Motornomics: How To Drive Your Car Forever
Another quarter and another set of statistics detailing a decline in the number of new car registrations. Owners are keeping their cars longer and practising 'motornomics' - essentially a keep fit programme for their car. So how does it work?
What do owners need to do?
No technical knowledge is required but some common sense will help. Driver’s need be observant and maybe read some parts of the owner’s manual. It takes just a few minutes checking, cleaning and fussing every week to make a difference. After just a few weeks drivers will notice the difference as their cars run better, last longer and will be cheaper to run in the longer term.
MotorEasy's Guide To Weekly Car Maintenance
Ideal car models
Although owners have to do their bit, over the last few decades the life of the car engine can extended beyond 150K miles if looked after. Improved production techniques, finer engineering tolerances, improved anti corrosion treatments and the use of galvanised steel have all helped to stop body rot. Things like keeping your car serviced correctly and an annual oil check with dramatically reduce the chances of an engine problem.
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Car Servicing & Motornomics
Oil should be checked and changed regularly. Oil is the lifeblood of a car, providing vital lubrication and ideally the level should nudge the ‘max mark’.
MotorEasy's Guide To Car Oil Maintenance
Check other levels too, such as brake fluid and water. It will quickly be apparent if there are sudden drops and a garage can easily identify any problem and prevent major damage. A switched on owner should be able to check fluid leaks from hoses and identify loose drive belts. Strange noises should be investigated. Regular car servicing is a must as is using genuine replacement parts. Regular cleaning keeps corrosion at bay and means every area of the car is carefully inspected.
How car servicing keeps your finances healthy
Motornomics and driving better
Changing driving style and being far more smooth also helps. Not using the brakes or accelerator heavily wastes less fuel and increases the life of components. It also means a less stressed engine will be less stressed and better fuel economy.
Motornomics care car programme
Every week, before long journeys etc:
- Check tyre pressures, condition of tread/sidewalls (here's how)
- Windscreen wipers
- Check car lights & bulbs (here's how)
- Listen out for strange noises
- Check levels, water, oil, brake
- Drive belt tension
- Condition of hoses
Every week:
- Clean car
When required:
- Get the car serviced
- Change oil regularly
Book Annual Car Service - Including Oil Change
MotorEasy Products
If you're serious about keeping your car for longer there are a few ways MotorEasy can help (in addition to our discount car repairs, MOT testing and car servicing), with a couple of products designed to make this as affordable and painless as possible:
Extended Warranty
Protect your car against costly repairs with an Extended Warranty - covering the costs of parts, labour and diagnostics to get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
Plus, our "Plus" plan warranties include your annual car servicing and MOT test as well, for all your car maintenance and repair requirements in one neat package.
GAP Insurance
If you're keeping a car for longer it will depreciate significantly. Should something happen causing it to be declared a write off by your car insurer, their payout will be at the "market rate". Unfortunately, this will come some distance short of affording you to replace the car with a like-for-like model.
GAP Insurance protects you against this, and pays out the cost of this depreciation in the event of a write off.
