Maintaining Your Car to Extend Its Lifespan

As a car owner, you may have wondered what factors contribute to your vehicle's longevity and how you can extend its lifespan. The answer lies in regular maintenance, proper care, and attention to detail. Just like humans, cars need regular upkeep to function optimally and prevent premature wear and tear.

Cleaning Your Car: A Crucial Aspect of Maintenance

Cleaning your car is often overlooked as a crucial aspect of maintenance, but it plays a significant role in extending its lifespan. If you have a low tolerance for the paint looking terrible or the rubber seals around the doors aren't in great shape, doing a good job of cleaning your car will help keep it rust-free for longer. You'll also appreciate your car more and be willing to hang on to it longer. For instance, if you live in a salt state and don't clean your car regularly, it's not going to last long due to the corrosive effects of road salt.

Undercarriage Washing: A Must for Car Owners

Another essential aspect of maintenance is washing the undercarriage of your vehicle, especially during the winter months when roads are salty and grimy. This is crucial because the grime and salt can cause significant damage to your car's underside, leading to rust and other issues. It's almost more important than cleaning the outside of the car. In fact, we recommend doing an undercarriage wash at least a couple of times during the winter to get rid of all the salt and grim that accumulates on the roads.

The Importance of Maintenance

Maintenance is crucial for extending your car's lifespan. It may seem obvious, but many car owners neglect regular maintenance tasks, which can lead to costly repairs down the road. For example, not replacing a timing belt or oil filter can lead to serious engine damage. Additionally, ignoring brake pad wear and other signs of wear can compromise safety.

The Value of Regular Maintenance

Regular maintenance is essential for extending your car's lifespan and ensuring its reliability. By performing routine tasks such as oil changes, tire rotations, and brake pad replacements, you can help prevent premature wear and tear on your vehicle's components. These tasks may seem mundane, but they are crucial for maintaining your car's optimal performance and longevity.

The Benefits of Regular Maintenance

Regular maintenance offers numerous benefits for car owners. For one, it helps extend the lifespan of your vehicle by preventing premature wear and tear on its components. This can save you money in the long run by avoiding costly repairs. Additionally, regular maintenance ensures that your car is running safely and efficiently, which reduces the risk of accidents and other safety issues.

The Importance of Safety

When it comes to maintaining your car, safety should always be a top priority. Neglecting to address issues such as brake pad wear or tire damage can compromise your safety on the road. In fact, some cars may not be safe to drive if certain components are worn out or damaged. It's essential to stay informed about the latest safety technologies and features in newer vehicles.

The Value of Modern Safety Technology

Modern safety technology has come a long way since 2011, with many newer vehicles featuring advanced safety features such as lane departure warning systems, blind spot monitoring, and forward collision prevention. These features can significantly improve your safety on the road by alerting you to potential hazards or even intervening in emergency situations.

The Importance of Regular Maintenance for High-Mileage Cars

If you own a high-mileage car, it's essential to be aware of the unique challenges that come with owning an older vehicle. One key aspect of maintenance is addressing any unusual noises or vibrations that may indicate a problem with your car. If you hear something strange while driving, don't hesitate to get your car checked out right away. Neglecting to address issues can lead to costly repairs and compromise your safety on the road.

The Benefits of Regular Maintenance for High-Mileage Cars

Regular maintenance is crucial for high-mileage cars, as these vehicles are more prone to wear and tear due to their age and mileage. By addressing any issues promptly, you can help prevent premature wear and tear on your car's components and extend its lifespan. Additionally, regular maintenance ensures that your car is running safely and efficiently, which reduces the risk of accidents and other safety issues.

Consumer Reports: A Resource for Car Owners

If you're looking for expert advice on maintaining your car, look no further than Consumer Reports. This reputable organization has a wealth of information on car maintenance, including articles, videos, and resources to help you get the most out of your vehicle. From oil changes to timing belt replacements, Consumer Reports has got you covered.

