Proven Ways to Make Your Car Last 300,000 Miles

Proven Ways to Make Your Car Last 300,000 Miles

David Solomon

MotorWatch

Some drivers appear to have great luck keeping their vehicles trouble free for many years -- even decades. Others don’t even make it past 60,000 miles without major problems. The longevity of your vehicle can depend on what type you own, but driving and maintenance habits also are crucial. A few proven techniques -- some easy, some more complex but worth the effort -- can help keep your vehicle running beyond the 300,000-mile mark.

DRIVING TECHNIQUES

Coast as much as possible. Plan your approach to red lights, stop signs and turns long before you reach them. Don’t accelerate unnecessarily and then step on the brake at the last moment -- that wears down brakes quickly.

Accelerate slowly. Avoid jackrabbit starts. Flooring the gas pedal when the engine is cold is a major reason for blown head gaskets, which are expensive to fix. Drive as though you have an egg between your foot and the gas pedal. Reserve rapid acceleration for emergency situations.

Allow the engine to get hot. To help flush contaminants, such as fuel and moisture, from the motor oil, drive at highway speeds for 30 minutes at least once a month.

Delay heating or cooling. To prevent adding an extra load on the engine, allow it to run for a minute so that it is lubricated before you turn on the windshield defroster or air conditioner.

Run the air conditioner or windshield defroster at least once a month (even in cooler weather) for about a minute to circulate oil through the heating and cooling system. Otherwise, oil may settle in the compressor, causing the system to stop operating.

Use the parking brake. If you don’t use it at least once a week while parked -- even if you’re not parked on an incline -- the parking brake can freeze up and fail to release.

Wind down turbocharged engines. The engine should be allowed to idle a few minutes before you shut it down. This allows the turbo to stop spinning while it is still being lubricated with motor oil. (Don’t close the garage door until the engine is off.)

Avoid two-footed driving. Using the left foot to brake can lead to unconscious riding of the brakes, which wears them out and confuses the engine control computer, possibly leading to stalling, surging and high emissions.

With manual transmissions, use the brakes and not the gears to slow down -- brakes are cheaper to replace than the transmission. For most manual transmission vehicles, aim to operate the engine between 2,000 and 3,000 revolutions per minute (RPM) to avoid overworking or over-revving the engine. Don’t keep the clutch pedal pressed any more than necessary. Keep your hand off the gear shift when driving to avoid excess strain on the transmission. Don’t necessarily park in gear -- if another car bumps into yours while yours is in gear, the transmission could be damaged. Exception: Park in gear is for extra traction on inclines.

With automatic transmissions, shift into park when idling for extended periods to allow the transmission to cool down. Don’t idle for long periods in neutral, because some bearings are not lubricated in neutral.

FUEL CHOICES

Try to use a gas additive with every fill-up because modern gasoline doesn’t contain enough detergents to keep the fuel system clean. Avoid additives that contain methanol, methyl, alcohol, xylene, toluene or acetone -- these can damage the fuel system hoses and pump.

Best: Redline SI-1 or Chevron Techron (usually $7 to $9 per bottle).

Use the octane called for in the vehicle’s owner’s manual. Putting premium fuel in an engine designed for regular, or vice versa, won’t deliver better mileage, and it can cause a buildup of carbon in the combustion chambers, which hurts driving performance.

Don’t let the fuel level drop below one-quarter tank. A low tank promotes condensation, which can damage the fuel pump.

Don’t fill the tank to the top of the filler neck. Topping off after the gas hose clicks can damage the evaporative emission canister, which will cause the “check engine” light to come on. Repairs could cost more than $500.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

Determine the normal life expectancy for major parts so that you can replace them before they fail.

Example: Most people never think to replace their radiator, but a radiator should be changed every 10 years or 150,000 miles -- or sooner, depending on your driving conditions. A list of the normal life expectancies for most parts is posted at www.motorwatch.com (click on “Automotive Bible,” “Service Charts,” then “Depart Parts Chart”).

Rotate tires every 7,500 miles to extend tire life and improve gas mileage. (Some vehicles have tires that cannot be swapped from front to back or side to side.) It’s also a good opportunity for your technician to check the vehicle for potential problems, such as leaks or parts that are about to fail.

Have the battery tested annually at a shop that uses a “conductance” tester, which can predict battery life. When the battery wears out, replace it with an Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery, which lasts at least twice as long as an ordinary battery, offers more cranking power, recharges faster and increases starter and alternator life. AGM batteries are sealed and don’t vent explosive gases or cause corrosion of the cables or nearby electrical components, as conventional batteries do. Examples of AGM batteries: Optima, Odyssey (prices start at $130).

