Prevention, they say, is better than cure. This statement holds even when it comes to automobiles; prevention, in this case, refers to maintenance while cure refers to repairs.
Because cars rarely show signs of an impending breakdown many people, for one reason or the other, would want to procrastinate this. Maintenance of cars is something that is not done as frequently as it should.
Regular maintenance of your car, however, remains one of the best treatments you can give to it. So, instead of forgetting this maintenance on the backseat, it is time to move this to the front seat.
To help you better understand the need for this, here are the importance of regular car maintenance:
Improved performance
Regular maintenance of your car helps it stay in optimum condition. This helps it perform its duty of conveying you, other people and/or your belongings around.
On the flip side, if this maintenance is postponed, done irregularly or rarely ever done, then your car would be more susceptible to wear and tear which could slow down its performance.
Save money
While it might seem like the cost of regular maintenance of cars is high, this cost is actually low; especially when compared to the non-financial cost of the benefits the car delivers as well as the financial costs to be incurred if auto repairs have to be done.
Failure to regularly change oil and cleaning valves could lead to burning out of the engine. It could also lead to dirt and grime build-up which can result in camshaft failure. These are failures that would incur a financial burden.
Asides these financial costs, other indirect costs could be incurred. For example, if your car gets faulty and you need to repair a part of it, for the time that it will be with the auto-mechanic, you will have to find another means of commute which might neither be convenient nor cost-effective for you.
Better gas mileage
If all the parts of your car are in good condition, then they would all work together in harmony. This simultaneous activity would mean that there are lesser stops in search of “what could be wrong with this vehicle?”, and smoother journeys.
All of these translate to lesser need to top up on gas, lesser gas station stops, and better gas mileage.
Protect your asset
Your car is one of your assets. Asides from the financial benefits derived from it when you cut public transport away, especially if you commute very frequently, there are other non-financial benefits derived; comfort and convenience, for instance.
Regularly maintaining your car, helps ensure it does not break down unnecessarily. Refusal to regularly maintain your car could make it become a liability.
Protect its value
When a car is put up for sale, potential buyers consider a lot of things before deciding whether or not to buy this. They check if any parts are spoilt, they assess the spoilt parts, the extent of the damage, and the cost that will be incurred if they choose to repair this.
All these valuations impact their final proposed purchase price. And yes, the cost of these will have been factored in when the seller was making a sale’s price. To ensure that this price is as high as it should be, and to help your car retain its value, you should regularly maintain it.
Maintain your warranty
When you get a new product, you are likely to be told it has a warranty for a certain number of years. There is, however, a clause that states that this covers only machine faults and not self-incurred damages. By carrying out regular maintenance of your car, you would be able to maintain your warranty.
Protect the environment
Every day, the world is being more particular about environmental sustainability, and people are encouraged to not contribute to environmental degradation.
As a car owner, you could help check environmental degradation by regularly maintaining your car. This assertion is borne from the fact that when certain parts of a car are malfunctioning, there could be incomplete combustion of fuel which leads to the emission of gases that are dangerous to the environment.
There are also parts that if improperly maintained, they can be spoilt and end up contributing to improperly disposed of wastes in the environment.
Simple maintenance checks you can perform today
While virtually all parts of your car require maintenance, listed below are some maintenance you can carry out now:
Brake Checks
Brakes are a hydraulic system made up of a set of pads that squeeze together when prompted and rely on brake fluids for proper functioning. If the pads become too thin, it makes it harder to make the car slow or stop.
Asides relying on a fitted service light that would turn on when it’s time to check brakes, check for leaking fluids, and notice how thin the pads have become.
Fluid Check
To keep them running, cars need some fluids. These include brake fluid, oil, and transmission fluid.
- Brake fluid: This fluid is very essential for the proper functioning of the brake.
- Oil: Car engines need oil to lubricate the metal in them. If one allows the engine to completely run out of oil, friction caused by these metals could produce heat and could make the metals melt together.
- Transmission fluid: Transmission fluid helps keep the transmission lubricated. If this transmission fluid runs low, it could result in contaminants forming in the transmission, and this could shorten its lifespan.
Check the engine’s air filter
Having a dirty air filter can shorten the life of an engine and can also reduce your gas mileage by up to 10%.
Check your tire alignment and pressure
Tire pressure that is too high or too low could affect your car’s braking and stability, and can also lead to wear and tear.
Also, check for tire alignment as bad tire alignment can cause your car to veer toward one direction or even result in vibrations while driving.
To Wrap It Up
Car maintenance is neither a luxury nor is it difficult. It is instead, a necessity and is quite easy. Indeed, regular maintenance is cheaper and better than repairs. If, however, you are not sure of how to go about these, you can either consult your car’s manual or visit an expert.