PHOENIX, AZ — How long do you typically keep your cars? Five years, 10, 15? There are some simple ways to keep your vehicle in prime condition to make sure you stay safe, too.
Arizona has more than 5,000,000 drivers crisscrossing our sun-scorched freeway system and the cars filling up those lanes of traffic are getting older as motorists make them last longer than ever before.
"150,000, 200,000, 250,000 miles for most vehicles..." says Glen Hayward with Good Works Auto Repair. That's long enough to drive around the earth along the equator 10 times!
A new study from iSeeCars shows the number of auto owners who keep their cars for longer than 15 years. The Phoenix metro hits below the national average of one out of every 13 owners sending their set of wheels that far down the road. But the trend to extend a car's lifespan is climbing.
"You find the color you want, the size you want, the model that you want..."
Glen's good advice? Stay on top of maintenance, buy lightly used if you want a new car and don't be afraid to look at former rentals.
The economic factor is one thing. You want to save money, but you want to make sure you stay safe, too, and don't end up stranded on the side of the freeway somewhere. There is a way to try to make sure that doesn't happen to you and that's thumbing through what car experts might call a holy book or a sacred text.
"They say the bible is the most read book. Your owner's manual is the least read book on the planet."
Glen told me you'd better read it, if not chapter and verse, checklist and tips. From oil and filter changes to full fluid flushes and comprehensive engine checks.
These necessary steps can keep you safe in the short term and make your car last for the long haul.
