Preserving your daily driver

[flyboy1294]

I searched around and couldn't really find a thread about how everyone maintained their DD. I figured if anyone had any great tips about maintenance, they could post it here.

I have been commuting from college to home to work on the weekends for a bit under a year now. Since my GMT400 has always been my daily driver, it has been making these trips with me the whole time.

I am curious to what you guys do to try to keep your daily drivers in as good as shape as possible,especially when it comes to fighting rust! It doesn't necessarily have to be a GMT400, this is just one of my favorite vehicle forums so I am asking here.

Obviously oil changes, new spark plugs, clean airfilters, etc are a must. But what extra do you do? Especially those of you that are terribly **** about their stuff like I am.

Here are a few of the somewhat useless things I do:
* I always try to run Mobil 1 synthetic oil. You can get 5 quarts at Walmart for pretty cheap.
* About once a month, I take a bottle of Windex and Armor-All and go to town on my engine bay - keeps the dust away.
* Although I park in the shade whenever possible, if I leave the truck in the sun for more than a few minutes I always crack a window and put up one of those reflective sun visor things.
* I park further away from the store and just walk the extra distance. I have only been hit in the parking lot once, and it was by a shopping cart. I would consider it pretty effective.
* As far as rust-prevention goes, I try to avoid driving in salt whenever possible. But if I cannot, I take it to the car wash whenever I reach my destination ASAP. During the warmer months, I will occasionally take a sponge and clean the underside of the cab and bed and look for anything that may develop in the future.

That's all I got. Feel free to offer your tips.

 

[LoudnLifted88]

i havent currently done much to my truck yet but i plan on pressure washing the frame and taking duplicolor truck bed coating to the frame and once that dries i want to take use motor oil and paint over the frame with that.... my grandfather has a 2005 dodge 2500 cummins he trys not to drive his truck in the snow but when he does to go to florida he washes his truck almost every state and before he leaves it gets the under side coated with used oil i have to say its the cleanest 05 ive seen

 

[Darkside 94]

This is a stupid question, but I wanted to go synthetic in my truck but was told that it could cause leaks. It has 253,290 miles on it, runs great and has no leaks???

 

[dirtyhick42]

This is a stupid question, but I wanted to go synthetic in my truck but was told that it could cause leaks. It has 253,290 miles on it, runs great and has no leaks???

I wouldn't switch to a straight synthetic at all, maybe a high mileage synthetic blend but even then I wouldn't.

 

[Mean Green]

I wouldn't switch to a straight synthetic at all, maybe a high mileage synthetic blend but even then I wouldn't.

X2 I know some people disagree with me, but do not switch to synthetics after your over the 100K mark! Theres a list of reasons why not to.

 

[97PROSHOZ71]

My truck is also my daily driver to and from college.
My list:

Routine oil changes/fluid inspections (Not even using synthetics yet, but Lucas is a MUST to help life of the engine)
Tire rotations ever other oil change
Bath once a week or more during Spring and Summer (Hand wash and dry)
Winter and fall - Bath three times a week (Pressure Wash if it has been salty)
Wax every two months
Wheel polish every tire rotation (doesn't apply to everyone, lol)
Any rust spotted, immediate bath and S.O.S pad to rust, then touched up.
Park as far as possible from other cars in the parking lot and fold huge ass mirrors in case any other nice trucks park next to me
Armor All on interior, especially dash and door seals
Armor All under the hood
I even wax my windows to help keep them smooth for my wipers, and prevent water spots
Frame Repainting every year or so (keeps it looking new, don't ever like to see a rusty frame or rear differential)

That's all I can think of as of now.

 

[GMCTRUCKS]

With my truck having 180K I trust it very much for the reason is I have replaced my Stat, Belt, all hoses next is my radiator. Overheating your engine takes years off the engine or kills it.