View Full Version : How to keep a car in good shape for a long time
I love my car. I enjoy driving it, and I love the story behind it--the story of how, during one of the best years of my life, I was driving home from watching my DH march with his Pipe and Drum band in the Memorial Day parade in Cranbury NJ when I made a sharp, impulsive left turn into the Toyota dealership, saw a white Prius, loaded, gave the salesman a deposit and then went on my merry way to finish packing for the family trip to Scotland the next day. That was in 2007, so the car is now 14 years old with only 139,000 miles.
I don't like the idea of having to buy another car in my lifetime. DH thinks I'm totally unrealistic, but I'm not going to have a huge pile of cash when I retire, so I'm thinking, if I drive 8k miles a year (which has been my average over the past 3 years), I can probably get 8-10 years more out of it. At age 79, will I still be driving? Maybe, but maybe not. Maybe I'll be dead. So I want to bank on the car lasting as long as possible.
That means I have to really put effort into maintenance. Given I live in a rugged spot for winter weather and I have no garage, what advice do you have for me in terms of extending the life of this old car for as long as possible? My first thought is undercoating, but what else?
Great question! Because I also love my car and do not ever want to have to buy another one.
Thought it was a great idea when I saw a neighbor who does not have a garage put rugs on the hood, roof and trunk of his car when hail was forecast. I never would have considered that.
I am another that hopes to keep my car for a lot longer.
My 2013 Prius V is my car and truck combined. I plan on keeping it for at least another 5 years. With the limited driving due to covid, it will be lasting a lot longer. It has about 147,000km = 93,000 miles. Never calculated that before so am surprised at how few actual 'miles' I have driven in over 7 years.
I live a 15 minutes walk from the dealer that I bought it from. After being warned that the protective coating warranty for 5 years of rust resistance started to pit around then, I started undercoating in 2017 by the rust protect company that we used for decades which I will keep doing each year. I take the car in whenever due for oil changes. They do the routine scheduled maintenance checks on the usual - brakes, battery, etc but little else has been needed beyond the brakes, some new windshield wipers and an air filter. I will need new tires at some point. I did have two small dings that I had repaired before they started to rust by a local small body shop. I do have a garage which helps.
Not sure if there is much else that you can do, Catherine, besides the scheduled maintenance except remove any salt buildup during the winter with a carwash and clean it to protect the surface. The Toyota Prius is a rugged car.
Like razz says, stick to the maintenance schedule. And keep it clean. And if you drive it on salted roads wash it frequently. Although I've read that modern car washes recycle the water so you're washing with salty water which will do you no good on the salt front. Not sure how to get around that one besides washing it at home (including the underside).
And count me in with the "I want this car to last forever" crowd. I doubt anyone remembers but I inherited my father's car about 7 years ago. A 2002 Honda Accord that had 22,000 miles at the time. Now it's up to 55,000 miles and still runs great.* Since we live in the suburbs now I actually need it for things like going to the grocery store, but I'm still putting less than 100 miles/week on it. My goal is to hopefully get another 10 years out of it, which should be doable since it's a honda that has never dealt with snow. 100,000 miles is not a big deal for a modern honda without one of the super high tech engines that some of their cars have. At that point (ten years from now) we are planning to retire, at which point I can see myself trading it in for something electric that I'd then try to make last for the rest of my life. I've never in my life bought a car so if everything goes to plan I will probably be the only 63 year old in 2031 who is buying an electric car as his first and last car purchase...
*One of the age related things I've noticed with my car is that the windows are getting creaky. They still all work but I need to look into whether there's some sort of elixir that I can put on the tracks to make them move easier. The rarely opened back door windows are especially prone to making loud groaning noises when I open/close them due to age and degradation of the felt/rubber tracks.
Thought it was a great idea when I saw a neighbor who does not have a garage put rugs on the hood, roof and trunk of his car when hail was forecast. I never would have considered that.
Many moons ago (the early '80s) my aunt had to deal with hail damage to her car. The small town she lived in in western kansas had suffered a major storm with baseball sized hail. (my cousin ran out and grabbed a few pieces and stored them in the freezer, so I know that they were actually this big...) Everyone in town who didn't have their car under cover when the storm hit had a broken windshield and back window plus multiple dents all over the body of the car. At the time someone suggested using dry ice to get the dents out of the body. Apparently if the dent didn't reach the edge of the metal the cold from the dry ice would cause the metal to contract and 'fix' itself. People trying to game the insurance system would have the insurance adjuster value the cost to fix it first and then use dry ice afterwards to reduce the real cost of fixing it.
