It’s no secret that most people that buy a car want their car to last as long as possible. There are actually a few things you can do to try and ensure that your vehicle runs up to 200,000 miles and beyond.

With just a few simple steps and a little extra TLC your car can run up the miles and last longer. These six ways to maximize your post 200k mileage are all things that any driver should be perfectly capable of doing. With or without mechanical experience, you can help your car run better and further its longevity.

Keep up with regular maintenance.

This is an age-old, tried and true method. It’s simple. Take care of your vehicle and it will, in theory, take care of you. Find a mechanic you trust and make sure you take your car in for regularly scheduled maintenance. There are quite a few things that fall into the maintenance category that the slightly savvy car owner can do herself. Keep up with the maintenance schedule and your car is far more likely to make it past 200 thousand miles.

Know your vehicle

You drive your car every day. Especially once your car reaches 100k miles and beyond, it’s like an old friend. You know the way it drives. You’ve read the manual (maybe). You know your car at its best, so you should be able to tell when something isn’t right. In order to drive your car past 200k miles, it is important to pay attention to the signals your car gives you. If something smells weird, check it out. When you think the drive feels a little off, it probably is. Check it all around (underneath, under the hood, headlights, taillights, etc.) regularly and you will stay on top of your car’s condition.

Avoid Short Drives

In order to maintain optimal engine operation, it’s important to understand that the engine should heat up to operating temperature every time you drive. Short trips that are less than five miles or so allow sludge to build up. Over time, a lot of short trips can become detrimental to the longevity of your machine. If you want to drive your car to 200 thousand miles and past, try to avoid those quick trips a mile down the road.

Keep it Clean

Keeping your car clean is part of taking care of the vehicle. By cleaning regularly, you not only get the chance to know your car on a more personal level. You are also maintaining areas that can be damaged by too much dirt and build-up. Especially around the wheels, it’s a priority to keep your car in the clean lane if you want to see that odometer tick past 200k.

Check the Tire Pressure and Fluids Regularly.

Check your tire pressure. Be sure to keep them at the correct level of pressure. Take a look at your fluid levels. This includes power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and oil. If you drive an all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicle, you need to maintain your transfer case fluid as well. This is a great way to keep rolling past 200k miles, and may also prevent some pretty expensive problems down the road.

Replace “wear” parts.

Replace your filters. Change your timing belt. Make sure you swap your brake pads and any other part that falls into the category of “wear” parts. Keep good tires on your vehicle and get them rotated regularly. Again, take good care of your machine and it is more likely to see you past that 200 thousand mile mark.

Can your car make it past 200k miles?

If you have just bought a new car, keep up with it. Try to take care of your car. Get to know your vehicle and learn what it needs.

Hopefully, it will make it to the ripe old age of past 200k miles. Maybe you are just now beginning to consider the longevity of your daily driver, don’t worry! There is never a bad time to begin keeping up with this simple list. Maintenance is key to making it past 200 thousand miles.