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Red McCombs Body Shop in San Antonio, Texas
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210-245-5735

4800 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78229
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30am to 6:00pm. Saturday & Sunday closed

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Extend Your Vehicle’s Life with Good Driving Habits


Essential Driving Tips to Extend Your Car’s Life

If you take good care of your car, it can serve you well for many years. But did you know that your driving style can have a huge impact on its lifespan? Your driving style plays an integral part in how long your car lasts. Knowing how your driving habits contribute to wear and tear is essential to getting the most out of your car’s lifespan.

Here’s how you can change your driving habits to ensure your vehicle remains in top condition.

Drive Smoothly

Refraining from aggressive driving, like smartly easing into acceleration and braking, can preserve your engine and transmission. On the other hand, aggressive driving, such as running fast or sudden brakes, takes a toll on various parts, thus gradually wearing the engine, brakes, tires, suspensions, etc.

Maintain a Steady Speed

Keeping a consistent speed not only improves fuel efficiency but also enhances vehicle durability. Frequent speeding up and hard braking stresses the engine and increases fuel consumption. When cruising at higher speeds, it's essential to stay within the recommended revolutions per minute (RPM) to prevent premature wear caused by pushing the engine too hard.

For instance, maintaining a steady pace on highways ensures that everything operates smoothly without straining your vehicle. This practice improves fuel economy and reduces overall engine wear.

Avoid Short Trips

Frequent short trips, especially those less than 10 miles, might seem inconsequential, but they can hurt your engine over time. Engine oils are optimized to work best at a specific temperature. With short drives, the engine may not have a chance to reach that temperature, denying optimal combustion. A cold engine generates more friction, as oil cannot lubricate components effectively like when they are warm and can cause premature wear on essential parts such as pistons and valves.

Short trips also strain the battery and exhaust system, which have to work a little harder. Whenever possible, combine errands into one longer drive to ensure all components get a chance to warm up.

Stay Within Load Limits

Whether you drive a truck, SUV, passenger car, or some other vehicle, being overloaded puts an additional strain on its suspension, tires, and engine. Overloading can lead to faster tire wear and can make tire blowouts more likely. It also makes the engine run overtime, which creates more heat and burns more fuel. Heavier loads also make braking difficult.

Limit Idling Time

Extended idling is not ideal for modern engines. While it was once common to idle vehicles for warm-up, today's cars warm up much more quickly once they start moving. Idling wastes fuel and causes incomplete combustion and can create carbon deposits in the engine and exhaust system over time.

If you plan to be parked for more than a minute, such as while waiting at a drive-thru, it's best to turn off the ignition.

More Advice at Red McCombs Superior Body Shop

For more tips on how to care for your vehicle, contact Red McCombs Superior Body Shop today. We're the premier provider of automotive services in San Antonio, TX, and our friendly staff is always ready to help.