Keep up with the scheduled maintenance. Do what Toyota (or whoever) specifies. I always get a hoot out of old guys who remember their ol' '69 Chevy and recommend oil changes every 3,000 miles and tire rotations for tire types that no longer exist. Cars have changed over the years. Toyota's engineers know a little about how to keep their car going.
Make sure "lifetime fluids" really are (on my VW, "lifetime" for automatic transmission fluid is four years/60,000 miles). As long as most people keep cars, that's a "lifetime".
One thing I'm very careful about is to not do short-hop driving if I can help it. I try to batch errands and I will even drive around for half an hour or so before my first stop. I want the car to get up to operating temperature for a bit and have time to recharge the battery. And I want the car to move. Idling a car for 15-20 minutes when it's cold out may warm up the engine but it does zero for the suspension or steering. Best to move the car gently once it's running steady. On the other hand, warmup may be different on a hybrid (have never investigated).
There are Web forums for Priuses (Priii?); the FAQs and sticky posts on those sites typically cover known trouble spots and how you can either avoid them or address them best. Might be worth a look.
Teacher Terry
4-9-21, 11:51pm
I am the third little old lady owner of a 2008 Toyota Corolla with 60k miles on it. It’s only needed brakes and tires. I do the routine maintenance. With my moving I will be close to many places that I go. We have been putting on about 6k miles a year. Not sure what it will be with me alone. The other car that’s now my ex’s is a 2010 Honda Accord that’s also been a great car.
ApatheticNoMore
4-10-21, 2:39am
My last 2 cars died in accidents (not serious ones for anyone other than the car. Only one did I have fault in and it was because I needed new glasses! So that's my advice - get a yearly optometry appointment, don't procrastinate it. One I was rear ended and the car was never the same after). I had them both about 10 years and bought them used when they were just a few years old, so all said they had a good run. I take them for maintenance but sometimes procrastinate it by a few months.
The guys at work are all saying electric is better as there are fewer parts to go bad, and they only need brakes and tires. This switch is increasingly being made for other things like power tools, but we need the charger grid built for vehicles. Good luck to Biden on getting this through.
My last 2 cars died in accidents (not serious ones for anyone other than the car. Only one did I have fault in and it was because I needed new glasses! So that's my advice - get a yearly optometry appointment, don't procrastinate it.
Haha!! Good advice, ANM! I think of that sometimes. There are only so many things I can control, and accidents, by definition, are not one of those things. I just had an ophthalmology exam a couple of weeks ago, so I think I'm good for a few months on that.
I have heard bits and pieces about the big batteries dying after sometime and are very expensive to replace, but never seen any hard evidence of that. I think anymore most cars that are well maintained and not abused should go well past your mileage. For me there has come a time when little vehicle problems become more frequent and more expensive to fix, and finally it becomes something or a nuisance or worry to keep up.
iris lilies
4-10-21, 10:43am
Many moons ago (the early '80s) my aunt had to deal with hail damage to her car. The small town she lived in in western kansas had suffered a major storm with baseball sized hail. (my cousin ran out and grabbed a few pieces and stored them in the freezer, so I know that they were actually this big...) Everyone in town who didn't have their car under cover when the storm hit had a broken windshield and back window plus multiple dents all over the body of the car. At the time someone suggested using dry ice to get the dents out of the body. Apparently if the dent didn't reach the edge of the metal the cold from the dry ice would cause the metal to contract and 'fix' itself. People trying to game the insurance system would have the insurance adjuster value the cost to fix it first and then use dry ice afterwards to reduce the real cost of fixing it.
Hail storms create a bonanza of used cars cheap for those car buyers who are not picky about how their car looks.
Consider a portable cover garage type piece to protect from weather, sun and trees? https://www.shelterlogic.com/shop/arrow-12-x-20-ft-carport-vinyl-stoneygrey
I drive just 3500-5k per year. Every 2 years, my car gets a full 30k checkup. Tires checked at the store where I purchased, free of charge (mine can't be rotated as front/back are different).
I found this article on Prius batteries: https://www.torquenews.com/8113/one-secret-can-double-life-your-toyota-prius-hybrid-battery
Best of luck!!!
Hail storms create a bonanza of used cars cheap for those car buyers who are not picky about how their car looks.The best deal we ever got on a new car was due to hail damage. In 1994 a hail storm damaged every car on the local Saab dealer's lot, they collected insurance payments for their losses and then steeply discounted the sale price on each one. We picked up a new 94 Saab at a $9,000 discount and then paid the dealer about $2,000 to take out all the dents and repair any paint damage. My wife loved that car.
