It’s not unusual these days for cars to make it past 200,000 miles or more when taken care of properly. A lot of people like to trade in their cheap used cars after a year or two but if you continue to drive your car for a long time after it’s paid off you can save about $30,000 or more. Just think about all the things you could do with an extra $30,000!
Thanks in part to numerous advances in motor oil and other engine technology features you may not need to change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles anymore. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, most newer vehicles driven today under normal conditions can go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Of course, normal conditions is rather vague and it’s hard to know whether most drivers will fall under this category.
To find out the recommended schedule for your vehicle be sure to check the owner’s manual. It should contain a maintenance schedule that explains how often you should change the oil as well as other fluids that keep your car running smoothly. It should also tell you when to change other parts such as hoses, tires, filters, belts, and spark plugs. Sticking to this schedule will pay off in the long run when you can continue to drive your car years after the loan has been paid off.
If you do a lot of city driving that includes many stops and starts your maintenance schedule will differ a lot even from someone owning the same car as you but driving mainly on the expressway. City driving adds a lot of extra wear and tear on your vehicle. Your car will also require more maintenance if you take a lot of extended trips, live in an extremely hot or cold climate, tow trailers, or do a lot of driving on bumpy, dirt roads. In this case, you may be required to change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles as opposed to every 7,500 miles.
If you’re shopping for a cheap used car it might be hard to know the maintenance history of the vehicle you’re interested in purchasing. This is important information to have because unless you know whether or not the car was taken care of properly you don’t know how reliable it will be. Be sure to ask to see any paperwork the owner has including receipts for maintenance and repair work. If they don’t have anything available you basically have to take their word that the vehicle was cared for properly. At the very least, you’ll want to have a certified mechanic inspect the car before you purchase it.