Back to all

Make Your Vehicle Last

July 9, 2022


We live in such a disposable society. It's amazing all the stuff we throw away. New stuff comes out so fast, we just toss the old and move on. In the old days, Florida folks were real sticklers about taking care of their things. If something got lost or ruined by neglect, tough - they had to do without. Most St. Johns drivers couldn't afford new vehicles very often, so they had to make them last as long as they could.

It's a good thing that vehicles are more reliable these days. They just don't break down as often. And the good news for us Florida penny pinchers is that a modern vehicle can easily go 200,000 miles/320,000 km with proper care. The engineering and the manufacturing quality is tremendous. The missing ingredient is us St. Johns vehicle owners making sure we follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedules.

Every time you go a little farther between recommended oil changes, you have created an opportunity for sludge to be formed and for clogged passages. Then some vehicle parts don't get properly lubricated and they start to wear out faster. Skip a cooling system service and the corrosion inhibitors become depleted; the radiator starts being damaged - one step closer to a failure. Same thing is true for transmission service, power brakes, fuel system cleaning - really everything on your schedule.

It is probably even more important for older vehicles. Those engines and other systems have had more time to get dirty, so they are a bit more stressed anyway. But it is never too late to get back on track with your auto maintenance and to hold off further damage.

And it really does start with the oil change. When you get a full service oil change in St. Johns at Tuffy St. Johns, we top off all your fluids and check for other items that are on your maintenance schedule. It's like your safety net. Go in for an oil change on time, and let your service advisor at Tuffy St. Johns help you keep track of the rest.

Some things are going to wear out along the way, things like alternators, water pumps, etc. But fixing those at Tuffy St. Johns is cheaper than a new car  payment for St. Johns drivers. And taking care of problems early means they have less time to mess with other things. It is like having high cholesterol - you don't want to wait for a heart attack before you address it.

Tuffy St. Johns
2770 Racetrack Rd.
St. Johns , Florida 32259
904.230.3363

More articles from Tuffy St. Johns

Ball Joint Replacement

March 1, 2026

Think about this the next time youre driving. Your front wheels can steer your vehicle and, at the same time, the wheels can move, even with all the irregularities in the road moving them up, down and in different directions. Pretty amazing engineering, wouldnt you say? What allows that are part... More

Why is My Brake Pedal Hard to Push?

February 22, 2026

When you push on your brake pedal, you should find your vehicle easy to stop. But at some point, you might notice stopping takes much more pressure on the pedal than it used to. When it gets to that point it becomes a safety issue, and you should bring your vehicle in so we can track down whats... More

10 Things That Are Lowering Your Fuel Economy

February 15, 2026

Regardless of whatever current gas prices may be, if you could use less gas, wouldnt you? Well, here are 10 things that are robbing you of better fuel economy that you can change for the better: Not enough air in your tires. Underinflated tires have a smaller rolling diameter and more res... More