Teacher Terry
4-10-21, 12:08pm
When we first moved to Kansas a guy we met at a resort told us to put our cars out of the garage in a hail storm to get a big payment from the insurance. My husband and I looked at him weirdly. Some people will do anything for a free buck.
Catherine, my son's in-laws put up a pre fab garage--I saw it yesterday and it looks fine, and it would do the job protecting their car. They used a Maine mini-barn company, and it was delivered and assembled in a day. It was pretty cheap, too, as I recall.
You could cute it up. I would love one for a studio.
Consider a portable cover garage type piece to protect from weather, sun and trees? https://www.shelterlogic.com/shop/arrow-12-x-20-ft-carport-vinyl-stoneygrey
I drive just 3500-5k per year. Every 2 years, my car gets a full 30k checkup. Tires checked at the store where I purchased, free of charge (mine can't be rotated as front/back are different).
I found this article on Prius batteries: https://www.torquenews.com/8113/one-secret-can-double-life-your-toyota-prius-hybrid-battery
Best of luck!!!
Gardnr, thanks for that article! Highly informative
Also, thanks, Gardnr and Tybee, for the quick-install carport/garage ideas. Worth considering, although we have such limited space here, I'd have to think carefully bout how to integrate it into our yard.
Then there's the option of one of those car covers, I suppose. My MIL was SO careful of her belongings--she kept her car in a garage but she ALSO covered her car every night with a combination of 2 sheets perfectly sized for the whole car, front to back. She said it was because the cat from next door used to get into the garage and walk on the car. She treated that car like a baby. So I was thinking, maybe one of those stretchy covers would protect from the elements.
In addition to good maintenance, I suggest being a prudent driver - easy on the gas, easy on the breaks, no crazy high speeds, etc. I drive like what I am, an old(er) woman, lol.
Gardnr, thanks for that article! Highly informative
Also, thanks, Gardnr and Tybee, for the quick-install carport/garage ideas. Worth considering, although we have such limited space here, I'd have to think carefully bout how to integrate it into our yard.
Then there's the option of one of those car covers, I suppose. My MIL was SO careful of her belongings--she kept her car in a garage but she ALSO covered her car every night with a combination of 2 sheets perfectly sized for the whole car, front to back. She said it was because the cat from next door used to get into the garage and walk on the car. She treated that car like a baby. So I was thinking, maybe one of those stretchy covers would protect from the elements.
THe issue with those is you'll still have to clear snow, shake off rain, potential for hail damage etc.......with the more rigid "carport" idea, none of that occurs.
I too adore my car. It's a 2003 Subaru Forester with almost 259,000 miles. It was semi-retired last year since I walk to work now but my cousin's death required lots of driving to clean out his home. Now that's done and it's mostly driven to barn about 13 miles away. Interior looks great but the rear has a few boo boos from me backing into something I shouldn't have. I recently replaced the original spark plugs and may be due for a new timing belt soon, which will cost more than the car is worth. But, I know what I've got and I want to keep it going until it's too costly to keep it. Climate controlled garage kept, not washed as frequently as I would like (and smells like horses at times). I would buy the exact same car again since I'm not too thrilled with the size of the new Foresters--they're so big!!
In the right light (read: dim light) it still looks halfway decent for a 19 year old car.
3735
I too adore my car. It's a 2003 Subaru Forester with almost 259,000 miles. It was semi-retired last year since I walk to work now but my cousin's death required lots of driving to clean out his home. Now that's done and it's mostly driven to barn about 13 miles away. Interior looks great but the rear has a few boo boos from me backing into something I shouldn't have. I recently replaced the original spark plugs and may be due for a new timing belt soon, which will cost more than the car is worth. But, I know what I've got and I want to keep it going until it's too costly to keep it. Climate controlled garage kept, not washed as frequently as I would like (and smells like horses at times). I would buy the exact same car again since I'm not too thrilled with the size of the new Foresters--they're so big!!
I have a 2014 Subaru Forester, and like you, I adore it. I'm at 80,000 miles (bought it used about 3 1/2 years ago with 34K on it). Your post gives me encouragement! I agree, the new ones are the size of my DH's 2015 Outback!
Well, my car now is experiencing three repairs at the same time. The clutch had to be replaced which wasn’t a surprise. This IS San Francisco, after all. One of the windows needs a new regulator. And the tires I bought 7 years/35,000 miles ago are at the end of their life. $1700 plus my time to do the window repair. The brake pads will likely need replacing in a year or so. None of these are a surprise (except the tires. I expected more than 35,000 miles from them) but hopefully I won’t have any other big repairs for a while.
