Why Do Preventative Auto Maintenance?

A car is one of the most important assets you'll buy in your lifetime. It's also a valuable mode of transport to get you from A to B. When your car isn’t in good working order, it can lead to stress, cause you to miss work or school, or even get stuck on some lonely road in the middle of nowhere. Investing the time and money to keep your vehicle in good shape comes with many benefits, as we set out below:

Peace of Mind

Reliable transport is vital for several reasons. For many, it means the ability to get to and from work or school every day. Peace of mind is also essential when traveling long distances or in rural or dangerous areas. One way to keep up the reliability of your car is to ensure you keep up with service appointments and regular maintenance. While it won't guarantee a car is in perfect working condition at all times, keeping on top of these things greatly improves the likelihood that your car will remain reliable.

For instance, by regularly checking water and oil levels, you're far more likely to pick up problems such as water and oil leaks. The oil keeps the components of your car running together smoothly, as metal and against metal can cause friction, which can cause corrosion. Water keeps the engine from overheating, which can lead to engine failure during bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Potential To Save Money in the Long Run

When you take care of small maintenance matters and minor services, you have a better chance of avoiding costly hiccups down the line. For instance, regular servicing and replacement of coolant, plus regular radiator flushes, might prevent a costly water coolant system replacement down the road. Inexpensive services that could lead to big trouble down the road include:

• Regular oil changes can protect the engine by preventing oil sludge, which can lead to head gasket problems.
• Battery maintenance can push out battery replacement for a while.
• A simple wheel alignment can protect against serious suspension problems down the line.
• Replacing worn brakes can prevent slow response times when you need to brake quickly and prevent costly and potentially harmful collisions.
• Changing out the shocks can reduce wear on the suspension system—damage to which is more costly than simply maintaining the shocks. If the suspension goes, the car will feel uncomfortable, especially on bumpy rounds and around bends; it will also become harder to control at high speeds, making it unsafe.

Reduced Rate of Depreciation

Regular services, especially having the service book stamped, are a big deal regarding the resale value of your car. Your car can be in top shape, but if the servicing isn't up to date, your vehicle won't sell for as much as a car in a similar condition but with a full-service history.

While minor services are hard to pick up when it's time to sell, it's the major services that can leave potential buyers a little hesitant to continue. For instance, if the service record doesn't indicate timely gearbox oil changes, it could lead to gearbox problems for the new owner. This will drop the price significantly, as the new owner will want to reduce some of their risks.

Positive Environmental Effects

There are several reasons why regular services are good for the environment. For starters, maintaining your car keeps its fuel economy as efficient as possible, which is important for sustainability.

Then there are the emissions. Engines experience wear and tear, and over time, this can negatively affect the emissions. When a car isn't maintained, this wear and tear happen faster. Serious faults can also lead to irregular emissions, especially when major components start to fail.

Increased Longevity for Your Vehicle

Cars have a general shelf life or period of optimum performance, and the level of care you afford your car determines that period. Good driving habits and driving your car regularly are two ways to keep your car in running condition. The rest is up to regular servicing and maintenance.

Lower Tire Costs

Regular tire services will point out if there are any problems with your car's tires. Possible problems include:

• Problems with wheel alignment.
• Foreign objects lodged in the tires.
• Uneven wear on the tire.
• Bald patches or low tire tread.

Knowing the health of your car's tires is important in terms of costs and overall safety. When tires risk losing air, or the tread can't grip the road surface as it should, it can reduce the response time when there's an incident.

Improved Road Safety

While some of the components in cars require servicing just to keep things running smoothly, others need to be regularly checked for safety reasons. As mentioned, tires can be a road hazard in poor driving conditions, such as bad weather or demanding traffic.

With the help of diagnostics tools, service agents can also check on the safety components of the car, such as the driver assistance features. Lane assist and rear-traffic monitoring are safety features that need to work as you expect them to.

The Purpose of a Car Service

While it's possible to ignore car services and still get a good couple of years of driving pleasure, the point of a car service is to get your car as close as possible to its original state. It's a preventive measure that allows you to set the clock back on the aging process of your car. Services that you should be getting regularly include:

• Oil changes.
• Brake servicing.
• Battery replacements.
• Tire changes or repairs.

Planet Ford Dallas: Your Car Service Partner

There are two components to car servicing: regular maintenance and repairs. At Planet Ford Dallas, we can help you take care of both. For repairs, contact our service department to schedule an appointment. If you're dropping your car off for regular servicing, you can schedule the appointment through the online service portal.

Photo Credit: Man standing beside white SUV by Jamie Street is licensed with Unsplash License