Car maintenance for your older vehicle: How can you keep up with it?

If you’re driving a high mileage car, you know that even if it’s the best quality around (ahem, Toyota) it’s bound to have issues occasionally simply because as things get older, they wear out. However, there are ways to keep your older Toyota on the road for years to come. First, routine maintenance. We know we’re always bugging you to get your oil changed, but sticking to a routine car maintenance schedule will keep everything running as it should and also give our techs the opportunity to spot any developing issues and nip them in the bud before they become big and expensive.

What car maintenance should you be doing for an older vehicle?

On top of a car care schedule, here are a few other suggestions:

Test things frequently. If you have an older vehicle, our Orlando Toyota service techs recommend checking things frequently (and they’re not just talking about under the hood). It’s to your benefit to check your A/C, heater, defroster, radio, all of your lighting, your power-adjustable seats and any other knobs, switches, or buttons in your ride. Oftentimes if you catch issues early, they’re less expensive and time-consuming to deal with.  Our techs can give you an estimate on the repair and you can decide if you want to schedule it or if you can live without said feature for the remainder of your car’s ownership.

Get creative and find workarounds. Let’s say your car does need repairs for something non-performance-related. Do you have to shell out for it, or can you find a workaround? Aesthetic imperfections can often be cured by aftermarket parts and accessories – faded seats can get seat covers, peeling wood-grain accents can be covered or painted, and non-functioning radios can be updated to newer audio systems. However, we don’t recommend taking this course of action if you’re dealing with mechanical or electrical issues. It’s best to leave those to the experts at Toyota of Orlando so you don’t cause a bigger (and much more expensive) problem.

Do your research. Do your research before you schedule auto repairs for your older car. Is this something you can do DIY style at home? Is it an issue that needs to be addressed immediately, or can it wait a little bit? Make a list of all the auto repairs your ride needs and figure out how much it’s going to cost. This can help you narrow things down to must-fix and fix later; it can also help you decide if it’s worth it to sink the money into the car, or if it’s time to trade in and trade up (and don’t forget, our Vehicle Exchange Program can help you make that happen).

Schedule high mileage car care at Toyota of Orlando

Have questions about car maintenance for older cars or want to schedule some for yours? Whether you need car care or want to discuss trading in, Toyota of Orlando is here to help. Call us at (407) 298-0001 or stop by and see us at 3575 Vineland Road, just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall.

 

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