Nobody wants their car to break down. To keep your vehicle running well, you need to provide it with regular service. Have the oil changed a few times per year, rotate the tires, and check and replace the brakes as needed. A good auto care service will take care of all these maintenance tasks for you. However, you may still want to know more about the processes they follow, when service is needed, and what other types of services may help your car last longer. We've build this website for people like you — responsible car owners who just want to learn more. Enjoy!
If you treat your vehicles as disposable transportation and replace them as soon as possible, you may not worry much about long-term preventative maintenance. However, maintaining a vehicle for many years can be a rewarding experience. Not only do you maximize the value of your original purchase, but you have the pride that comes from hitting each successively higher mileage milestone.
Of course, taking this long-term approach does require more effort and typically means upping your maintenance game beyond regular oil changes and brake pad replacements. You may also need to develop a preventative maintenance schedule above and beyond your manufacturer's recommendations. Keep reading to learn three reasons why this extra effort will pay off in the long run.
1. Fewer Expensive Repairs
Some of the costliest automotive repairs you may face are internal engine or transmission repairs. Problems of this nature typically require removing the engine or transmission from the vehicle and conducting a complete rebuild. In a best-case scenario, you may still be looking at thousands of dollars to perform one of these repairs.
Internal damage to engines or transmissions frequently results from premature wear caused by friction or heat. An enhanced maintenance schedule that replaces fluids more often can help reduce wear in your motor and transmission, ultimately increasing the time before costly internal parts fail. Because of the high cost of rebuilds, avoiding these failures can effectively extend the life of your whole vehicle.
2. Repair On Your Own Schedule
Breakdowns can happen at any time, but not every failure that leaves you stranded is an unforeseeable event. While manufacturers don't typically include replacement intervals for parts such as water pumps or alternators, these components often have a practical service life much shorter than the car's lifetime. For example, most water pumps typically last less than 100,000 miles.
By doing some research, you can discover the parts that are most likely to fail on your vehicle as it ages. Replacing these parts as they near the end of their expected lifespan can save you money by helping you avoid unexpected tows or vehicle downtime.
3. Fill In Maintenance Gaps
Your manufacturer's maintenance schedule should provide you with the essential items necessary to keep your car running, but it may be missing longer-term items. For example, many manufacturers use lifetime transmission fluids, but these fluids often degrade long before the transmission fails. As a result, you might be missing maintenance tasks that can help extend your car's life.
You can deal with these potential gaps by developing your preventative maintenance schedule beyond the manufacturer's recommendations. Addressing these extended maintenance items is the best way to keep your car running well into the six-figure mileage range.
Share13 January 2022