In conclusion, maintaining your car is crucial for extending its lifespan and ensuring its reliability. By following regular maintenance schedules, addressing any unusual noises or vibrations, and staying informed about the latest safety technologies, you can help prevent premature wear and tear on your vehicle's components. Remember to consult your owner's manual and seek expert advice from organizations like Consumer Reports when it comes to maintaining your car.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enHi, and welcome back.I'm Mike Quincy.I'm Alex Knizek.I'm Joe Veselak.So thanks so much forjoining us, everybody.We just want to give a heads up.The Talking Cars crew is goingto be taking a bit of a summerbreak, so we're only planningtwo episodes in August.I know, heartache.But we'll get back to ourusual weekly schedule soon.And again, we thank youvery much for tuning in.And we are going to jump rightinto the car of the week,and that is a 2024Subaru Impreza, not 2023.Subaru is certainlyahead of the game.And fans of ConsumerReports seemto always love Subarus, right?I mean, what's not to love?The company is consistentlyamong the most reliable brands.Almost the entire Subaruline is recommendedby Consumer Reports, andthe Forester and the Outbackare among the most searched carson ConsumerReports.org, whichbrings us to the new Impreza.This is now onlyoffered as a hatchback,so say goodbye to the sedanand the manual transmission.Bummer.So yes, that is kind of theway of the world-- the wayof the automotiveworld right now,and we have to get usedto it, unfortunately.But so back to the new Impreza.The standard engine is a 152horsepower two liter flat fourcylinder matched to acontinuously variabletransmission.EPA estimates that it'll get30 miles per gallon overall.As is the case with all theSubarus except, of course,the sports car, allwheel drive is standard.All Imprezas getSubaru's latest versionof the eyesight suite ofactive safety systems, whichincludes forward collisionwarning, automatic emergencybraking, and lanedeparture warning.Blind spot warning andrear cross traffic warningare optional, andlucky for everyoneout there, that issome of the optionsthat we bought withour Sport model.We also added a heated seats, amoonroof, and a few other oddsand ends.And with the destination,our car came to $28,253.So with that, I am goingto then turn it overto Alex Knizek, who'sgoing to give ushis impressions ofthis new Impreza.Yeah.I mean, first of all,it's just nice to beable to hop into areally simple vehicle.I think we, especiallyat the track,we're surrounded by a lot ofelectric vehicles and vehicleswith crazy technologyand all these things.So when something like thenew Impreza rolls around,it's pretty refreshing.I'll lead with that.But ultimately, thiscar is effectivelya bunch of tweaks on top ofthe or to the old Impreza,the outgoing version.Just like the new Crosstrekis to the old Crosstrek,just a bunch oflittle refinementshere and there tomake the car better.Translation, it's nota clean sheet redesign.It's not, but I think that's OK.I'm not saying that asif it's a bad thing.Maybe some of theselittle tweaks in isolationwould have all added up tobe a little bit of a refresh,but they did enough of them, andI think they kind of addresseda lot of the different areasof the car and shortcomingsto ultimately make it a prettysignificant improvement,even if it is prettysimilar to the outgoing car.But ultimately, in the end,it's a little bit more refined.It's a little quieter, alittle bit more comfortable.But yeah, like you said,the powertrains carry over.The two liter carries over,as does the uplevel twoand a half liter.So it's not it's nottotally different,but I do think it's a prettynice, easy to use car,comfortable, and pretty decentto drive, too, just on the factthat it's pretty small,low to the ground.Yeah, so I'm definitelyexcited to seehow it does in our testing.Yeah, it gives us a breakfrom SUV overload, right?That's for sure.Yeah.Yeah, I like it a lot, too.I like the simplicity,just somethingyou can jump into anddrive without reallyhaving to learn everything.It's basic, and a lotof the tweaks are minor,but they're animprovement on whatit used to be becauseI like the Impreza.I like just that it's basic,and it's actually fun to drive.And yeah, it'sengaging, but it's notoverwhelming withall this technology.And to your guys' point, whenyou talk about jumping inand having an easy acclimationto, say, the controls.The seat heaters,for example, are justsimple rocker switches.They're totally analog.You can leave them onas long as you want.It doesn't care.The car doesn't care.When you turn the car,turn on, turn it off,it's still going tobe there for you.Right.The way that I kind of lookat controls in this Subaruare, you could toss thekeys to your neighbor