Keep Your Old Car Running Longer and Avoid Spendy Car Repair Bills

The recession created a lot of changes in the ways that Americans spend money and even in how they dispose of things. In the pre-recession days, most people would get rid of their cars as the car hit its ten year mark and looked less cosmetically attractive with each passing mile.

Today, cars that would have been junked without a second thought are now harder to find second hand because consumers are hanging on to them and repairing them instead of selling them and replacing them with a new car. If Americans have learned anything from the recession it has been to make things last longer including the old family car.

Towards that goal consumers are learning that older high mileage cars are not necessarily money pits when preventative measures are taken such as watching for fluid leaks.

If you have an older car you need to be aware that older cars are more prone to fluid leaks from oil, transmission fluid and coolant. These leaks, if left undetected and unchecked can led to problems such as excessive smoke exhaust, overheating, losing the interior car heater or other annoying and preventable car repair problems.
That is why it's an important part of your preventative car repair checklist to check your car's fluids at least once a month and adjust the fluid levels as necessary.
If you run your vehicle on low oil you will notice a significant difference in not only how your car runs but also in how it sounds. For example your engine may sound louder and make knocking noises which indicates a serious lack of lubricant. If you run it to long without the proper level of oil it could lead to serious and permanent engine damage and this is not a cheap repair- but it is a cheap preventative fix.

Your coolant is also a fluid level that is important year round- not just in the hot days of summer. Your engine relies on coolant to circulate and keep things cool. Your engine would overheat in five minutes without the proper levels of coolant circulating throughout the engine system. And running your car low on coolant will affect your car's ability to keep cool and keep your car interior warm with a functioning heater.

You don't have to be a mechanic to check your fluid levels and you don't have to spend a lot of money to keep your car properly maintained if you follow these guidelines.

So take a page from the new American motto and take care of your old car and extend the lifetime of it as much as possible. If you take care of your older car you may be able to avoid going into debt with the expense of a new car before you can afford it and you may be able to avoid the unexpected expense of a high car repair bill because you paid attention to your car's fluid levels and leaks.