Tips For Maintaining High Mileage Vehicles

The blog this week is about the importance of maintaining your high mileage Volvo or Toyota. Running a car has become a major expense, especially with the ever-increasing fuel prices. Everyone wants to save money on a monthly basis, maybe for that annual holiday or your children’s university fund or for home improvements. Maybe it is to counteract the constant increases in your weekly food shops or increased utility bills. Read on to find out more:

Do you own a car with high mileage? It may not necessarily be an older car, it could be that those miles were gained from a lot of motorway driving. If you do have a high mileage car, congratulations—you've likely gotten great value for your money. It’s imperative that you do not neglect your car now that it's reached this milestone. High mileage vehicles need more maintenance than brand-new vehicles. Nothing is designed to last for ever. Parts on a vehicle will naturally come to the end of their life and will need replacing. By following these simple tips, you can help keep your car running smoothly for many more miles to come.

1) Always Continue To Follow Your Vehicle's Maintenance Schedule

It's even more important to stay on top of your car's maintenance when it has high mileage. Regular servicing will ensure the longevity of your car engine and moving parts. Regular oil and filter changes are important. In this current economic climate, it would be much more cost effective to maintain your high mileage car rather than having to purchase a new car.  Always make sure you get your log book stamped and keep receipts so that when it comes to selling it you can show potential buyers that it has been well looked after. Your independent garage will advise you when it no longer becomes tenable to keep your vehicle on the road because the repair bills far outweigh the worth of the car.

2) Keep Your Car Clean

Looking after the bodywork of your Volvo or Toyota especially during the winter is important. With salt and grit on the roads they can corrode your bodywork. Mud and dirt will cover any potential rust issues and bird poo could be corrosive to your paintwork – so wash your car regularly especially if you park under trees. Keeping the inside clean will help when it comes to spotting any issues with wear and tear. A clean looking and smelling car will always be attractive to potential buyers when it comes to selling your car. It shows visually that you have looked after it and the presumption will be it was cared for mechanically too.

3) Look After Your Tyres

With the current state of our roads and the vast number of potholes we are currently encountering it is important to have correctly inflated tyres. If your garage suggests that you have a wheel alignment, then take them up on it – this will ensure that you have even wear – which will increase the longevity of your tyres keeping £’s in your pocket. Correctly inflated tyres will also help protect other parts of your vehicle should you hit a pothole. Checking the tread depth regularly – as per our previous blogs – will also help you avoid driving a car with illegal tyres – it is a £2500 fine per illegal tyre.  You could also risk invalidating your insurance if your tyres are deemed illegal in the event of an accident. It takes 5 minutes weekly/fortnightly to check your tyre pressures.

4) Don’t Ignore Warning Lights

It is very important to seek the expertise of your local independent garage if you have warning lights illuminated on your dashboard. If it’s the oil light this is something that you can address yourself. You should be checking your fluid levels regularly (as per our numerous blogs over the years). Acting immediately if a warning light appears will hopefully stop a potential small problem from becoming a bigger more expensive issue. These lights are there to warn us of a potential issue in the making – sticking your head in the sand and ignoring it will not result in it going away. Acting quickly is usually a lot cheaper than ignoring it!

5) Drive Sensibly & Smoothly

The way you drive your Volvo or Toyota has a direct impact on your car's longevity. Driving sensibly and smoothly helps prolong your car's life and improves your gas mileage. Less haste and more gain is the way forward. A high mileage car does not have to be destined for the scrap yard. Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

ACC UK Limited
Farnborough, Hampshire
Serving surrounding areas across North Hampshire and Surrey

Call us today to book in your MOT, service or repair

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, GRA – Outstanding Automotive Service Excellence 2025, Motor Trader Indies Garage of the Year Award 2025, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire