Top Care Tips for an Excessively Driven Vehicle
If you tend to put a lot of miles on your vehicle, then you want to make sure that you take care of it regularly to keep it going. Those with a steady commuting lifestyle have different requirements they need to keep up with when they’re driving for long periods or a lot of miles per year. Below are some of the best care tips you can do for your vehicle to keep it going for even more miles.
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Protect The Driveshaft
When you put a lot of miles on a vehicle really fast, you want to make sure your driveshaft is in good condition. If not, you could find yourself stranded, or stuck in an accident that you may have caused accidentally because it broke and fell off. According to Your Mechanic, a driveshaft doesn’t have an approximate lifespan, but you should consider having it changed out every 75,000 miles.
Avoid Potholes And Road Construction
When you drive for long periods of time, especially if you’re going the same way each day, you’ll notice when the road starts to deteriorate and gets potholes. When you’re driving, you need to make sure that you avoid them, ride in a different lane if possible, or if they’re smaller than your vehicle, drive over them to keep the tires from going into the pothole. What happens over time if you keep hitting it is your tires can be punctured, and your vehicle alignment will be offset. Keep in mind that at least 5 percent of U.S paved roads are rigid pavements.
Maintain Your Oil Changes
Because you’re lifestyle requires you to put a lot of miles on your vehicle, it’s vital that you keep up with your oil changes to protect your engine. The oil filtering through your engine captures debris and dirt, and over time, it can become too dirty to allow the engine to function properly, which is why it should be changed every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Make sure you also have your tires rotated when you get your oil changed so that you can expand their lifespan and get the full mileage out of them.
Have Your Brake System Checked
Those who travel a lot have to use their brakes more often than others. If you’ve started to notice a squeal coming from your tires or find it harder to stop, then it’s time to have your brake system checked. Technicians will look to see if you just need brake fluid or if you need to have parts replaced on the system. In order to stop safely and avoid accidents, you need to have quality brake pads and a system that is hydrated.
Keep Your Fluids Topped Off
Brake fluid isn’t the only fluid you have in your vehicle. Engine coolant, transmission fluid, and oil if you seem to be low should be topped off regularly. This is so your vehicle has what it needs to operate properly when driving. If you lose any of these fluids, one or more of the systems beneath the hood could start to crash and you could have a larger auto shop repair bill than you expected.
Order In When You Can
If you’ve spent the day traveling, and you know that road conditions aren’t the best, consider ordering in for the evening. Many who travel for trips, or have long commutes just want to get home and relax. In 2020, 48% of Americans admitted to using either Grubhub, Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Postmates for takeout regularly. Keep in mind that this number is still at least that high or higher, and delivery fees are much cheaper than auto repair invoices.
Protect Your Vehicle
Some of us don’t have a choice but to do a lot of commuting due to our lifestyle, and that’s okay. Just make sure that you’re taking care of your vehicle and not neglecting it. This will allow it to last much longer, and you save money, so you don’t have to get a new vehicle before you plan to get one.
