8 Repair and Maintenance Tips to Help Get Your Older Ford to 300,000 Miles

Would you like to know how to make your older Ford last for 300,000 miles?

The average lifespan of a car is about 11 years. Assuming that car is driven at an average of 15,000 miles per year, it will last for 165,000 miles.

Did you know you can double that with right care and maintenance?

A few Ford models have been known to hit over 300,000 miles. The Escape Hybrid, F-150, and Tundra appeared on this list of top 25 cars to go 300,000 miles or more.

If you have an older ford, keep reading.

These are the top tips to keep your ford reliable and last 300,000.

1. Read the Owner’s Manual

The first thing that you want to do is read the owner’s manual. It’s chock full of information about how the vehicle operates.

This is also the starting point for maintaining your car as well. It will outline how often routine maintenance should be performed.

If you’re planning on doing a lot of the maintenance and repairs yourself, you’ll want to pick up a service manual for your Ford as well.

This will detail how to take care of the repairs and what the correct parts are.

2. Driving Tips

Your driving style could be causing stress to your car.

Hard driving, like braking hard, speeding often, flooring the engine can shorten the lifespan of your parts and the car itself.

That doesn’t mean you have to drive like an old lady to keep preserve the engine.

Just follow a few of these tips and your older Ford will be on your way to 300,000 miles.

• Coast as much as you can.
• Let the engine warm up.
• Don’t turn on the AC, heat or defroster right away.
• Use the parking brake.
• Don’t drive with both feet.
• Use the brakes to slow down on cars with manual transmissions.

These are simple changes to make to your driving habits that can make a huge difference in the life of your car.

3. Perform Regular Maintenance

To make your car last 300,000 miles, it is critical that you keep your car well-maintained. That means following the maintenance schedule set out in your owner’s manual and periodically checking for recalls on your Ford. These are a few of the tasks you’ll need to manage on a regular basis.

• Have the fluids checked and topped off
• Rotate and balance tires
• Alignment
• Regular oil changes
• Windshield wipers
• Air filters

The components that make your car run smoothly all have a lifespan, and that includes motor oil. Not changing it out regularly will cause the car’s overall performance to suffer.

4. Fueling up

How you fuel up and what you use to fuel up will impact your car.

Using premium fuel when your owner’s manual specifies regular won’t do anything. It can actually hurt your car’s performance due to carbon buildup.

When you do fuel up, don’t top off the fuel tank. No matter how bad you want to top off the tank to even the amount spent on gas, it’s not a good idea to do so.

Topping off the tank could damage the evaporative control canister.

You also don’t want to let your gas tank drop below a quarter-tank. That can cause condensation and damage the fuel pump.

5. Plan Ahead

Aside from regular maintenance, you’ll need to plan for major repairs. You can plan for some of them ahead of time by knowing what the average expectancy is for major parts.

You can then plan to replace those components ahead of schedule.

Let’s say you own a Mustang. According to the owner’s manual, you’ll know when you’ll need to replace

It helps to keep a planning calendar of when the major components, such as timing belts, will be replaced. You can then use the right service manual to order the parts you need.

Your planning calendar can function like a car journal as well. You can keep the details of repairs and maintenance, such as the type of repair, and the mileage of the car.

There will be unexpected repairs, no matter how much you plan. You can keep the most meticulous maintenance journal. That’s doesn’t guarantee that something won’t go wrong.

It’s a good idea to set aside a budget for these repairs. You can set aside a little money each month and keep a reserve for emergency repairs.

6. Check Your Keys

How many keys do you carry? Do you have a few that you keep in your pocket or do you have a stack that you have to keep tied to a belt loop?

The weight of carrying around too many keys could damage the ignition in some car models.

If you have a handful of keys, you shouldn’t be concerned.

Carrying more keys than that plus bottle openers, mini flashlights, and other trinkets are enough to pull the weight down on the ignition and cause damage over time.

7. Protect Your Car

To make your older Ford last a while, you want to keep the exterior maintained as much as the engine.

Regular car detailing will help keep your car’s exterior in great condition, and keep the inside clean, too.

You want to protect your car from the elements as much as possible. To do that, keep it in a garage. If that’s not an option, invest in a car cover to protect it.

When you’re out and about, use a sunshade to protect the interior of your car and keep vinyl parts from fading.

8. Have it Inspected

As your Ford gets older, there may be things that pop up unexpectedly. That can happen no matter how well you plan.

That’s why every 9 months or so, you’ll want to take it to a trusted mechanic to have a comprehensive inspection.

They may pick up on potential issues and you can use the opportunity to go over your maintenance plan to make sure you’re on track.

Your Older Ford Can Hit 300,000

Having an older Ford doesn’t mean that you need to send it to the scrap yard.

With planning, good driving habits, and regular maintenance, your vehicle can easily make it to the 300,000-mile mark and beyond.

If you’d like to know more about fixing up your car, check out our blog.

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