These days, there’s no reason why you can’t buy a used car and have it provide you with great performance and reliability for many years. Of course, you play a role in how long a car lasts, and you can get the most out of yours with these tips.

Think About How You Drive

You may not realize it, but you could be doing things to shorten the lifespan of your car or causing parts to wear out faster. If, for example, you have to brake suddenly instead of gradually when approaching a red light or stop sign, this causes needless strain on the braking system. Many short trips throughout a day wear down a battery faster than fewer, longer trips.

Get the Right Service at the Right Times

Regular maintenance is vital for keeping your car healthy, and it has to be done in a timely manner. Oil should be changed every six months, and this same is true for tire rotations.

Your braking system and battery should be inspected every year. All fluid levels should be looked at and topped off if necessary every few months.

Don’t Ignore the Small Stuff

If you want an easy way to shorten the life of your vehicle, don’t pay attention to anything that is out of the ordinary. Weird noises like squeaking or grinding, strange smells, a sudden loss of power. These are things that indicate a problem, and ignoring them won’t make them go away.

In fact, whatever the issue is, it will almost certainly get worse. And in addition to hurting your car’s performance, this will probably end up costing you more money.

If your vehicle is in need of maintenance or you’ve noticed a problem, make an appointment with the service center at I.G. Burton Chrysler Dodge Jeep® RAM of Berlin.