Easy Ways to Extend Your Car's Life

In recent years economic setbacks have forced many people to re-think the ways people manage their money. In addition to saving more and paying down debt, they are also striving to get more out of what they already have.

Perhaps this is best seen in the myriad ways in which our nation's drivers relate to their vehicles, whether in squeezing out more mileage per gallon of fuel or extending their vehicle's life. One's ride is often the biggest investment a person makes outside his or her home. Fortunately, there are several steps cost conscious drivers can take to get the most out of their vehicles.

• Make your money work for you. Drivers spend substantial amounts of money on their cars and light trucks every year. No expense is greater, particularly in recent years, than gasoline. But drivers can make the most of that money and help extend their vehicle's life expectancy and efficiency by supplementing that costly fuel with a gasoline additive.

  Today's engines have tighter tolerances and thus run hotter than in the old days. The bi-products of combustion in this intense environment can cause deposits that interfere with performance, often resulting in lost fuel economy, poor drivability that manifests itself in surging, hesitation, stalling, and rough idle, and even engine knocking or difficulty starting.

  An additive such as AMSOIL P.i. Performance Improver Gasoline Additive helps clean combustion chamber deposits, intake valve deposits and port fuel injector deposits while improving fuel mileage an average of 2.3 percent and as much as 5.7 percent, a number that can really add up when considering the amount of money drivers spend on fuel each year.

• Stick to the game plan. It's no secret people today are busier than ever before. But even drivers who feel overextended need to stick to a game plan when it comes to vehicle maintenance. Most of the common problems associated with automobiles are preventable. That reality only emphasizes the importance of sticking to a car's vehicle maintenance schedule.

  Such schedules include routinely changing a car's oil and filters, keeping the injectors and fuel delivery systems clean and maintaining proper tire pressure. Though each of these things is easy and quick, they're also paramount to keeping a car running strong for longer periods of time.

• Break from the norm. Let's face it, car maintenance has become a time consuming chore. Vehicle manufacturers have recognized this and are building cars that require less maintenance as in years past. For years conventional wisdom advised drivers to change their oil every three months or 3,000 miles, whichever came first. Nowadays, it's common for vehicle manufacturers to suggest changing the oil every 6,000, 7,500 and even 10,000 miles. GM's Oil Life System, now installed in more than 34 million vehicles, frequently indicates even greater oil change intervals.

  Conventional petroleum motor oils have begun to dip in popularity in favor of their synthetic counterparts. Synthetic motor oils, because of their higher flash points, better fluidity at low temps and their ability to withstand oxidation and evaporation loss, are far more resistant to varnish and sludge development. As a result, engines run cleaner with synthetics, offering better fuel economy, wear protection and superior performance. Certain premium synthetic motor oils offer oil change intervals as much as 15,000 and 25,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first, without sacrificing protection.

  For more information on how to improve performance and extend the life of your vehicle, visit www.amsoil.com.