Many people after buying an old car often focus on keeping the car original but ignore tire age, operating conditions and maintenance history.
According to a car repair technician at Ninety Eight Auto (Cat Lai ward, Ho Chi Minh City), old cars wanting to operate stably not only depend on the number of kilometers traveled, but also on how they are used and maintained beforehand.
One of the issues that car owners often care about is whether to keep the original tire set with the car to increase value when reselling it or not. However, this is not necessarily the top priority.
Car tires are mainly made of rubber and still age over time, even when rarely used or removed from the car for preservation. This process can make rubber stiff, reduce road grip and affect safety when operating.
Therefore, for old cars with original tires but used for a long time, car owners should check the tire age, rubber condition, wear and signs of cracks and deformities before deciding to continue using. If the tires have deteriorated, replacing a new tire set suitable for the car is a priority choice instead of trying to keep the original tires for resale.
Besides tires, car owners should also not be too rigid with a fixed kilometer number when maintaining old cars. The actual maintenance period needs to be considered based on operating conditions, vehicle condition and manufacturer recommendations.
For example, cars that regularly run in urban areas, travel short distances, stop and start continuously can endure harsher operating conditions than cars that mainly run long distances and are stable. Therefore, the timing of engine oil changes and some maintenance items may need to be adjusted accordingly.
Especially for used cars, checking and maintaining the cooling system is also very important. Coolant water, radiator, cooling fan and related parts need to be checked according to the manufacturer's recommendations and the actual condition of the car so that the engine maintains a stable working temperature. Poor cooling system operation can cause the engine to work at high temperatures, affecting the durability of many parts.
A simple but beneficial thing is to keep a full history of maintenance, repair and spare parts replacement. This information helps the car owner know which part the car has intervened in, when it was performed, and which parts have been replaced.
When a new symptom appears in the car, a repair history can help the technician pinpoint the cause faster, avoiding rampant inspection or replacement. This is also the basis for building a suitable maintenance plan for the next times.
Therefore, after buying an old car, car owners should not only decide to refuel and use it. More importantly, they need to understand the condition of the car, actual operating conditions and maintain a suitable maintenance schedule. Proper care not only helps the car be more durable but also limits subsequent repair costs.