If the battery can be opened up, you can top off the electrolyte (fluid). Use distilled water only for this.

Clean the throttle body and fuel injectors every 30,000 miles -- unless a gas additive is used regularly.

Change spark plugs every 60,000 miles. Replace plug wires, if applicable, every 100,000 to 120,000 miles.

OTHER HELPFUL STEPS

Keep only a few keys on the ignition key ring. The extra weight from a fistful of keys will wear out the ignition switch prematurely in some vehicles.

Use a car cover if you don’t garage your vehicle. It reduces environmental damage to the paint and sun damage to the interior. Best: Covers ranging from $80 to $400 available at www.autochic.com (800-351-0605).

Use a windshield sunshade or dashboard cover to preserve the dash vinyl when parked in the sun.

WHEN TO CHANGE THE OIL, BRAKE FLUID...

The owner’s manual often does not include recommendations for the change intervals for important fluids and filters, or the recommended intervals may be too far apart. Use the guidelines below unless the manufacturer recommends shorter intervals...

Oil. The old rule of thumb for oil changes is every three months or 3,000 miles, but if you drive in a mild climate or use synthetic oil, this may be too frequent. If you drive in more severe conditions, it might not be frequent enough. Better: Follow the oil change guidelines posted at my Web site, www.motorwatch.com (click on “Automotive Bible,” then “Service Charts”). Also: Have your oil analyzed every few years with a test kit (available from Oil Analyzers Inc., 800-956-5695, www.oaitesting.com). This will tell you whether you change the oil often enough for your kind of driving, and it will warn you of potential problems.

Example: Finding trace amounts of coolant or sand (silica) in the oil allows you to take corrective action before the engine is damaged.

Brake fluid. Every two years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, for vehicles with an antilock braking system (ABS). Every three years or 36,000 miles for those without ABS. Use DOT 5.1 synthetic brake fluid, which has good corrosion inhibitors.

Power steering fluid. Every two years or 24,000 miles.

Long-life radiator coolant. Every three years or 36,000 miles. Buy premixed coolant, or mix it yourself with distilled water, not tap water, which can cause mineral deposits to plug up the radiator.

Transmission fluid for automatic transmissions. Every three years or 36,000 miles in front-wheel-drive vehicles... every five years or 50,000 miles in rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Synthetic transmission fluid extends the interval by one year or 10,000 miles.

Transmission fluid for manual transmissions. Every 60,000 miles, or 100,000 miles when using synthetic transmission fluid.

Fuel filter. At least every 50,000 miles. A partially blocked fuel filter can cause premature failure of the fuel pump. Best: Use the same brand of filter that the factory supplied.

Bottom Line/Personal interviewed David Solomon, a certified master auto mechanic and chairman of MotorWatch, an automotive safety watchdog organization, and editor of MotorWatch, Box 123, Butler, Maryland 21023. www.motorwatch.com.

Go Green! Sites

• 75 Green Businesses You Can Start
• Starting Up Green
• Tree Hugger
• Sustainable Industries
• The Lazy Environmentalist
• Organic Architect
  

Forgiveness

MY FRIDAY STORY
Forgiveness And Positive Living
By Ton Pascal

"Forgiveness is the key that can unshackle us from a past that will not rest in the grave of things over and done with. As long as our minds are captive to the memory of having been wronged, they are not free to wish for reconciliation with the one who wronged us."-- Lewis B. Smedes.

For over 20 years I carried a grudge, an anger closer to hatred of my own mother. I felt totally justified and was utterly convinced I had the right to express openly this anger against what I believed was my mother's absence and lack of caring, love or any motherly feelings toward me since the death of my father. In fact I drew my strength from these things to carry on with my life. Only a few close friends knew about it and even when I started doing my relaxation studies I never thought this issue had anything to do with my search for mental harmony and the frustration of not being able to reach it completely.

My incessant moving around this planet from one country to another brought me personal and material satisfaction but left me with an empty feeling. Like a potted tree that hasn't yet found mother earth's ground in which to thrive.

When I decided to come back to Canada five years ago, little did I know that it would be the beginning of a journey which would take me back in time and reunite me with my mother. My sister had arranged for us to meet and although I wasn't too keen to do so, I accepted.

I was tense, arrogant, and disagreeable when we met. As my mother tried to kiss me I pulled back and simply offered my hand for a handshake. Her first words stayed engraved in my mind and heart for the days to come when she said, "All that I want is to ask if you could forgive me for not being the mother I wish I could have been, my son, I am so sorry..."

