Extending the Life of Your Car After Collision Repair

Editor's note: This post was originally published on August 31, 2018 and has been updated for accuracy and relevance.

Weeks can pass before your car is ready to be picked up from the body shop after an accident. The good news is that the first time back behind the wheel can seem like driving your car for the first time all over again. Once you have received it from the collision repair shop and see it clean and sparkling, you may begin to think about how you can keep your car for as long as possible. Fortunately, extending the life of your car is simple in most cases, but it requires you to stay on top of a few things. Follow these simple habits to keep your car running better for longer!

Keep an Eye on Vehicle Fluids

Keeping the fluids that run through your car clean is very important. Motor oil is one of the essential elements in engine life. Your oil should be changed every 3,000 miles or every three months. This will help fight the formation of oil deposits and sludge and keep the moving metal parts in your engine from wearing out too quickly.

Transmission fluid is another important one to keep in mind. Most manufacturers suggest that it be changed every 70,000 miles. This process is a bit more labor intensive, so the fluid may cost a pretty penny. However, failure to keep up with fluid changes could cause the transmission to fail or become damaged over time. Transmission repair is one of the costliest repairs on any vehicle, so taking diligent care of your transmission is very important.

Other fluids like your brake fluid and coolant should be topped off and checked regularly as well. Many oil change services will inspect your levels and alert you if they are lower than they should be.

Perform Auto Repairs Immediately

This may seem like a no brainer, but you should never drive your car if you notice something is not normal. You can easily cause a domino effect of damages to your car if you ignore a necessary repair. This means that misfires, strange noises, loose belts, overheating, leaks, and other issues should never be ignored. It is best to get these types of problems inspected and repaired immediately in order to avoid a situation where your car is damaged further.

Clean Your Car Regularly

Not only does this make your car appear to be in better shape, but removing dirt and grime is good for the body of your car as well. Pollutants and salt in the air as well as other factors like rain and humidity can damage metals or paint on your car. A simple soap and rinse is plenty!

Keep Up with Car Maintenance

Brake pads, tires, wipers, sparkplugs and filters are all pieces of your car that will not last forever. Look and listen for signs of wear on these parts. Keeping up with simple maintenance techniques can save you thousands of dollars down the road and failure to keep up could potentially cause an accident.

Staying on top of maintenance and giving your car a little TLC is the best way to ensure that it remains in the best running condition possible. If you have any questions on how to keep your car in prime running condition, call Medines Collision today!