ChatGPT Explained How To Make Any Car Last 250,000 Miles - AOL.com

We asked ChatGPT how to make any car last 250,000 miles and got the kind of answer you could find on the back of an oil change receipt. Keep up with maintenance. Don't ignore warning lights. Change your fluids.

So we pushed back and asked what actually kills cars early, and what it specifically costs to ignore each one. Then we checked it with auto industry experts.

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Stay Ahead of Problems Before They Get Expensive

Alan Gelfand, owner of German Car Depot in Florida, said this is the single biggest factor in whether a car makes it to high mileage.

"One of the most overlooked ways to make any car reach 250,000 miles is staying ahead of small problems instead of reacting to big ones," Gelfand said. "The maintenance of cooling systems and transmission fluid changes and early repairs of oil leaks will extend a vehicle's operational period, although owners tend to dismiss these tasks because their vehicle continues to function properly."

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When we pressed ChatGPT on specifics, the numbers made the case better than any general advice could:

Transmission fluid breaks down over time, stops protecting internals from heat and friction, and can lead to total failure. A fluid change runs maybe $250. A replacement costs $2,900 to $7,100, according to
Kelley Blue Book.
Coolant keeps the engine from overheating and warping. A flush costs $100 to $150. A blown head gasket from a neglected cooling system can run $1,500 or more.
Timing belts have a replacement interval for a reason. Miss it, and the belt can snap, which on many engines destroys the valves entirely. Replacement runs $500 to $1,000. Rebuilding the engine after a snap costs several times that.
Oil isn't glamorous, but old oil loses its ability to reduce friction and manage heat. It's the cheapest thing on this list and the one most directly tied to engine life.

Most cars don't die from age. They die because a $100 to $250 service got skipped until it became a $3,000 to $7,000 problem.

ChatGPT Flagged Rust as a Hidden Threat -- Experts Agree

Even if you nail every fluid change, corrosion can still end your car's life, especially in states where roads get salted in winter. By the time rust shows up on the surface, it may already be eating through structural components underneath.

Matt Clamp, a car valuation specialist at Scrap Car Comparison, put a number on it.

"Washing your car regularly isn't just about keeping it clean; it also stops rust," Clamp said. "Rust can reduce a car's value by up to 30%, even when the car still runs well."

Once it hits the frame or subframe, the car's either unsafe to drive or too expensive to fix. Doesn't matter if the engine's got another 100,000 miles in it.

The Bottom Line

Getting to 250,000 miles doesn't take a special car. It takes being proactive and learning what repairs can snowball into larger problems if they're ignored.

This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.

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