Cars are expensive, so it makes sense to want your car to last as long as possible. The following are some easy tips to you help you get 100,000 miles out of your car’s engine – or maybe more!

The first step is to start by buying a quality vehicle with a reputation for longevity and durability. Avoiding fussier imports or car models that are new and unproven will help you get the most life out of your car. High performance cars – such as sports cars – aren’t designed for longevity, as greater demands on an engine translate into higher wear. Over time, this will result in lower lifetime mileage.

Regardless of the car you have, whether it’s new or used, or the make or model, the best way to keep your engine running is routine maintenance. This means observing the manufacturer’s recommended schedule for maintenance and promptly addressing any performance issues as they arise. As with so many other things, it’s best to deal with problems when they’re still small.

The following are some important maintenance tasks to perform on your car:

Use good quality gasoline. Consider regularly using a fuel injection cleaner or detergent additive if you have an older model car or don’t use gasoline that already contains a detergent additive – though this is relatively uncommon these days.
Have your fuel filter replaced regularly.
Check your transmission fluid regularly and add additional fluid as needed.
Regularly check your coolant levels.
Have your coolant system flushed at least once every year, preferably at the beginning of every major seasonal shift.
Keep your brakes in good working order. Have them checked out if you experience any softness or need to pump your brakes to stop.
Have your air filter replaced regularly to avoid the introduction of particulate matter into the engine.

These tasks aside, the most crucial maintenance task of all involves your car’s motor or engine oil. Use the weight of oil specified by your car’s manufacturer and purchase good quality oil. Most importantly, change the oil regularly and frequently, along with the oil filter. This is the true secret to getting high mileage out of your car. Changing the oil as frequently as every 1,500 to 2,000 miles is a good goal. And although some people would call this schedule aggressive; they usually aren’t the people who have cars with 200,000 or 300,000 miles on them.

Of course, when it comes to getting oil changes this frequently, you’ll save yourself a lot of money if you learn to do it yourself. The process is fairly straight forward and the supplies you need are minimal. Finally, the used motor oil you drain from your car should be taken to your local quick lube center, service station or auto repair facility for recycling – never dispose of used oil by pouring it on the ground or placing it in the trash. Used oil can become a dangerous environmental hazard if it leeches into the groundwater or soil.