Cars are an incredibly convenient way to get around. With over 270 million of them on American roads, there is no doubt that people love them. However, they often come with a hefty purchase cost, not to mention the other expenses. This can include gas, insurance, and of course, the many maintenance costs you may be responsible for. All of this goes into the true cost of owning a car. Because of the money you spend buying and maintaining your car, it is a good idea to care for it. While all parts of the car are important to care for, this goes extra for metal parts. They can easily rust or be bent, which can dramatically reduce their effective lifespan. This article will go over a few helpful ways to increase the lifespan of metal parts in your car.

Cryogenically Treat Your Brakes

One of the best things you can do to protect the metal parts of your car is to treat them. There are several treatments you can use that can coat and protect the metal parts of your car from the harsh elements and the many things that can deteriorate them. These are generally sprays that can protect the metal from rusting and keep it looking and performing its best.

One, in particular, that is great for protecting and boosting the lifespans of parts like your car’s brakes is a cryogenic treatment. It can reduce the wear on your brake rotors, slow down cracking and ensure your brakes are going to last longer and are more environmentally friendly (here’s some more information if you want to know more about this potential solution).

Keep the Car Clean

Cleaning the car regularly is another way to protect the metal parts on it. When driving on the road, the metal parts of your vehicle are constantly getting dust, dirt, and other debris all over them. This can make them look filthy and also deteriorate over time. This is especially true if you are always driving over road salt in the winter, as it can cause a lot of damage if left there for long periods.

No matter what season it is, you should find time to give your car a nice cleaning at least once a month if you drive often. During winter, if you drive on salty roads, make sure you manage to wash the car from the bottom side. If salt stays for too long, it will speed up the corrosion of the bottom metal parts of your car. Of course, after cleaning the car, be sure to make an effort to dry it off as best as you can. If you leave it wet, the water on the metal parts can contribute to rust.

Drive Carefully

Being a careful driver is actually another great way to protect the metal parts in your car. If you are constantly driving erratically and bagging your car, you are doing a lot of damage without knowing it. All of this poor driving behavior can lead to a lot of wear on things like your brakes, your suspension, and various other components. As you could imagine, this wear will cut down the lifespan of these parts.

When driving, take turns carefully, brake gradually, and slow down when you are going over bumps of any kind. Not only is driving like a maniac terrible for your car, but it can also be dangerous, so being careful is always a good idea.

Watch Where You Park

While you might think that all of the damage to the metal parts of your car comes when you are driving, that’s not the case. How and where you park your car can actually have an impact, too. If you park on the grass, dirt, or other poorly drained places, it can make your car more prone to rust than if you park on a paved area that is dry and have adequate drainage.

Also, parking in a garage or other enclosed environment is generally preferred, as well. This can protect your vehicle from the elements like wind, dust, dirt, rain, snow, and ice. While parking outside in these conditions or over wet ground is fine for a little bit here and there if you do it day in and day out, damage can certainly occur.

Lighten the Load

While cars are meant to carry and support a lot of weight, they do indeed have their limits. Generally, the lighter a car is, the easier it will drive, and the less strain will be put on parts. A heavier load leads to your brakes, suspension, engine, and other parts of your car to need to work that much harder.

If you have to carry a lot of things for work, look for a bigger vehicle that can carry more weight, or only have them in the car when it’s absolutely necessary. The last thing you want is for the parts within your vehicle to become bent or even snap due to simply carrying around too much weight in the car for long periods.

Great Ways to Protect Your Metal Car Parts

Any of the methods mentioned earlier are great for protecting and extending the life of metal car parts. Whether you treat them, ensure the car is clean, drive, and park carefully and carry less weight, all of these options can benefit from prolonging the life of the metal parts of your vehicle.

How to Find Genuine, OEM, and Aftermarket Parts?

If you’re looking for quality genuine, OEM, or aftermarket parts for your car, you’re in the right place. We offer a wide range of products for European brands such as BMW, Audi, VW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc.

To find the parts that fit your car, simply input your car’s make, model, and year into your system, and you’ll get a list of matching products. You can also narrow down the search by using our VIN tool. This way, you’ll get more accurate data for your specific vehicle. Just keep in mind that our system only accepts US VINs at the moment.