Make Your Vehicle Go the Distance
If you are a senior who is living on a budget, or even a senior
with an unlimited budget, you know how important it is to make
the most of what you have.
Getting More Miles Out of Your Car:
First, consider, does your vehicle actually have the ability to run many miles without incurring costly repairs? An easy way to find out is to visit a public library to consult the frequency- of-repair information in the April magazine issue of Consumer Reports (a
reference librarian can provide assistance if needed). If the vehicle that you are driving has a reasonable repair history, it is worthwhile to drive it until your heart is content. However, if it has a very poor repair history, it might be time to consider buying another
vehicle, one that has a good repair history, and one that is even more fuel efficient.
Assuming that you want to extend the life of your vehicle, at the beginning of each month, have the engine oil level checked to make certain that it is at the full-level mark on the dipstick. Buy two quarts of oil that are on sale and keep them in the trunk. Then, if the engine needs oil, you will not get stuck paying three times what the oil should cost.
Every three months (more often, however, if specified by your vehicle owner's manual), check (or have a service station attendant check) the other fluids that include:
Be certain to observe what the service station attendant does and ask questions, because you can likely check these items.
Why is it so important to keep the fluids at their full-level marks? Because the fluids lubricate moving parts to reduce fiction, heat, and wear. Therefore, If a part wears because of a lack of fluid, providing all the fluid in future will not repair the damaged part. The idea is to not let the part get damaged at all. Remember to have these fluids
checked before you go and upon returning from a trip.
If you drive 10,000 or more miles per year, have the engine oil and oil filter changed every 3,000 to 3,500 miles or about every four months. If you drive 6,000 miles or less per year, have the engine oil and oil filter changed at the beginning of spring and near the end of
fall. Condensation (water) will build-up in the oil of a car that is sitting, therefore, even if the vehicle is only driven a few thousand miles per year, the oil should be changed in the spring and in the fall. An easy way to remember oil changes is to mark a new calendar
at the beginning of a year with "oil change" reminders (i.e., March, July, and November or May and November).
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