whowants to borrowyour car, and youdon't have to beover their shoulderexplaining exactlyhow to operate stuff.Right.Right.Yeah.Most cars nowadays, you probablycan give someone the keys,and they won't beable to steal it.Right.This car, you still haveto worry about that.Sure.Or maybe they'll beable to get it started,but can they get it into gear.Yeah, right.Can they adjust the climatesystem, the radio, or whatever.Yeah, there's no power button.Maybe it shutsitself off randomly.Things like that.But that's certainly a differenttopic for a different day.So Joe, getting inthe car, what did youthink of the driving position?Yeah, I think it fits me well.Everything for meis easy to reach,and there's enough room for me.Plenty of adjustment.In general, Subarus, I canhop in and sort everything outand be fine.Go on long trips, everything.Even seat comfort, I just--everything workspretty well for me.The biggest thing wouldbe going into the controlsand managing thosewhile you're driving.I noticed I use autoclimate, but whenyou go to adjusting climate andstuff like that while you'redriving, that'skind of where thingsget a little difficult for me.I don't know aboutyou guys, but yeah.Yeah, that bigcenter screen, right?That's kind of newto the Impreza,this portrait-style touchscreenthat's in the center.And most of yourcontrols are there.You have got volumeknob, tune knob, and thena couple of buttons fortemperature and thingslike that kind offlanking the screen.But the large majority of thestuff is in the screen itself.And we've tested thesystem in prior Subarus,and it's kind of slow.It's not the most user friendly.In the climate,specifically, theykind of shoved everything intomenus, but different menus.For example, if the passengerwanted to adjust something,and the driver wanted toadjust something on their side,they kind of had to wait forthe respective menu to close,and then they could opentheir side and make a change.Things like that.They reorganizedit a little bit.They consolidatedsome of the menus,made it a little bit easier toaccess some of the features.But ultimately, it's stillall in the touch screen.So if you're notreally comfortablewith that type ofthing, you'd ratherhave way morephysical hard buttonsand stuff, maybelook somewhere else.I think the lowertrim of the Imprezaand the Crosstrek,for that matter,do get a slightlydifferent system.But yeah, it's kindof the sour pointon the controls of the car.Everything elseis so easy, right?Good steering wheel controls,clear analog gauges, and allthis great, simple stuff.And then they almostcouldn't resist the urgeto go to this bigtouchscreen on the centerthere to consolidateall the controls.Yeah, because you have sucheasy controls that you want,like we talked aboutthe seat heaters.And everythingthat is so simple,and then it's just thatone piece of technology.They were almost there.Yeah.Well, it's almostlike Subaru wantsto keep up with the Joneseswith having more stuff to doin the touch screen.It's a way to feel modern.Everyone else is doing it.Yeah.A way to feel modern.Right.Right.So one aspect of the carthat every car that'salways kind of near and dearto me is the fit and finish.I thought there werea few nice surprises.There are somesoft window sills,which you don'tthink about until yourest your arm, your elbow,on a really hard sill.So it was nice to see thesoft sills in this Subaru.The upper dash is padded.Nice contrasting red stitchingin the seats and the doorand center armrest.But-- and this is,Alex, as you know,this is a real bummer for mewhenever we come across a carwithout a wrap onthe steering wheel.And unfortunately, our Imprezahas just a plain plastic wheel,which is like, oh, God.Which is a bummerbecause there arethree trim levels, at thispoint, to choose from,and we got the mid-level one.So if it were just the base--You'd think at least themid-level would get you that.Because then myproblem with that isyou then have to stepup to the Sport--or, I'm sorry, theRS to get the leatherwheel and these other things.And then you're compromisingsuspension, comfort,and some other things.So it's not maybethe best packaging,but maybe they'll refineit as the years go on.I don't know, Joe.If you have certainhot buttons with carsthat just torque youoff all the time.I know for me,that's one of them.But--Yeah, the steering wheel?Yeah, just the no wrapon the steering wheel.It always bugs me.I honestly didn't notice ituntil you guys brought it up,so apparently I don't care.Ladies and gentlemen,we have someoneon this podcast, no ideawhat we're talking about.No, just kidding.Yeah, I have no issueswith fit and finish.It's pretty basic,but again, it'sdoing everything pretty well.Unless you look at it andreally like pick it apart withscrutiny, I thinkeverything's-- yeah, it's basic,but it's good.Yeah.All right.But it circles