The first thing you need to do to extend the lifespan of your car is to park in the shade. Put up a reflective windshield for good measure in order to keep your car temperature cool and prevent UV rays from damaging your dashboard and the rest of your car interior. This will keep your A/C from needing to work harder to cool down the insides of your vehicle.
You should also minimize your usage of the air-con if you can, especially during wintertime when all you need to do is open your windows to let the cold air in. Cruise control is also a way to make sure your car still runs for the longest time even as the mileage piles up.
Be Environment Friendly with Your Maintenance
Check Your Carbon Emissions: Many people hate how they're fined in order to run their fossil-fuel-burning trucks and whatnot. But by going the hybrid route or minimizing your carbon emissions, you'll not only make your vehicle run longer and gain more miles than their carbon-spewing counterparts; you're also doing your part in saving the environment and hopefully slowing the effects of climate change (formerly known as global warming).
Avoid Aggressive Driving: Don't speed so much. What's more, many a car loses fuel efficiency when they go beyond 50 miles per hour at about a rate of $0.24 per gallon (at the time of this writing relative to current gas prices) for every mile that's over 50 miles per hour. Driving like you're a character from The Fast and The Furious will reduce gas mileage by as much as 5% on city streets and 33% on the highway, for your information.
Why Defensive Driving Is Better: Aggressive driving is when you do use of brakes (this reduces the integrity of your brake disc, brake caliper, and brake pads) and accelerate your car rapidly as if you're driving an F1 racer, speeding along the streets in a one-man drag race. Be more defensive when you drive in order to prevent accidents and/or fines that will cost you money. Drive defensively to keep traffic from happening or reduce risk of injury on yourself, fellow motorists, and pedestrians.
In Summary
Your habits determine the longevity of your ride. Regular cleanups at the car wash and tune-ups at a local mechanic with fair prices sometimes isn't enough when you're running roughshod with your usage of your car.
Anything with moving parts will wear down sooner or later, but it's definitely going to be sooner if you use your car in an abusive fashion. By taking care of your car now, you won't have to pay for huge repairs in the future. You can even have more time to save up for a new car in more than a decade's time.