13 Things To Do To Get Your Car To Last 200,000 Miles and Beyond
Written by
Nicole Spector
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Amber Barkley
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The cost of car ownership in the U.S. is staggering. Americans are now paying an average of $12,182 to own and operate a new vehicle — which works out to $1,015 per month — according to AAA. The cost is rising; the average cost of owning a car was $10,728, annually, in 2022.
Given the astronomical cost of car ownership, it’s imperative to keep your car optimized at top performance, and make it last for as many miles as possible. Today, some new car models are engineered to last upwards of 200,000 miles, but they typically won’t get to that milestone mileage on their own. Car owners need to do their due diligence and make key moves to get their car to last this long.
So, what can you do to get your car to last 200,000 miles and even beyond? Here’s what automotive experts told GOBankingRates.
Start By Buying a Reliable Car
First things first. If you want a car that will last for 200,000 miles or more, you need to get a car that is known to stand the test of time.
“Buying a reliable car from the get-go and then taking good care of it will make it far more likely that the car will exceed your expectations,” said Chaya Milchtein, automotive educator, journalist and author of “Mechanic Shop Femme’s Guide to Car Ownership.” “Do your research regarding reliability to choose the best vehicles, and if you’re buying used, make sure you’re buying a car from someone who took care of it like you would.”
Don’t Just Fix What’s Broken — Get Preventative
The old adage, “Don’t fix what isn’t broken,” doesn’t hold true for automobiles. They require preventive maintenance.
“Preventive maintenance is maintenance you do when there is no problem, and it’s intended to keep your car problem-free,” Milchtein said. “Preventive maintenance includes changing your oil on time — with the right oil — ensuring your fluids are replaced when dictated by your owner’s manual, replacing your timing belt and other belts before they break, etc.”
Mind you, you needn’t overwhelm yourself with preventive maintenance, just do the suggested moves, “like replacing your thermostat/gasket and coolant every year, or annual ‘tune-ups,'” Milchtein said.
Get Oil Changes Routinely
Fresh oil is critical to your car’s health and performance. Don’t put routine oil changes off.
“Oil changes are needed every 5,000 to 7,500 miles,” said Steven ‘Steve’ Yariv, owner and operator at Dealers Choice Auto Transport. “As existing oil gets older, it is losing lubricity and becoming more contaminated. Your oil filter eventually becomes clogged up. In short, old oil makes your engine wear out faster.”
Change Your Car’s Transmission When It’s Time
Be proactive in regards to your car’s transmission. It needs to be changed now and then.
“You should change your transmission between 30,000 and 100,000 miles; some newer vehicles have what’s referred to as ‘lifetime fluid,’ but that should still be changed every 100,000 miles,” Yariv said.
Change Your Car’s Differential Fluid
You also need to be on top of your car’s differential fluid, which Yariv said must be changed after every 30,000 to 60,000 miles driven.
“If left too long or if the fluid starts to run low, the differential will become noisy and can eventually fail,” Yariv said.
Replace Your Car’s Brake Pads
“Your car’s brake pads should be replaced every 25,000 to 65,000 miles,” Yariv said. “If you feel too much resistance or hear screeching when you brake, it might be time for new pads.”
Avoid Shorter Trips
You may be interested to know that simply taking your car out less on shorter trips is one of the best ways to make it last longer.
“This is because, on trips of below five miles — and 10 miles in winter temperatures — your engine is unable to reach proper operating temperature,” said Nigel Tunnacliffe, co-founder and CEO at Coastline Academy. “This means that the excess water and fuel created by the initial engine combustion does not have time to burn off, leaving it to accumulate. This accumulation is highly detrimental to engine health and can lower your car’s lifespan.
“To avoid this, try to walk when running shorter errands, or consider running multiple errands at once to ensure that you cover an adequate distance over the course of the trip.”
Find a Good Repair Shop
At the end of the day, no matter how well you take care of your car, things can go wrong, and even just driving alone can take a toll on it. Make sure you have a good repair shop with trustworthy mechanics.
“Should you ever need to get repairs, it’s important to get them from a trusted repair shop that will not only fix the initial problem, but take steps to prevent it from happening again,” Tunnacliffe said. “Doing research by reading multiple reviews and local forums is helpful for making sure you’ve selected the right repair crew.”
Consistently Check Your Tires
Tire problems can be catastrophic.
“Flat tires are not only inconvenient, but can be extremely dangerous and hard on your vehicle,” Tunnacliffe said. “Making a habit of ensuring that your tires are properly inflated will help you keep them at an optimal psi, which maximizes both performance and safety. Moreover, replacing them when they show signs of wear and changing over to winter tires — if applicable — will help you get more value out of your vehicle at large, as it makes your engine and transmission’s job easier.”
Listen to Your Car
“It’s amazing how long your car will last if you pay attention to it,” Milchtein said. “Think about it — how often do you hear or feel something and try desperately to ignore it? The problem you hear isn’t going away, but it might get worse quickly if you ignore it. When your car is up there in mileage, the cost of repairs is really important as you try to keep it running as long as possible, and ensuring that your car is checked out when you’re hearing something will help keep those repair costs as low as possible.”
To hear what your car is telling you, Milchtein recommends driving with your window open or radio off weekly and just listening.
“You’re not looking for problems; you’re looking for a baseline, so when something changes, you know there’s a problem,” Milchtein said.
Be Prepared for Emergencies
“Emergencies happen, and how you react could determine if your car makes it through,” Milchtein said. “It’s important to know what constitutes an emergency and how to react to it. Otherwise, you might make things worse simply because you don’t know better. If your car starts overheating, check engine light starts flashing, the car is stalling, brake pedal is hitting the floor, etc., you need to pull over and get a tow truck.”
Pay the $5-$10 for Roadside Assistance
On that note, bear in mind having roadside assistance is in your best interest.
“[It] ensures that you’re not debating about whether you can afford or really need a tow truck; it allows you to use your best judgment in an emergency and get your car to the repair shop,” Milchtein said. “Roadside assistance is available through many avenues, but it’s not as expensive as most car owners assume. Getting roadside assistance through your car insurance provider can cost as little as $5 to $10 for a six-month term.”
Keep Your Car Clean
Going to the car wash isn’t only good for your car’s ego — it’s good for its health!
“Regular washing and waxing protect the car’s exterior from rust, while cleaning the interior can prevent wear and tear on upholstery and controls,” said Rob Dillan, founder of EVhype.
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