Top 3 Secrets to Keeping Your Peugeot on the Road Longer

Over the course of your life, there will be two big purchases you'll make: your home and your car. Sure,  you may have to spring for the fancy wedding cake and the larger-than-life ice sculptures your bride insists on for your wedding day, but it won't be the same as tackling these two expensive items. Why? Average car prices these days average around £30,000 for new models, and that's without all the bells and whistles we have all come to love.

Prices for used cars aren't cheap either. Because they are so high in demand, their prices are often higher than you might expect.

If you're a collector, you are no doubt fanatical about the care of your beautiful automobile. If however, you are simply an average Joe, you might not know very much about maintaining your car past the typical five to ten years. In fact, your traditional car usage may not have required that knowledge.

Now that you've bought your new-to-you Peugeot, however, you can't help but want to do everything possible to keep it running as long as you can, and that's understandable. Peugeots are reliable and typically wonderful cars to drive. Keeping yours working for as long as possible may not be easy, but there are a few tricks you can use to make it happen.

Secrets to a Long-Lasting Peugeot

Oil Changes

 Oil is the lifeblood of your Peugeot, and you have to make sure it's changed on a regular basis. But when should you change it?

• Follow the Manual- In your owner's manual there should be a chapter on oil changes. If you purchased your Peugeot and it didn't have this manual with it, you can look online; many auto manufacturers now make theirs available on the internet. The manual should tell you how many miles or months you can go before the car needs services. In many cases, there will be two different service schedules: normal and special. Descriptions will be available with each, so read them carefully to fully understand which one you should follow.

• Oil Life Monitor- If your Peugeot is relatively new, the car manufacturer may have installed an oil life monitor for you as a way of informing you when to change the oil. In the most basic version, this monitor will cause a light to come on when you've reached a certain mileage. In advanced versions, a number of sensors will detect how long your oil will last based on your driving habits and conditions. No matter which version your Peugeot has, it certainly takes the guesswork out.

• Use Time- Most manufacturers recommend that you change you oil after you've driven a certain number of miles. This may mean changing the oil at 5,000, 7,000, or 10,000 miles. But what if you don't drive your Peugeot that often? What if it serves as a way for you to get back and forth to the University twice a week and to church on Sunday? Most manufacturers have planned for this issue as well. Most recommend that you change the oil at least every 12 months, if not before. This information will be in your owner's manual.

• Check the Logbook- If you recently purchased a used Peugeot, take a look at the logbook that was given to you by the previous owner. It should state when the last oil change was. When planning for the next oil change, go from this date and not the date you purchased the car.

 Change the Brake Fluid

 Many car owners these days don't realise that brake fluid doesn't last a lifetime. In fact, it needs changed regularly. Because they don't know this, however, many car owners ignore this maintenance procedure and end up damaging valuable car parts.

The problem with failing to change your brake fluid is that it is hygroscopic. This means that water is attracted to it. When brake fluid absorbs water, its boiling point lowers. This puts the internal braking Peugeot parts at risk for corrosion. In most newer Peugeots with antilock braking systems, this can be an expensive problem to fix.

Don't let your brakes suffer. Change your brake fluid at least once every three years.

Don't  Ignore the Noises

Click. Snap. Thunk. Bang. Cars make all sorts of sounds, and not all of them are what you want to hear. In fact, some car noises can signal serious trouble with the Peugeot parts under the bonnet. By turning down the radio every once in a while and listening for signs of trouble, you can catch problems early on and extend the life of your Peugeot.

 So, which sounds should you be listening for?

• Clunking and thumping can indicate that a prop shaft, rear differential or universal joint is defective.

• Do you hear knocking or pounding coming from the engine? No one's trying to get in; this means that there are loose bolts in the gearbox, bad connecting rods, or worn out crankshaft bearings.

• Ping! Pink! These noises may sound innocent, but they could actually mean that you're using the wrong fuel for your engine. Check your owner's manual for the correct type of fuel your engine needs.

• Hearing a metallic scraping or screeching sound every time you come to a stop? This could be a sign that your brake pads have worn down.

• A ticking sound grows louder as you accelerate can be due to a number of problematic car parts. The most likely candidate, is a non-lubricated tappet. This can be fixed by checking to make sure the oil level in your Peugeot is correct or by changing the oil completely.
  

• Whining that is coming from under the bonnet often means wear of the transmission or differential.

Don't Panic Over Wear and Tear

These three secrets can help you catch problematic Peugeot parts quickly so you can fix them before they do serious damage to your car, but that doesn't mean you won't have to deal with the occasional worn down car part. Don't become discouraged, though. Even cars with the best reputation for reliability will have car parts that wear down eventually. When this happens, take the time to fix the issues so your Peugeot can remain on the road for as long as possible.