back againto your really good pointabout price point.Yeah.This is what you're gettingfor this amount of money.I would be happy with it.Right.When we're thinking about maybethe world of smaller cars,and that field is shrinking.There aren't as manysmall cars out there,so the class as a whole, wedon't have as much to judge by.But my time with theImpreza certainlyshowed that I think it's amongthe better riding small cars.It definitely is.And it has been for--Yeah.And I think it's also amongthe quieter small cars.Now, as regular viewers of thispodcast and fans of ConsumerReports know, we judge thesecars in a jury of people.A whole bunch ofus get in and out.We don't-- honestly, we don'talways agree on every aspectof the car.But we come up witha numerical rating,and that kind of putstogether our ratings charts.So that's sort ofmy take on the rideand the noiselevels of this car.And that's two ofthe things definitelythat stood out for me.Yeah.The Impreza, going back tothe previous generation now,it was always one of thebest riding compact cars.And I do thinkthat's still true.Maybe a little less so.I found it to be alittle bit more--just a little bitmore unsettled,I guess, comparedto the outgoing car.And we actually found thatwith the somewhat related WRX,right?Very stiff.It felt like-- to me, anyway,my interpretation of itwas there was a lotof wheel travel there.So sometimes on someof these larger bumps,the body would kind of end upmoving around a little bit morethan you expect.But those are nuances.Ultimately, I thinkit's really comfortableand most people are going tobe pretty pleased with it,especially compared to someof the other small carsthat are out there.Right.And yeah, noise-wise, I don'tknow what you thought, Joe.But road noise andwind noise and stuffwere kind of comparable.I mean, Subaru's never have beenthe most isolating vehicles,even at this price point.Definitely.Seclusion from the outsideworld isn't exactlythe top of theautomotive chain there.And some of the noise comesfrom the powertrain and the CVT,right?Yeah.Definitely, whenyou're revving it out,you're going to get alot of engine flaring.And that was the majorityof the noise for me.In terms of road andwind noise, it's there,but it's decent suppression.It's not anything incredible,but it's tolerable,something that--I don't know.I wouldn't expect much morefrom a car at this price point.So it's actually-- I don't know.I think I like howthe is very simple.It does everything pretty well.It's not excellentin any category,but that's not really--that's not a big deal whenyou do everything well.I think it's awesome thatyou brought up the pricepoint because that is definitelya factor here because we're notexpecting Mercedes levelsof noise isolation.But you touchedon the powertrain.And can we dip intothat a little bit more?What did you guys think?Yeah.Well, we rented theRS version, whichthey're bringing back withthis generation of the Impreza.They used to be a trim thatwas offered in the past,like a little bitsportier of a version.So they brought that back,and we actually rented one.So that had thehigher horsepower twoand a half liter,which was nice.It still connected to a CVT.It does some simulatedshifting and things like that.But the car we bought has thesmaller engine with less power.And honestly, yeah, it'sadequate at best, probably.But I thought it was OK.I didn't really miss, I guess,having that extra horsepower.I tend-- like I was sayingbefore, I guess I find maybeI'm a little heavyon the throttle.But these carsare slower, so youtend to be tippinginto it pretty heavy.It has this initialsurge off the linethat you've got to get used to.It took a while for meto get used to that.I didn't really care for it.I also prefer driving itin normal mode versus sportwith simulated shifts.I found that it'sjust flaring too muchand revving out when Ididn't really care for it.If I want to go fast,I'll just-- you can justdrive in normal mode quicker.Right.Yeah, I think I found thatthe engine really runs outof steam when you'reon the highwayor you're merging onthe highway or you'repulling out to pass somebody.You put your foot into it,and it just simply howls.I mean, talk about noise,and not a lot of power.I mean, I thoughtit was adequate.It wasn't unsafe or anything.Right.Right.But certainly it doesn'tgive you this burst of power.So maybe if you'reconsidering the Impreza,and you want thathigher horsepowerand you can spring for that,you'll be happy to have it.But don't feel like it's anecessity, in my opinion.And the differenceisn't big enoughto really pull itapart to be worth it.Yeah.I think so.I mean, it's not like you'regoing from a four cylinderto a six cylinder with50, 80 more horsepoweror anything like that.It's a smaller-- but itdoes have more torqueand it is useful to have.And for