You can actually double or triple the life of your car by performing scheduled maintenance and practicing good driving habits.
Here are some great tips to follow:
1. Break your vehicle in
Every car has a breaking-in period. If you have a new car, the first 1000 miles should be used to vary your driving speed. Varying your driving speed early on allows the piston rings to seat properly. Otherwise, your car will consume far more oil over its lifetime. Changing your oil after the 1500 mile mark also removes bits and pieces of metal and grit that are typically found in new engines.
2. Avoid sudden starts and stops
Making sudden starts and stops wears away at your engine, transmission, and brakes. It's far better to get in the habit of anticipating traffic conditions so you can keep your car speed as constant as possible. Good truck drivers provide a good example to follow. They tend to be gentle on their vehicle.
3. Never downshift when you can apply the brake
Downshifting too much can ruin your transmission in a hurry. Older car models had brakes that were less reliable than modern cars, and shifting into a lower gear when descending hills was a common practice. The "rule of thumb" now is to downshift only when descending on a long steep grade.
Driving with a cold engine is where most damage occurs. It's usually the first few minutes after start up that are the most critical. Be patient, and allow your engine at least 5 minutes to warm up to its normal operating temperature. This means leaving the air conditioner, heater, and any other power hungry accessories off for just a short period of time.
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