There are things you can do to extend the life of your vehicle. By following these tips you will help to preserve the life of your vehicle. The first tip is to have patience when driving. Do not allow road rage to take over your driving skills. If you find yourself stuck and unable to move the vehicle, practice patience here to get to moving. Many will become stuck in snow or mud. The first reaction is to either gun the vehicle to make it move, or throw it from drive to reverse repeatedly. This only works to wear out the transmission and related systems. Instead, if after one gentle try you cannot move, call a tow, and save your transmission from burn out.
Another tip is not to have a heavy keychain. A heavy keychain will weigh the ignition causing stress that can cause issues like wearing it out too quickly. The tumblers in the ignition cannot withstand much weight. Use a lightweight keychain and just a few keys. Make sure the ignition key stays separated from the others, with nothing jammed against it for best results. A warning sign with the ignition is if the key sticks while trying to start the car. If this occurs you may want to have the ignition switch replaced before it fails.
Every day you have an opportunity to help your vehicle have a longer life if you simply take care and drive safely. It is not good for an engine to rev up while you start it or at a stop light. It is not good to be heavy footed either, so when accelerating be gentle build up to the speed you need slowly. Contrary to popular belief, it is not good for a vehicle to warm up for several minutes during cold weather. This results in a buildup of soot and oil contamination. When sitting at a red light or in a long line at a drive through, put the engine into neutral to save the transmission from extra wear.
By driving cautiously, you are helping to keep the tread on your tyres. The speed limits are there to help you drive safe, observe these and do not speed. When you know your stop is coming up, slow down enough ahead of time so you do not have to screech to a stop. Avoid large bumps, curbs, etc. in the road and parking lots. Do not steer tightly, try to turn around in a nice wide circle, or pull in and back up. Avoid taking unnecessary trips. Know where you are going and try to drive when you can avoid idling in traffic.
