Maintaining Your High Mileage Vehicle

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We recently had a truck come in with over 235,000 miles on it. It’s not often we see a vehicle hit that mileage, but with a good maintenance plan, you can take some vehicles to 300,000 miles! At Einspahr, we always enjoy seeing a recently sold vehicle leave the lot, but we also love a well-maintained vehicle in our service department.

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Why Old Vehicles Need Brookings Car Repair

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Remember, it’s not luck that lets you hit a milestone on mileage, it’s a planned maintenance routine.

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As your vehicle ages, it’s imperative to keep with your service schedule and routine if you want to see six digits on our odometer. The biggest thing is, don’t let your check engine lights stay on for more than a day or two without a service technician or mechanic looking at your vehicle. Older vehicles, just like human bodies, will break down over time and need service and repairs.

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Maintenance Schedules

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The easiest spot to find the recommended maintenance schedule for your vehicle is within the owner’s manual. All vehicles are built differently and what may have worked for your last vehicle, may not be the case for your current car. If you cannot find your manual, stop into a Brookings auto body shop and ask if you can see the recommended service checks.

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Every 3,000-6,000 Miles

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For some drivers, 3,000-6,000 miles may come quickly or take several months. Depending on the oil makeup and vehicle you own, having your oil changed can come at 3,000 or up to 6,000. During your Brookings oil change, our service technicians will also do a multipoint inspection and check things like the air in your tires, fluid levels for your transmission, power steering, coolant, and windshield wiper fluid.

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Having your oil changed is a fairly quick process that can take as little as thirty minutes. You can schedule online or just stop by the service drive without an appointment.

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During your appointment, you can also choose to have your tires rotated or aligned. Tires, like every other part of your car, wear down. With safe driving and regular rotations, the life of your tires can also last longer.

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Every 15,000-30,000 Miles

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About every year and a half to three years you should have several items replaced like your air and fuel filters. You should also flush out the power steering and transmission fluids. Over time, enough dirt, rust, and other particles can sit at the bottom of the fluid tanks. If you don’t flush the chambers out, it can slow or break down moving parts that cost more than the simple flushes themselves.

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It’s also important to have your brake pads and hoses checked. Both parts will need to be replaced at some point since they wear. Your car batteries life also starts to die out around 30,000 miles. So have your battery’s charge checked so you aren’t stuck somewhere with a dead battery.

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Finally, depending on how you drive (and what you drive on), it might be time to start shopping for tires for sale in Brookings. Some tires only have a life expectancy of 30,000 miles and some go upwards of 60,000.

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Every 40,000-50,000 Miles

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If you haven’t replaced your tires yet, now is probably the time! An easy way to find out if you need to start shopping for tires is to place the top part of a penny in the tread. If Lincoln’s top of the forehead or hair is visible, your treads are low and it’s time for new tires.

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Spark plugs also wear out around 50,000 miles. You can bring your vehicle into the shop and have them replaced. If you hear any weird noises or something just doesn’t seem right, schedule an appointment to come in and see us. The sooner we can fix your vehicle the better it is for your vehicle.

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Let Your Vehicle See High Mileage

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Understand that you don’t have to wait until the mileage recommendations above to need something fixed, flushed, or replaced on your vehicle. South Dakota seasons like winter and its aftermath (potholes, we’re talking to you) can speed up the process and make you find a Brookings car repair shop sooner rather than later.

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Our trained service technicians have studied all makes and models and are happy to help you understand what service your car may need at any given time. You can schedule an appointment for any of your car repair needs or stop out and see us for small things like an oil change or tire rotation. Don’t forget to check out our service specials to save you a little extra money.

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