Ensuring that your vehicle stays put for as long as it could last calls for certain disciplines. We all know cars from manufacturers like Toyota, Honda and Nissan can last for a lifetime. However, to use their maximum potential, you will have to undertake crucial maintenance works like clockwork. This way, you could churn out almost a million miles from certain Toyotas. That’s pretty much a lifetime of use for some drivers.
In this post, we will look at X maintenance items that you must consider for a long-lasting experience.
1. Regular Engine Oil and Filter Change
As you might have already noticed, the Middle East countries love Toyotas more than any other country there is. If you visit a car service center, you will find how people love to talk about how cheap and profitable it is to run a taxi service in the city. One of the main reasons for this is that if you maintain Toyota engines regularly, not only they’re unlikely to give you problems, but they can last forever.
So, first and foremost, we will discuss one of the staples that happens every time you take your car for routine service. Changing your car’s engine oil and filter is part of crucial maintenance. Engine overhauls can become outrageously expensive. On the other hand, changing oil is pretty cheap.
We recommend that you use fully synthetic engine oil that matches the specifications of your engine. This way, you don’t have to change your oil frequently and can drive for up to 10,000 km worry-free. Conversely, synthetic oil is more expensive than regular oil, which only lets you run just under 5000 km.
2. Servicing Your Automatic Transmission
Servicing your automatic transmission is the second most important thing among your car’s maintenance items. It’s best to change the fluid in the transmission every 45,000 km to 95,000, depending upon your driving style. Again, this might be the entire lifecycle for those who use their cars sparingly. So if you have a later model car, you wouldn’t have to worry much about the service item under normal driving conditions.
3. Check Your Cooling System
You must frequently check your coolant levels and see if it has gotten dirty over time. Contaminated coolant liquids or low levels of it can overheat your engine or choke the radiator core. As for the type of coolant you could use, regular options will require you to change the coolant every 40,000 to 50,000 km. However, if you use premium options, such as the extended life antifreeze, you can drive your car worry-free for upto five years or way over 100,000 km. Interestingly, these options aren’t much more expensive than the regular options. So why not use it.
4. Check Your Battery
Last but not least, the maintenance item that you need to check often would be your car’s battery. Faulty batteries can do some serious damage to the electrical units of your car. It’s easy to lift the terminal caps and check for signs of corrosion once in a while. If you find any corrosion, you can easily brush off all the smut using a simple wire brush. Additionally, you can use a protective spray to further seal it from dirt particles entering the terminals. We recommend that you inspect your car battery at least a couple of times a year and replace it before it completely dies and causes serious problems.
To Conclude
That’s it. Just four simple hacks – your engine, transmission, cooling system, and battery. Take care of these, and you’re looking at spending much more time with your beloved 4-wheeler. Interestingly, several Toyotas, such as Land Cruisers, are known even to outlive their owners. It’s amazing what a few sturdy machines can give you in return if maintained properly.
