Bluefire Insurance

A car is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your life. In fact, cars are so expensive that most people dread the idea of having to someday replace their old car with a new one. 

Obviously, cars rarely last forever, even if you have great insurance. However, there are a few easy things you can do to extend the life of your car. The longer your car lasts, the longer you can go without having to make payments on a new vehicle! 

Ready to extend the life of your own car? Keep reading to discover our top tips! 

1. Warm the Car Up in the Morning 

You know how you need a cup of coffee in the morning before you can really tackle the day? This is your body’s way of “warming up.” Your car needs to warm up in the morning, too. 

That’s why you should let your car idle for a few minutes in the morning (and maybe longer on cold mornings). It gives your engine time to warm up and time for the fluids to flow properly through your car. 

It can be a big adjustment at first, but taking a few minutes each day to warm your car up can extend its life in a big way. 

2. Change the Oil and Other Fluids Regularly 

Changing the oil and other fluids in your car on a regular basis can get annoying. However, regularly monitoring and changing fluids is one of the best ways to make your car last longer. 

How often do you need to change these fluids? Instead of simply guessing, make sure to read through the owner’s manual for your car. This will tell you the service intervals for different fluids your vehicle needs. 

In the long term, following these instructions can help you avoid expensive repairs and effectively extend the lifetime of your car. In the short term, this regular maintenance can improve vehicle performance and help cut down on your fuel costs. 

3. Take That “Check Engine” Light Seriously 

So many people just ignore their “check engine” light – so much so that it has become something of a pop culture punchline. However, if that light pops on, you need to take things very seriously! 

Sure, there’s a chance that it may be nothing. But there’s also a chance that this light coming on is an early warning of something more serious with your car. 

Even if it doesn’t seem serious, letting a problem go unattended for too long can make things much worse. Better to take the light seriously and address the problem now than let it turn into something far more expensive to repair. 

4. Regularly Clean Your Vehicle 

You might think washing the car every few weeks is something only vain people do. In reality, this kind of regular washing is a great way to make your car last longer. 

That’s because when left unwashed, dirt, debris, and even bird droppings will gather on your car. This can lead to peeling paint and rust that reduce the effective lifetime of your car. When the vehicle looks bad, you’ll have trouble reselling it. 

Regularly washing and waxing your car will help extend its lifetime. When you decide to sell your car, you’ll get more value from a clean vehicle. 

5. Keep Your Car Out of the Sun 

Would you believe one of your car’s biggest enemies is over 94 million miles away? That’s right: The sun can easily damage your car over time. Therefore, it’s important to keep your car out of the sun as much as possible. 

Parking your car in a garage at home is best for this. If you don’t have an existing garage, you can get a carport or build a detached garage. When you drive around town, try to park your car in the shade when you can. 

You can specifically protect any leather or plastic inside the car by avoiding the sun. Keeping the interior in good condition means you can use your car for a longer time. 

6. Look Out for Early Warning Signs of Trouble 

We can sum up one of the best ways to extend the life of your car in three words: “Trust your instincts.” 

Things like the “check engine” light won’t always come on when there is trouble. Instead, you might feel the car vibrating like it hasn’t done before. Or maybe you hear a faint scraping sound when you apply the brakes. 

Trust your instincts and ask your mechanic about this potential problem. It may end up being nothing, but if this is an early warning sign of trouble, it’s best to handle the issue sooner rather than later. 

7. Monitor Your Tire Pressure 

Drivers don’t always associate tire pressure with the long-term health of their vehicles. But if you don’t regularly monitor tire pressure, it creates both short-term and long-term issues. 

In the short term, poor tire pressure means you’ll burn up more fuel. As the tires wear down, your car will become harder to handle. 

In the long term, driving around with tires low on pressure can make your engine work harder and damage the chassis. By staying on top of your tire pressure, you can give your car a longer life. 

8. Avoid Certain Driving Situations 

So far, our tips to extend the life of your car have mostly been about maintenance. If you really want your car to last, then you need to avoid driving in certain situations. 

For example, avoid driving in storms whenever possible. The combination of slick roads and low visibility means that you are far likelier to get into an accident. Even if you know all about storm safety while driving, it doesn’t mean other drivers won’t crash into you. 

If possible, you should avoid short trips. These trips may cause you to drive around before your car is properly warmed up, potentially causing damage to your engine. 

Finally, avoid rush hour traffic whenever possible. All of that starting and stopping can damage the mechanical components of your car and shorten its overall lifespan. 

Protect Your Car with a Great Insurance Plan 

Now you know our best tips for extending the life of your car. Of course, nothing shortens your car’s lifespan quicker than getting into an expensive automobile accident. Making sure you have the proper insurance for your needs and budget is important, as well. 

Bluefire Insurance is committed to providing great coverage at fair rates to consumers. Interested to find out how we might be able to offer quality coverage to your auto insurance customers? Bluefire is looking to expand in your territory today.  You can contact us online or call us at (866) 424-9511.