# Are there any simple non expensive ways that I can make my car last longer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2002, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338 "2002-08-11T00:39:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![parisms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@parisms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parisms)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/1 "2002-08-11T00:39:24Z")
I know regular oil change is the best thing you can do, but are there any other things, like fuel additives, etc… I just purchased a used Nissan 200sx and want it to last as long as possible. Any practical advice would be greatly appreciated ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/2 "2002-08-11T00:47:22Z")
This was asked on Car Talk once and their answer was: accelerate and decelerate gently. In fact, this show was re-broadcast last week so the audio clip is currently on [their web page](http://cartalk.cars.com/Radio/Show/). Click on segment 9. (It’ll only be there for a few more days though, they only keep the latest show on-line) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/3 "2002-08-11T02:13:22Z")
Driving directly into the sun is always bad for a vehicle. First off, reaching escape velocity takes an unusually strong tail wind and a steep hill. Secondly, you must consider the fact that in space, air conditioning works marginally at best. Also, the amount of gasoline required to get there makes the trip impractical. Your tires must be properly inflated. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/4 "2002-08-11T02:56:28Z")
I recommend 2 great small books that might be in libraries or ebay or used book sources: _From Bumper to Bumper_, by Bob Sikorsky, and _When There’s No Mechanic: 127 Important Things to Know About Your Car_, by Jim Gaston. Happy motoring! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![parisms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@parisms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parisms)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/5 "2002-08-11T03:27:18Z")
Lol Mr Cynical… Thanks for the advice guys, Has anyone used those engine additives? Any other advice from dopers out there, this is also my first car so I have no experiance. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/6 "2002-08-11T04:24:48Z")
Never do anything that would cause the car to be towed/impounded. If you get it back at all it will never be the same. Find a mechanic you can trust. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![parisms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@parisms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parisms)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/7 "2002-08-11T04:36:59Z")
I’m lucky that my brother is good friends with a mechanic neighbor of his, I’m gonna go see him tommorow so he can give it a rundown and make sure everything is allright. What do you think it is that makes the car never the same again if it gets towed/impounded? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/8 "2002-08-11T04:52:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by parisms \* > \*\* > > What do you think it is that makes the car never the same again if it gets towed/impounded? \*\* The police/tow truck driver/auto pound watchmen/and various other unsavory characters all get their grubby little hands on your vehicle and steal what they can and abuse the hell out of what’s left. Ask anybody who it’s happened to. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/9 "2002-08-11T04:56:34Z")
Also, obey traffic laws and drive safely. An accident can destroy your car in an instant. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/10 "2002-08-11T06:00:01Z")
no scientific evidence, but - fuel additives are a waste of money. if anyone has evidence to the contrary, pls post. keep it clean (esp. if there salt/sand is used on the roads), do not strain anything - easy on the gas, easy on the brakes - if the brakes don’t last 100,000 miles you are probably doing something wrong. keep it warm and dry - rust is the enemy. use the fuel the engine was designed for (this should be in the manual). There was a guy with a ferrari who used to fill up on aircraft fuel (which, at the time, was 100 octane - leaded!) don’t know how long it took him to destroy that engine. ---
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/11 "2002-08-11T06:30:00Z")
some good advice here. take it easy, keep it clean inside and out and under the hood. follow the maintaince procedures in the manuel forget the additives = snake oil. BTW, leaded fuel won’t hurt an engine. but it will kill the oxygen sensor before too long. higher octane only if the engine knocks on the lower stuff. ---
**Author:** ![fungi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@fungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fungi)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/12 "2002-08-11T11:59:58Z")
1. Park away from the elements if at all possible 2. Change oil every 1500 miles 3. Keep clean (but not obsessively so) 4. Keep rubber lubricated; use teflon spray for electric window tracks 5. Drive sensibly If you live near the sea, 1 and 3 are extremely important. If you live in an area where they put salt on the roads during winter, well, you might as well forget it…:eek: The oil thing is no joke. Auto electrician of mine has a car that’s done 300.000 miles and still purrs. All he does is puts in oil every 1500. When I was a motorcycle courier I put in new oil weekly. It’s the best way to keep an engine happy. ---
