Video: Keep your car running

Everyone likes to put the pedal to the metal, but how about putting the same pedal to the same metal - for many years?  Can you keep the same car forever?  Is it even possible?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, passenger cars and light trucks are racking up more miles than ever. 

Typical passenger cars are now operating well beyond 150,000 miles. Most pickups, sport utility vehicles and vans go beyond 180,000.

Whether it’s a Cadillac or a Corolla, everyone wants to get the most mileage out of a car.  But what you do, can keep you from singing the blues when it comes to car repairs.

Dyas Holley just bought a ‘91 Honda last year and is trying to keep it as long as possible. 

Dyas took his car to Rob’E Mans in Homewood to get a checkup.  He said, “It’s just a general diagnostic to see if there’s any potential problems that I need to check out or be looked at. Nothing’s necessarily wrong with it.  He’d like to keep it that way and he’s not alone.

Eddie Cleveland, the owner of Rob’E Mans Honda said most people have a similar expectancy for keeping a car.  “The magic word is two years. Everybody says they want two more years out of their car.”

Cleveland says with the right maintenance you can get that two year, and even more.

“The biggest thing is take care of it, maintenance it, repair it as it goes bad rather than wait until it builds up and the repair bills gets extremely high.”

Here are some tips from the experts. 
Follow the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual. Don’t forget the timing belt.  Most vehicles need that changed every 60,000 – 90,000 miles.  They aren’t cheap, but less expensive than the damage caused when broken.

Do your homework.  Many cars have known problems that can pop up with mileage. Check out websites and forums and blogs about your car.

Listen for new noises.  Which is something Dyas Holley does.  “I actually turn off my radio, if I hear something that sounds unusual, I definitely do that.”

Drive the car gently, not like you’re on the Talladega Superspeedway. Even though a little engine revving every once in while won’t hurt the car, it’ll actually help.

Allow the car to warm up: Don’t jump in and go. Warm-ups allow time for the oil to reach the cylinders.  And don’t hammer the gas pedal while it’s warming up, let the car idle.

Never let the fuel get so low you think you’re running out of gas. It could affect the way fuel is injected and could eventually cause engine problems.
Perhaps one of the most important tips to keep your car running longer: Check the oil and fluids regularly. You’re asking for trouble if you drive with dirty oil.  Mechanics say it’s as damaging as putting sandpaper to the inside of your engine.

One more important tip, for goodness sakes, don’t wreck it!

Eddie Cleveland said, “If you structurally damage the car in a bad accident, then it gets to where it’s not worth keeping anymore and a lot of insurance companies will go ahead and total it out and you’ll have to get another one.”

One more important tip: If you’re driving along and you see a light that pops on that says “check engine” or “service engine soon,” do not ignore it.  It’s okay to drive a short distance with that light on, but you need to get that checked immediately.

It’s not a suggestion, it means something.  It’s just what it says, a warning.

Speaking of warnings, what’s the biggest mistake you can make when it comes to your car?  Eddie Cleveland said, “Putting off maintenance is one of the worst things you can ever do.  It sounds like you’re saving a few dollars, but a year down the road you’ll spend more than if you’d done it when you needed the service done.”

That’s why Dyas dropped in, to keep his car as long as possible and avoid costly repairs down the road.

Another important suggestion: Find a mechanic you trust and tell him what your goals are.  If you’d like to drive your car for 200,000 miles, tell him or her. They’ll likely maintain your car differently.