car into the shop. You can inform the mechanic that you’ve got everything required and just need to pay for the fix itself, which can save you a bit of money. 

However, this might sound a little worrying. Yes, you can cut the job in half by grabbing the part yourself, but there are a lot of parts you could misidentify as the right one! But don’t worry – we’re here to help. To start with, you can pick up any part you’re going to need from the right website. 

First, check your owner’s or service manual to find out what parts make up your car, and then look online for a reliable manufacturer for your make and model. For example, if you need a new axle back exhaust for your Corsa, look for a website that specialises in the brand and then match the part you’re looking for to your exact model. 

You can also use automobile forums and groups to find some advice on car part codes, to ensure you’re getting the exact item you need. These can differ from vehicle to vehicle, and can be notoriously difficult to track yourself, but a hobby mechanic will have more than enough information for you to go on. 

Don’t Let it Sit for Too Long

A still car is a dead one. As such, if you haven’t used the car in a while, take it out for a drive. Leaving it to sit, either in your garage or parked on the street, will cause the battery to run flat and leave your internal engine systems to rust. 

Similarly, a car that’s been sitting doing nothing for too long will have little fluids left over, which you’ll need to change and renew. It would be unsafe to drive a car in this condition and you could cause a lot more damage that’ll need fixing, which will turn out to be super expensive!

Indeed, cars need to be used on a regular basis to keep all systems firing. Even if you haven’t needed to use the car this week, take it out for at least 20 minutes and get it going. If you can, go for longer drives than usual every once in a while, to ensure everything gets into gear and can be tested to the full. 

Keep Your Vehicle for Longer

Prolonging the life of a car you bought a few years ago is the name of the game. As long as the car is safe to drive, has passed its inspections, and you’re confident being behind the wheel, there’s no need to worry about making a purchase too soon. 

So, make sure you take care of your vehicle each and every year, pay attention to what your dashboard lights are telling you, and never let your car go still for too long. You can save a lot of money through this kind of preventative care, and even if you have to visit a mechanic for a repair, there are still ways to keep the cost low.