Ever
seen a car with ridiculously high mileage? It's practically a rite of
passage to hit over 100,000 for most people, a feat deserving of
recognition and high fives. Enough so that I set up a photo album on Facebook awhile
back to try and find Toyota owners that hit the mark. However,
most people don't realize that if you treat your car well, you can take
that odometer far beyond a mere 100,000 miles. We're not just talking
hundreds of thousands, either. Why settle for six figures when you can
have seven? Getting your car up to a million miles is kind of like being
a contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, except instead of answering trivia questions, you're answering questions as to how well you've been taking care of your vehicle.
The
best part is, you don't need lifelines or to sweet talk Meredith Vieira
to win this game! Just ask Glen Allen, a Toyota enthusiast who
recently became the first driver to hit a million miles on his
1996 Tacoma.
The
Lousiana native got his Tacoma back in January of 1997, when the truck
had a whole six miles on it. How did he manage to drive a million miles
in the span of about 15 years? Glen is a driver by profession, and logs
up to 90,000 miles a year escorting larger trucks carrying industrial
equipment and bulldozers across the country. Affectionately naming his
Tacoma "My Little Red Demon", he says, "...you treat her nicely, and
she'll take care of you", which is exactly what Allen has done. Here are
some tips for reaching the coveted million mark-
1. Keep the hot rodding to a minimum- In
other words, don't go nuts slamming on the brakes or pressing the pedal
to the floor to accelerate like a madman. You'll only end up putting
more stress on the vehicle and shorten it's lifespan.
2. Get your tires rotated regularly-Glen has his tires rotated when he gets his oil changed, every 5,000 miles. Your car may vary - check with your service advisor to see what is best for you!
3. Don't cut corners on other routine maintenance- You
know how every time you get an oil change, they ask if you want to
flush the fluids for the brakes, transmission, and whatnot? It may cost
some extra money, but you do need to do these things! Don't perpetually
put off additional routine maintenance.
4. Be pro-active- If
you can replace belts and hoses before they're in danger of failing,
you'll go a long way towards extending your car's life. The same can be
said if you hear your car making strange sounds...don't ignore it!
5. Take care of the cosmetics- Rust
can be killer for a car. Make sure to get yours washed and waxed every
now and then, to keep salt and debris away from the underbody.
Do you have any other tips for extending the life of your car?
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