While car maintenance costs money, it can actually save you a lot of money in the long run. Regularly scheduled maintenance of your vehicle will help keep it running smoothly and efficiently, which in turn helps to reduce the amount that you spend on expensive repairs. It also means that you’ll be able to drive your car for longer before needing to replace it.
There are many easy and relatively cheap ways to keep your car running better for longer, so we’ve put together some of the best ways to maintain your car and save money by avoiding expensive problems.
How Regular Oil Changes Can Save Money
One way to save money by preventing issues before they happen is by having your oil changed regularly. If you neglect changing your oil frequently, the oil starts to pick up excess particles that will settle in your engine. Over time, this can lead to corrosion, which can ruin the engine (and cost a lot of money to fix). Another issue with missing oil changes is overheating. Oil thickens with age as it picks up particles, and over time it doesn’t flow as freely, which means it can lubricate your engine properly. This can lead to your engine running hotter, which can cause parts in your engine to warp and wear down.
How Regular Tire Rotations Can Save Money
Of all the routine maintenance that should be done, tire rotations are probably the most neglected. Tire rotation allows your tires to wear down at an even rate, which means you’ll need to replace your tires sooner. Tires are often an expensive purchase, so it’s worth protecting them by having them rotated regularly, usually every 6 months or 7,500 miles (your manufacturer will have a recommended rotation schedule for your vehicle). Aside from saving money, issues with tires can lead to wrecks (hydroplaning, blowouts, etc.), which can put yours and others wellbeing at risk, and cause damage that can be very costly to fix.
How Belt Maintenance Can Save Money
Car belts play a crucial role in how your vehicle operates. The serpentine belt, timing belt, and v-belts keep different parts of your vehicle running, and they experience wear and tear over time. As these belts age, they can cause wear on various components, which can require costly repairs. After enough wear, these belts can eventually break, which can lead to needing expensive repairs.
How Brake Maintenance Saves Money
Brakes naturally wear down over time, but bad driving habits can accelerate the process. Maintaining brake fluid to ensure it’s not low prevents extra strain on the master break cylinder. The best way to maintain your brakes is to adjust any bad driving habits you may have–specifically, avoiding slamming on the brakes whenever possible helps them last longer.
How Routine Maintenance Saves Money on Gas
Gas can wind up costing a lot of money as prices go up, especially if you drive a lot and/or have a vehicle that doesn’t get great mileage to begin with. Simple routine tasks such as changing your air filter to allow better oxygen flow can improve your fuel efficiency. Another simple way to improve your mileage is to ensure your tires are properly inflated. This is especially important to check as the seasons change and temperatures fluctuate. When you take your car in for routine maintenance, have your alignment looked at. Misaligned wheels can require more power when it comes to driving, which means more gas needs to be used. Additionally, have your fuel injectors inspected for signs of clogging. Dirty fuel injectors aren’t able to supply your engine’s cylinders with the proper amount of fuel, which impacts efficiency.
How Routine Maintenance Can Help Avoid Unexpected Repairs
One key benefit of routine maintenance is that you can catch small issues that are cheap and easy to fix before they become big, expensive problems. Oftentimes, a lot of repair work could have been avoided if minor issues were taken care of in a timely manner. Especially when it comes to a transmission repair for your auto . These can be some of the most costly repairs, and can possibly be avoided if you make sure to have a diagnostic and regular maintenance done on your vehicle in Buda and Kyle, Tx. Not only can routine maintenance help you avoid unexpected repair bills, but you can keep your car on the road so you don’t need to worry about extra transportation costs (ride-sharing, car rentals, etc.) while your car is in the repair shop for days.
How Routine Maintenance Impacts Resale Value
While your car is a depreciating asset, you can help protect its resale value by keeping it maintained. It will be a lot more difficult to sell your car at the best price possible if it has problems that have developed over time due to lack of maintenance. Additionally, services like Car Fax can include maintenance data in their reports. Vehicles showing a lack of maintenance may be less appealing to potential buyers, so you may have to ask less than blue book value.
Conclusion:
Maintenance and preventative checks should be done to your vehicle every 3 months. If they aren’t performed then there could be problems with engine performance, brakes, tires, suspension components, etc., which can lead to expensive repair bills down the road.
Regularly maintained vehicles tend to operate better and safer because they’re running smoothly. It’s important to keep things like belts tight, hoses clean, fluid levels full, spark plugs replaced, etc.
While routine vehicle service such as oil changes, tune ups, brake repairs, wheel alignments, and other services cost a bit of money, the prices are predictable and relatively cheap compared to unexpected breakdowns and issues caused by neglect.
Car Maintenance in San Marcos Buda and Kyle, Tx
If your car isn’t already on a routine service schedule, there’s no better time to start that right now. The longer you delay, the more likely you’ll have issues that could have otherwise been avoided. If you need car maintenance service in San Marcos, Buda, or Kyle, Reliable Automotive is here to help. From oil changes to brake checks, alignments, and more, our team can help keep your car running great. Should your car need any car services whether it be a brake check or even just regular vehicle maintenance in San Marcos, Kyle, or Buda, we can take care of them quickly at a price that can’t be beat. Stop in today!
