Besides sticking to your regular maintenance schedule, it’s possible to avoid costly repairs by just driving your car responsibly. Most of the tips we’re about to post should be common sense, yet many people ignore them every time they get behind the wheel. With just a little bit of forethought, you can drive your car in a much gentler fashion and extend the life of your vehicle for years to come. If you drive with care every day, you’ll be rewarded with longer intervals without repair issues.

1. Don’t race your engine when you’re starting your car. Gunning the engine when it’s starting (or just started) will add years of wear-and-tear to your engine. This is especially bad for your engine when it’s cold outside.
2. Accelerate slowly when you start to drive. The heaviest wear on the engine and drive train happens in the first 10-20 minutes of operation.
3. Don’t let your engine warm up by idling in your driveway. The engine won’t be operating at its peak temperature, so idling will result in poor fuel combustion, soot deposits on cylinder walls, oil contamination, and eventually lead to damaged components.
4. Shift into neutral at red lights. Shifting to neutral will reduce the strain on your engine and drivetrain. If you leave the car in Drive, your engine is still working to push the car forward, even while you’re stopped.
5. Don’t drive at high speeds or accelerate quickly. This is an important tip any time you drive, but it’s even more important in it’s very hot or very cold. The extra wear-and-tear on your engine will result in more frequent repairs.
6. Drive carefully to save your tires. Obviously, don’t burn rubber… but also avoid fast starts, stops, and sudden turns. Try to avoid potholes and objects in the road. Don’t run over curbs or brush the tire against the curb when parking.
7. Avoid extreme turns. When you’re turning your steering wheel, don’t hold it at the extreme right or left position for more than a few seconds – it will damage your power steering pump.
8. Consolidate short trips. Most of your wear-and-tear takes place in the first few minutes of driving. Instead of running several separate short errands, consolidate your trip and make them all in one trip. You’ll use less gasoline and you’ll drastically reduce the wear on your engine.