Give Your Vehicles Some TLC

Army Staff Sgt. Joseph Lobban foam-scrubs a patron's car clean at the Joint Task Forces' Joint Detention Group Ball Carwash fundraiser, May 24, at the car washing station near the Lyceum Theater. The car wash was held as a fundraiser for the JDG Ball in September to help offset the cost for the attending lower enlisted and will "probably be the first of many," according to SSG Dixie Bivens, whom was there handling money. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe and humane care and custody of detained enemy combatants. The JTF conducts interrogation operations to collect strategic intelligence in support of the Global War on Terror and supports law enforcement and war crimes investigations. JTF Guantanamo is committed to the safety and security of American service members and civilians working inside its detention facilities.

Whether you own a single vehicle or multiple ones, you are likely going to own a number of them over your lifetime.

With that in mind, how are you going to go about caring for them, making sure they last as long as possible?

For some vehicle owners, they literally run their vehicles into the ground.

Others, meantime, will go out of their way to make sure they do anything and everything to prolong the lives of their vehicles. In doing so, they usually get every dollar out of them and then some.

So, will you be one willing to give your vehicles some TLC during your lifetime?

Caring for What Keeps You Running

So that you can increase the chances of prolonging the years of each and every vehicle you own during your lifetime, remember a few important tips:

  • Driving – Above all else, don’t treat your vehicle poorly, especially as it begins to age. As too many owners have discovered over the years, literally running a vehicle of any make or model into the ground is good for no one. For instance, avoiding regular maintenance check-ups just to save a few dollars oftentimes will come back to haunt you. The dollars you initially saved will oftentimes be nothing compared to the money you will spend when things go wrong. Don’t skip regular oil changes, keeping your brakes and tires healthy etc. just with the idea you are somehow saving a few dollars. Also, don’t drive like someone with a speeding habit, one who doesn’t know how to properly brake etc. Bad driving habits can ultimately come back to bite you in the wallet or purse, along with setting you up for potential injuries or worse;
  • Storage – If you don’t own a garage, do not have access to covered parking, or you have nowhere to go with an RV you own, you could be setting yourself up for problems. Between inclement weather and the potential for damage from others, not being able to house your vehicle or vehicles can prove an issue. If you’re searching for something like RV storage, it doesn’t have to prove as daunting a task as you might think. Along with word-of-mouth suggestions and seeing TV commercials and/or newspaper and magazine ads, turn to the Internet for help. The worldwide web can be a great resource, especially given many companies in the storage business and similar fields are active on the Internet. Visit their websites to see what they have to offer, check them out on their social media pages (typically ones such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc.), and see what other consumers are saying about them;
  • Decisions – Finally, know when it is time to part with your beloved vehicle. In some cases, owners just don’t (or can’t) say when, leaving them with a vehicle way beyond its usefulness. Yes, it is perfectly fine to keep a vehicle for as long as possible due to your financial situation. That said it doesn’t make sense to turn down a good offer if one comes along, be it for a car, truck, motorcycle, RV etc.

Teaching Vehicle Appreciation

In the event you have children, there is a strong chance that they will end up cutting their teeth on your vehicle or vehicles before getting their own one day.

With that in mind, be sure to teach them the value of taking care of one’s vehicle.

No matter what you might own, you should show your child how to respect its value. Make sure he or she understands that lots of time and effort went into purchasing the vehicle at one point (not to mention money). As such, it is important that your child gives the vehicle his or her TLC too.

From washing and storing the vehicle to making sure it receives regular maintenance visits, be sure to set a good example for your young one or ones.

In doing so, your child is more likely to drive off with a better appreciation of their own vehicles one day.