ToomuchStuff
5-25-21, 11:28pm
And the tires I bought 7 years/35,000 miles ago are at the end of their life. ...(except the tires. I expected more than 35,000 miles from them) but hopefully I won’t have any other big repairs for a while.
The company truck my friend had, was a 2009, that had just hit 40K miles on the original tires. We replaced them in 2019, due to dry rot, not mileage.
How many people check their spares and only find out they have dry rotted when they need it (let alone being flat from never checking it)?
I took my car to a Car Talk recommended mechanic (they are always the best) and they said to put in Techron, so now I do that periodically. My car is a 2010 Toyota with 125000 miles.
I took my car to a Car Talk recommended mechanic (they are always the best) and they said to put in Techron, so now I do that periodically. My car is a 2010 Toyota with 125000 miles.
What is Techron?
What is Techron?
It is a fuel system cleaner:
https://www.chevronlubricants.com/en_us/home/products/techron-complete-fuel-system-cleaner.html
Your prius still uses some fuel, right? Or no?
catherine
5-26-21, 10:04am
It is a fuel system cleaner:
https://www.chevronlubricants.com/en_us/home/products/techron-complete-fuel-system-cleaner.html
Your prius still uses some fuel, right? Or no?
Yes--it's a hybrid, so half gas, half electric. Thanks for the tip!
iris lilies
5-26-21, 12:59pm
In the right light (read: dim light) it still looks halfway decent for a 19 year old car.
3735
I’m sure that car will serve you well for several more years.
2004 Toyota Corolla, just shy of 150K miles.
I was planning to buy a new car -- likely my last -- when the pandemic started to clear, but I'm rethinking that. Last fall I had to spend a significant sum to get it past emissions inspection, and two months ago I had to replace a cracked catalytic converter. Had the work done at the dealer, which charges premium prices but does good work. Now it's running like a top, and I'll probably be hanging on to it for a while.
A factor in my decision is that there are so many upsides to driving a beater if it's running well. Aside from the cost factor, if it gets a scratch, who cares?
happystuff
5-27-21, 11:22am
My favorite car ever was a little four-door Plymouth Neon. Literally bought it used off an older woman from church - lol. I used it, then one of my kids used it, then we shared it (we both loved it! LOL) It lasted just shy of 20 years. Now we have Hondas and Toyotas.
2004 Toyota Corolla, just shy of 150K miles.
I was planning to buy a new car -- likely my last -- when the pandemic started to clear, but I'm rethinking that. Last fall I had to spend a significant sum to get it past emissions inspection, and two months ago I had to replace a cracked catalytic converter. Had the work done at the dealer, which charges premium prices but does good work. Now it's running like a top, and I'll probably be hanging on to it for a while.
A factor in my decision is that there are so many upsides to driving a beater if it's running well. Aside from the cost factor, if it gets a scratch, who cares?
Since you spent the money to get it back in good shape it seems logical to keep it for now and then reevaluate when the next problem arises. Assuming that one does. It’s a Toyota Corolla. It will last forever. This ad pretty much sums things up:
https://www.craigslist.org/about/best/hou/6565526716.html
happystuff
5-29-21, 12:41pm
Since you spent the money to get it back in good shape it seems logical to keep it for now and then reevaluate when the next problem arises. Assuming that one does. It’s a Toyota Corolla. It will last forever. This ad pretty much sums things up:
https://www.craigslist.org/about/best/hou/6565526716.html
:D
That ad just makes one rush out and look for one.:D
In reality:
My 2005 little red Vibe based on the Toyota Matrix is still going strong and my son-in-law is very pleased with having it to drive to work every day. The AC did quit but he just rolls down the window.
My 2013 Prius V is my truck and car combo. This model of Prius is no longer made I was told by a Toyota staff who had planned on buying one. I haul all kinds of stuff and the fuel efficiency is 47US MPG.
Since you spent the money to get it back in good shape it seems logical to keep it for now and then reevaluate when the next problem arises. Assuming that one does. It’s a Toyota Corolla. It will last forever. This ad pretty much sums things up:
https://www.craigslist.org/about/best/hou/6565526716.html
That is an awesome ad!! I love it! That guy deserves to be VP of Marketing somewhere.
Just got my credit card statement for
Last month. Between the clutch job, tires and window regulator $1600. The same as six months of payments SO makes on his new car. But I don’t expect to have any major expenses now for way more than 6 months so I’m good with that.
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