‘I’ve had 16 free batteries’: This Florida woman used lifetime warranties to continually replace parts on her car for 43 years. Here’s how you can save money with a similar strategy

The frugal Floridian eventually died at the age of 99. Growing Bolder reported that she drove 540,000 miles in the car she named Chariot.

She could keep the car after many miles and many years, thanks to the lifetime warranties that fully covered her seven mufflers and 16 batteries. Some of these companies even updated her warranty to cover costs by different companies.

“Penny’s still pays for it, but Firestone puts it in,” Veitch told Growing Bolder about getting her batteries replaced for free. “And I’ve had 16 free batteries.”

Veitch kept her car maintenance costs low for a whole life. Here’s how you can do the same — and not just for your car.

Buy to keep

When Veitch bought her car, she knew she wanted the $3,289 vehicle to last forever. She learned all the mechanical details of the car so that she could figure out when she needed lubricant and when the car needed fixing.

Even when she took Chariot into the shop, Veitch saw to Chariot’s care. She told Growing Bolder that she would either remain present during tune-ups or, if she had to leave, refer the mechanics to a diagram of the car’s inner workings, which showed all the parts needing lubrication.

Taking care of your things is one of the best ways to ensure that you don’t have to buy new ones in the future.

Buy for loyalty

Veitch was married thrice — but Chariot stuck around longer than any of her ex-husbands.

“She’s never lied to me, never cheated on me and I can always depend on her,” she told Growing Bolder.