clarification, justcruising on the highway,this powertrain is pretty calm.It's pretty low drama, actually.At least, that's what I found.When it settles down toa kind of a normal speed,and you're just cruisingalong, it reallydoesn't make awhole lot of noiseand draw attention to itself.Yeah, that's a goodpoint because it's nothappening the whole time.Right.And you get throughthat, and then you'recruising at whateverspeed you're sustaining.And it's quite nice to drive.And if it is happeningthe whole time,you've probablyaccidentally enteredin a rally race, which Subaruis certainly known for.But anyway.How about the fact thatit's hatchback only now.I don't know if wementioned that or not.I mean, well, yeah,it's funny that whenI mentioned that there wasno more manual transmission,I got a reaction out of it.When I mentioned thatit's hatchback only,it was like crickets.Like when they did-- whatwas it, the STI, whenthey went to a hatch.And we kind of got mad.Or not mad.You're upset.You're like, oh,I miss the sedan.And there's the hatch.And you're like, well, Iwish they made a hatch.Then they take the hatch away,and you're like, well, can we--The grass is alwaysgreener, right?So yeah, I'm kind offine with either way.I would like both.Yeah, I think it's justsimplifying the lineup, right?And it's more-- the Crosstrekis a lifted version of this.The body is almostidentical, right?So they're consolidating, andit's a lot easier and cheaperto build one body style,essentially, right?Right.But you're right, Joe.People just want somethingas soon as you take it away.Yeah, pretty much.Well, listen.This is our first impressions.Check back withConsumerReports.orgfor more on the Imprezaas we add on the milesand finish up our testing.And that will take us to ourquestion for this podcast.We love your questions.Text, 30-secondvideos, send themall to TalkingCars@icloud.com.That's TalkingCars@icloud.com.So we got one from Chrisfrom New York, who writes,what is considered a reasonablelifespan for a modern car?Growing up, anythingapproaching 100,000 mileswas considered tobe on its last lap,yet I currently drivea 2011 Mazda CX9with 154,000 miles on it.Am I playing with fire thinkingI can get to 200,000 miles?What mileage would you sayis expected for a modern car?So awesome question,Chris, and Iam definitely of thatera or that generationwhere if a car got closeto 100,000 miles, well,you didn't even get that far.Maybe 60,000 miles.But certainly, Joe, we'relooking at cars these daysthat 100,000 miles, it'sbarely breaking a sweat, right?Yeah, so a lot ofthis comes downto depending on whatvehicle you're talking aboutbecause there's vehicles ofthe past that, go sellingused with 160 miles onthem for a lot of moneybecause they're knownto last that long.So there's that, thereputation of that model,the brand, everything.And a lot of it can come downto just doing your own research,getting on forums, seeingwhat people out there have--at what point did theyhave these problem areasor whatever that when they hadto do major repairs and stufflike that to see ifit's worth holding onor it's time tomaybe get rid of it.But it depends, I guess.Yeah, it depends.Yeah.Yeah, I mean, theMazda that he'stalking about here,just digging eventhrough our ownreliability information,and I've heard thisabout these CX9sis they kind of havetransmission issues.So to your point, Joe,knowing that going into it,and it's somethingyou can look out for.So making sure not only you'redoing the regular maintenance,but if there'sanything you can doabout a particularproblem on a vehicleto kind of help it last longer.So in this case withthe transmission, maybeyou're doing an extratransmission fluid changeor at least having it inspectedmore often than you mightnormally do with a vehicle.But yeah, I think it certainlydepends on the vehicle itself.But with modern cars, there'smore to go wrong, first of all,right?There's more systems.There's more integration ofparts and computer controlledwhatever, right?There's more things to go wrong.But on the flip side, they'regenerally better built,and then also someof the materialsgoing into these thingsare more durable.Even the metals, for example,are more rust resistantthan they were in the past.So you might see carslasting longer in that regardbut need moremaintenance becausethe complicated powertrainor something like that.But two things cometo mind for me.I mean, I think there's adifference between mileage--you're talking a lot about a carwith a certain amount of mileshere.But age is kind ofa different thing.You could have acar with low miles,but it's been sitting awhile, so maybe it's rusting.Maybe the rubber bushingsand gaskets and what have youhave been dried out over time.So there is a difference--Quick clarification.