Having an extended warranty for used cars is the best protection a person can have against costly repairs.

There is more a person can do to minimize the need for repairs to their used vehicle and possible extend its life and raise its value. In addition to having an extended warranty, regular maintenance is essential to the vehicle’s longevity and in keeping it out of the repair shop.

Extended warranties and regular maintenance are essential for longevity

Following these steps to keep a car, truck, or SUV running its best:

• Avoid aggressive driving like slamming down on the gas to accelerate and hard braking. This will extend the life of the brakes, suspension, tires, transmission, and engine.

• Avoid driving in city traffic and for very short distances as much as possible. This extends the life of the brakes, transmission, and the engine.

• Keep the vehicles exterior and paint clean by regularly washing and waxing the vehicle. Removing pollution, sludge, and road salt will prevent rust and the corrosion of metal parts.

• Use seat covers and floor mats, condition leather seats, and keep your interior clean. Doing so prevents wear and tear and extends the life of the vehicle’s interior.

• Add thousands of miles to the life of the vehicle’s tires by keeping them properly inflated and rotating them regularly.

• Change the oil and filter in the vehicle according to the vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule. This can add years and thousands of miles to the life of the vehicle’s engine. *This is possible the most important maintenance task.  

• Replace the vehicle’s thermostat and change the engine’s coolant based on the vehicle’s maintenance schedule. Doing this improves the vehicle’s performance, prevents overheating, and extends the life of the cooling system and engine.

• Change the vehicle’s transmission fluid and filter regularly based on the recommended service intervals. This extends the life of the transmission.

• Regularly replace the air filter, drive belts, and the spark plugs to improve the vehicle’s gas mileage and extend the life of the exhaust system and the engine.

• Replace the water pump and the timing belt based on the vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule. This helps prevent damage to the engine’s internal components and prevents overheating while improving engine performance.

Even the most rigorous preventative maintenance schedule cannot prevent all repairs. Vehicle owners should have an extended warranty for used cars to help mitigate the cost of unexpected repairs.