We met again a few days later and we talked openly about our pains, hurts, sorrows, and expectations. It was the first time I saw my mother as a woman and as a human being; not from a child's point of view.

My father's untimely passing away at thirty two left a beautiful young widow of twenty six years old with four children, the youngest 25 days old to take care of, several cattle ranches and a retail business in a male- oriented society. Having only an aging father and a younger sister in Brazil, she was alone and against all odds, she succeeded in raising her family.
Compassion and understanding gave me the strength not only to forgive her, but to forgive myself for the senseless pain I inflicted myself and the guilt it carries with it. We became very close again, and slowly the whole family seemed to come closer and closer.

I soon found out that forgiveness is a positive energy that spreads much quicker than I thought. I have nephews, nieces, and cousins that are now an integral positive part of my life.
A new route was opening on my path and the writing of Dream Your Life Positively came a year after. A well-documented site on this subject is "A Campaign for Forgiveness Research"* where I found some important examples cited here.

Each time we witness an act of forgiveness, we marvel at its power to heal, to break a seemingly unending cycle of pain. Forgiveness is something virtually all Americans aspire to. In a Gallup poll nationwide survey, 94% said it was important to forgive, but it is not something we frequently offer. (In the same survey, only 48% said they usually tried to forgive others.)
Perhaps this is because forgiveness is something we don't fully understand, or we associate forgiveness with weakness as Friedrich Nietzsche did. Some view forgiveness, as an almost saintly quality that blesses only the very special and most certainly cannot be learned. In fact, the opposite is true. Forgiveness is a sign of strength. Research conducted at the University of Wisconsin in 1997 indicates forgiveness can be taught, with positive results.

I told a friend of mine that if she wanted to find a healthier source of strength after her separation from an abusive husband, she must forgive him before she could find her own way to happiness. "After what I have been through with that bastard? When hell freezes over." was her answer.

I suggested she try the three affirmations below for a few weeks and see if she still felt the same way. - I am good, compassionate and I now have the strength to forgive. - I deserve to be happy and successful. - I am now ready to receive more love, support, and wealth from the vast supply of the universe.

After two weeks of affirmations she told me that the most difficult thing was to think of him and all the bad incidents. The pain, despair, and guilt would come back but she now understood that she wanted to be able to forgive and in her prayers she asked God to help her to forgive.
I knew then she had found her path. Forgiving is not condoning; hurtful actions have consequences. Yet couples that communicate forgiveness may hold the key to stable marriages.
What makes some marriages last a lifetime, while others falter and fall apart? According to Professor Douglas Kelley of Arizona State University West, the key to long-term conjugal bliss may be in how well a couple communicates forgiveness. "These days the notion of equality, an eye for an eye, is prominent," says Kelley. "That makes forgiveness counter-intuitive - but at the same time, a lot of people who don't call themselves religious or spiritual are forgiving one another. Is it because they sense that they will reap the benefits of forgiving for years to come, or is there some other motive?"
In the end, Kelley hopes that embracing and communicating forgiveness can provide a sense of well-being and stability for couples living in an increasingly stressed society.
Forgiving doesn't change what has passed, neither does it justify or make it all right. It allows you to focus on your life from a pain free emotional state. The past no longer makes you cringe, cry or swear.
Forgiveness simply helps you to let go of that negative baggage and makes a place for all the positive things you wish to have. I know a lot of people who after a lover's break up or a friend's betrayal have vowed, "I will never let anyone hurt me like that again."
It is quite justifiable, it is your survival instinct, a protective shield taking over, but be careful that this shield will also prevent you from connecting with new people and eventually making new friends.

This is negative living, and most people are not even aware of it. Forgiveness is letting go of that negative emotional baggage and starting on a new path stronger than before. It is very difficult, I know, to accept the fact that someone you loved and trusted, who has betrayed and stabbed you in the back, deserves your forgiveness.

When I lost a best friend of 25 years to what I thought was petty gossip, I was devastated and questioned the sincerity of her friendship all those years. After forgiving her I can now look back and laugh at the good moments we had together. Sincerity is no longer a question, my love for her is the same, but I no longer need to see, speak or interact with her. Our roads just took different directions, that's all.

Make an assessment of the people in your life, and the ones who are gone. What are your feelings about them? Is there someone you feel "I dislike (or hate) that SOB" either for personal reasons or because of malicious gossip? Or is there someone you distanced from and in your book is unforgivable?