--between those two things.A car isn't-- sorry, Ididn't mean to interrupt.No, no.But a car is in better shapeif it's driven more regularly.Usually.Right.Usually.Driven regularly andmaintained properly, right?And actually, the other thingthat comes to mind for me--and whenever questionslike this come up,it's always aboutmaintenance and these things.And I think cleaning your cargoes very much under the radaras it's underappreciatedbecause youmight have a different thresholdof how long a car lasts.It's not necessarilylike the engine explodedor something like that.But if you have a really lowtolerance for the paint lookingterrible or maybe the rubberseals around the doors aren'tin great shape,things like this,if you do a good jobof cleaning your car,you'll keep it rustfree for longer.You'll keep it in bettershape, and maybe you'lljust appreciate itlonger so you'llbe able to and willingto hang on to it longer.Yeah, if you livein a salt state,and you don't cleanyour car, it'snot going to last that long.I'm surprised seeingsome cars thatwere just-- you can tell thatwere never cleaned, washedever.And it's a few years, andyou have rust all over.And point ofclarification, when youstart talking about cleaningyour car, my first--my brain took meto your vacuumingout the Cheerios from yourkids in between the seats.I'd do that, too.I would say, do that,too, because thenif it gets reallygross in the inside,you're not going tobe-- you're not evengoing to want to be in it.And then you're going towant to get rid of it.But the importance ofliving here in the Northeastis you do anundercarriage wash maybea couple of timesduring the winter,certainly in the spring, to getrid of all the salt and grimethat we're going to findon our roads around here.Yeah, it's almost moreimportant than cleaning--like, when I usedto, I'd rather washor spray down theundercarriage than evenwash the outside, or atleast hose everything down.It's more important gettingthe stuff you don't see.Right.And we touched on maintenanceand Consumer Reportshas done a number ofarticles about how to getyour car to 200,000 miles.And one in particularstory that we've published,it's very, very clear, likezero miles to 30,000 miles,and 30,000 to 100,000 miles.And some of themaintenance itemsthat we're talkingabout here maybe peoplewon't really know aboutunless they're lookingat their owner's manual.For example, a timingbelt. Are there--it's possible there arecar buyers out here thatbuy a new car and don't evenknow what a timing belt is,don't even know that itreally has to be changed.So that's part of getting yourcar to go to 200,000 miles.Yeah, and knowing whenthat timing belt change isdone on certain manufacturers.You might know to be like,oh, we're coming up on that,and that's--you're at a point whereyou should decide,are you going to stick withthe vehicle, get rid of it,and what's morebeneficial to you.And the simple thingsof oil changes.Oh, yeah.Can't be overstated.You know, brake pads.Just regular wearitems to keep up on,and that will helpyour car last.Another little nugget that I'vetaken-- that I've taken outof the article thatwe've publishedis that owners ofhigh mileage carshave often said, when somethinggoes wrong in the car,you hear something, afunny noise, a rattle,something that isn't normal,you get it looked at right away.So in other words, don't linger.Don't let your carlinger with some problem.It's operating notan optimal level,and you just keep driving it.That's only just going to getmore expensive down the road,right?Yeah, and you might becompromising a safety factor,depending on what the issue is.Brakes, tires,these things, right?You don't want to--and actually to that point, Ithink it's worth mentioning.A 2011 Mazda, atthis point, that'sold enough where safetytechnology's really moved on.So I understand you wantto hang on to a car,and it's usually cheaper todo that and to maintain it.But just as a friendly reminder,getting into something newerdoes bring a lot of safetyadvantages, technology and bodystructure and these things.Yeah, 2011 technologyversus 2023 technology.So Chris, it's a great question.And it's a question that Ithink a lot of people have.And not to belaborthe point too much,but we have a lotof this informationat ConsumerReports.orgto help youget the most out of your car.It's a super expensivepart of your life,and so we're here to try tohelp you get the most out of it.And that will about doit for this episode,which was produced and editedby Anatoly \"The Great\" Shumskiy.My goodness, you should askfor a couple extra dimesin your paycheck this week.As always, check the shownotes for more informationon the vehicles andtopics that we discussed.Just a reminder, pleasekeep your questionscoming toTalkingCars@icloud.com.And we are taking a little bitof time off for the summer,but the usual podcastschedule will return soon.Thanks so much for tuning in.\n"