High mileage car care: What you should know

 We've all heard that Toyotas last forever (and FYI they pretty much do). But no matter which make of vehicle you have sitting in the garage at home, it won't last long if you don't keep up with routine car care, you're going nowhere fast. This is especially true when your vehicle joins the high mileage club. 

What is a high mileage car?

High mileage basically means that your vehicle has more than 100,000 miles on the odometer. While some people blanch at that number, going over 100k doesn't mean your car is going to take a nosedive anytime soon; many vehicles, especially Toyotas, last well over 200-250k miles without any major issues. (Have you heard of the million-mile Tundra?) However, high mileage cars do need a little bit of TLC when it comes to car care. Check out our tips for maintaining your high mileage vehicle below! 

Tip #1: Follow the tune-up schedule. After 100,000 miles, you may need a tune-up here and there to keep things running smoothly under the hood. Your Orlando Toyota's owner's manual can tell you when you're due for this important car care appointment; make sure you put it on your calendar to ensure longevity. 

Tip #2: Get routine oil changes (and stick to them). It's always important to get routine oil changes, but even more so when your car passes the 100k mile marker. As your vehicle ages, it's more prone to oil leaks and other issues. It's critical to get routine oil changes (we can get you on a schedule at Toyota of Orlando) and you may want to ask our car care techs about a high mileage oil. This oil is designed to prevent leaks and also keep the interior of your engine clean and running smoothly. 

Tip #3: Never ignore a warning light. Never ignore a warning light in your dash, but especially on a high mileage vehicle. Ignoring an issue can lead to it developing into a much larger, more serious, and more expensive problem that could go so far as to put your car out of commission. Visit Toyota of Orlando when you see any light illuminate in the dash. 

Tip #4: Detail regularly. It's tedious, we know, but you should detail your car regularly as it gets higher in miles. This will help preserve both the interior and the paint on the exterior and keep it looking good despite the years. It'll also help you make more money if you decide to sell or trade in. Commit to a routine schedule of cleaning, wiping, and vacuuming the interior, as well as washing and waxing the exterior. 

Tip #5: Replace belts and hoses are needed. Your belts and hoses are made of rubber and as you edge past 100k miles on your car, the rubber starts to wear out. We're not saying all the belts and hoses are going to give out at the same time, but it's a good idea to keep a close eye on them and replace them as needed. This is especially true for your timing belt, which is critical to performance (like, literally - you're not going anywhere if it breaks) and usually needs to be replaced somewhere between 60k-100k miles. 

Schedule high mileage car care at Toyota of Orlando

Have questions or want to schedule high mileage car care? Call Toyota of Orlando. We're open seven days a week at (407) 298-4500, and we're conveniently located just off I-4 across from the Millenia Mall at 3575 Vineland Road.