You are carrying some heavy negative emotional baggage. Get rid of it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you want the good energy of positive living to reach you.

An important, well documented and proven factor is that your anger, hurt and pain not only will affect the way you communicate with others, but eventually will exclude you from social contact. Your self worth is constantly being questioned and if you don't take action it will eventually break down.

"Forgiveness allows one to overcome a situation that would otherwise be a major source of stress, both mentally and neurobiological. Forgiveness is thought to dramatically change the individual's biological homeostatic equilibrium. He will assess the neurobiological response associated with forgiveness and unforgiving-ness." Study of the Brain Functional Correlates of Forgiveness in Humans -Pietro Pietrini, M.D., Ph.D., Pisa - Italy.

Forgiveness benefits both, but you the most, because you left the negative baggage behind. You are now ready to receive the positive force, energy, love, wealth and success the universe has in store for you. The other person doesn't even need to know, it is irrelevant. Neither do you have to bring that person into your life or closer circle any more.

What matters is your thoughts and therefore your actions. If it is clean, clear, and positive, so will your life, your friends, and your future. "Forgiveness is both a decision and a real change in emotional experience. That change in emotion is related to better mental and physical health." Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Ph.D. Executive Director, A Campaign For Forgiveness Research.

From a decade-old grudge against the third-grade bully to deep-seated rage against a cheating spouse, millions of Americans harbor long-term grievances. Dr. Carl Thoresen, a professor at Stanford University, and his colleague, Dr. Fred Luskin, are exploring whether the unresolved anger that blights many people's lives can be alleviated with the help of an age-old concept: forgiveness.

Together, the pair launched a comprehensive research project: The Stanford Forgiveness Study. Thoresen and Luskin hope the impact of their work will be preventative as well as therapeutic. "It's our hope that family and school violence, including shootings, road rage, gang violence and workplace conflict will be diminished - if not avoided - if more people understand the role that forgiveness can play in interpersonal relations," says Thoresen.

"It takes courage and commitment to act in a more forgiving fashion. It's not at all a sign of weakness but a mark of strength." Dr. Carl Thoresen is a professor of Education, Psychology and Psychiatry at Stanford University. Dr. Fred Luskin is a research associate at the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention.
Have a great journey.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ton Pascal is a self thought, self help advocate and author and submitted this story for our MDI subscribers. His Dream Your Life Positively is a beautiful guide to visualization and meditation. He believes that the times we are facing in our world require a more spiritual approach to our everyday lives. You can reach Ton at tonpascal@dreamyourlifepositively.com His website is: http://www.dreamyourlifepositively.com

Must Twitter be "Pigeonholed"?

While there are easy definitions that come to mind when one is asked to “define” Twitter, such as “social networking”, the controversy as to whether or not Twitter should be used for business vs. personal networking continues.

Lest anyone think that I am a “social media” expert, let me hasten to add,--I am not. Visit epodcaster’s site for a great post on “The Social Media Snake-Oil Salesman.”

Having been duly impressed by Malcom Gladwell’s book, “The Tipping Point”, the answer, from my perspective, is simple. Twitter is the personification of "The Tipping Point", in which three distinct types of individuals, the “Connectors”, the “Ravens” and the “Salesman” are defined. The following “Power of Context” paragraph illustrates Twitter’s success and effectiveness beautifully:

“The physical and social environment within which
an individual or group of people receives a
particular type of information can radically
influence whether the information sticks and gets
passed on. But it’s not necessarily that the
environment as a whole causes the contagious
behavior. Instead, it’s possible to take a trend to the
tipping point by tinkering with the smallest details
of the environment.”

Personally, I love to connect with, (no pun intended), “Connectors.”

It was after reading epodcaster’s article on “Calling Cards as the New Business Cards” that the relation between “The Tipping Point” and Twitter became crystal clear.

Perhaps, on Twitter, we can be all three, or choose which one we want to be; a Connector, a Raven, or a Salesman.

After all, there are no boxes.

Believe while others are.....

by William Arthur Ward

Believe while others are doubting.

Plan while others are playing.

Study while others are sleeping.

Decide while others are delaying.

Prepare while others are daydreaming.

Begin while others are procrastinating.

Work while others are wishing.

Save while others are wasting.

Listen while others are talking.

Smile while others are frowning.

Commend while others are criticizing.

Persist while others are quitting.

--William Arthur Ward

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• Robert Irwin's site--more free information on investing, buying, selling, renovating, & financing.
  
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