**Author:** ![fungi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@fungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fungi)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/13 "2002-08-11T12:03:08Z")
Oh, and never operate any electrics (excepting the radio/tape/cd) without the engine running. Those little electric motors really lose a lot of life if you do. And just for fun, ask for a quote to replace a burnt out motor for a sunroof, window, car seat… no joke… :mad: ---
**Author:** ![parisms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@parisms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parisms)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/14 "2002-08-11T13:32:44Z")
Can anyone else back up the oil thing. Every 1500 miles seems a little excessive. Do you mean a full oil change? I will do it if it really is good for your car, but I don’t want to make such a drastic change if it is not beneficial. btw Does anyone have any experiance with a car being impounded or towed and getting it abused/ stuff stolen? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/15 "2002-08-11T13:54:22Z")
IMHO, every 3000 miles OR three months, whichever comes first. For me it’s the three months. I don’t go anywhere! I put, maybe 7000-8000 miles on my car every year. If you drive primarily stop-and-go city traffic, definitely every three months. Unless you’re using your car as a delivery vehicle (courier, delivering newspapers, etc) then every three months should be sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![Kreekurmudgeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@Kreekurmudgeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kreekurmudgeon)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/16 "2002-08-11T14:16:24Z")
Highway driving, every 5,000-to-6000 miles to the oil change is okay. (I have almost 400,000 on mine following that schedule.) Start and stop driving requires changes sooner. Good maintenance and good driving habits are the key to long life in a vehicle. Good maintenance includes more than just oil changes. Make repairs when things start going wrong, not after they break. Jackrabbit driving (quick starts, quick stops, darting in and out of traffic) are death on a car. Want to test how well you do this? Put an egg in a dish on the floor of your car. Drive around town without rolling the egg out of the dish. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/17 "2002-08-11T15:05:57Z")
I suppose my first question would be for some info. on the car. Model, mileage, motor size, some history and what condition is it in now? What are your driving habits? The local weather has a major influence. If the car has a warranty available, the best thing you can do is to extend it and follow the maintenance schedule. It’s expensive but will pay for itself in the long run. 3000m/oil change is fine for most, use a high grade synthethic lubricant, (expensive but worth it) high octane fuel, routine maintenance as others have mentioned. Driving habits are probably most important and if possible garage it! ``` AND NEVER LOAN IT OUT ``` ---
**Author:** ![zwede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ac91a4/32.png) [@zwede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwede)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/18 "2002-08-11T15:30:41Z")
Excessive oil changes are a waste of money. 4000-5000 miles with regular oil and 7500 or so with synthetic is more than enough. Never put any additives in the oil. It is a good idea to put a bottle of fuel injector cleaner in the tank right before the oil change. I’ve taken engines apart, and sludge does form on top of intake valves. Some cleaner will keep it under control. As far as “drive gently”… Well, if it makes you feel better… Doesn’t make a difference, really. What does make a difference is to limit cold starts and be gentle while the engine is cold. Most any engine should last atleast 200k miles. What kills them is cold starts with short trips where the engine does not reach operating temp. A 5 miles trip will not get the oil hot enough to remove condensation. A 500 mile highway trip generates minimal wear. If you do mostly highway driving I wouldn’t be surprised to see you get 300k out of it. Markus ---
**Author:** ![parisms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@parisms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parisms)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/19 "2002-08-11T16:21:13Z")
Well just in case this would help dispencing advice, I have a 98 Nissan 200sx, Automatic 4 cylinder 1.6 L engine. It has 43,000 miles on it. I drive fairly gently and I’m trying to put all this stuff I’ve read into practice today. Pardon my ignorance, but can you explain how I could avoid cold starts and is there anyway to make it okay if I am driving short trips. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338/20 "2002-08-11T16:38:32Z")
this is a problem. a. do you really need to use the car for short trips? S CA, yes, everything needs a car. so… start the car, let it idle until the temp. guage reaches mid-point. if this takes longer than the actual trip, you’ve got a tough call. the point is to get the oil hot enough to become thin enough to get into every nook and cranny. and auto transmissions - notice when it is about to shift, and don’t be doing any hard acceleration/de-acceleration during the process. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-simple-non-expensive-ways-that-i-can-make-my-car-last-longer/123338.md?page=2)