Cars. Many people devote good portions of their lives to their cars. They spend weeks or even months carefully selecting the right car for their needs. They take the time to clean their cars carefully, making sure that they look as good as possible. They even spend extra money on things that go above and beyond maintenance services — from detailing their cars to giving them new paintjobs. However, you don’t have to be interested in cars for the sakes of cars to care about yours. This is because for the most part, we depend on cars in this day and age. Most of us don’t live within walking distance of our schools or workplaces — for that matter the grocery store or the doctor’s office. For that reason, among others, we find ourselves driving about on a regular basis. You can’t get to where you need to be without a car — and a working one at that. For that reason, it’s important that you take your car in for regular maintenances services — from transmission checkups to oil changes. Below, we’ll look into some of the different maintenance services that go into caring for your car. The more you know, the more likely you’ll be to have a vehicle that lasts for years to come.
Vehicular Neglect: The Silent Killer Of Cars
It can be all too easy for us to neglect our cars. Many people think that as long as their car is running well enough to get them where they need to be, they have nothing to worry about. If only this were the case. It’s no wonder that people avoid regular maintenance services. Things like transmission inspections require a good deal of money, and for that matter a certain level of work and time out of their days. Ultimately, however, you end up having to spend more on repairing your car after neglect than you would on regular maintenance services. In fact, it’s estimated that vehicular neglect costs the economy over $2 billion per year. Furthermore, you’re risking a wreck when you neglect your car. A breakdown on the road can seriously hurt you or anyone else traveling in the car. The car repairs needed after a breakdown are also rather expensive, as you can imagine. However, you can avoid a breakdown by regularly checking vehicle belts and hoses, as well as replacing them when they’re worn. At least one belt was reported as unsatisfactory in 19% of vehicles inspected, with 17% of vehicles requiring a new hose. But there are other ways you can check in on your vehicle’s needs.
Vehicular Maintenance: Regular Checkups
Consider vehicular maintenance to be somewhat similar to a checkup at the doctor’s office. They’re certainly necessary for the vehicle’s sake, as we mentioned above. But there are many different types of “checkups”. Some can be done by you, while some need to be performed by a professional automotive repair technician. For example, a tire rotation should be done every 7,500 miles you put on your car, or otherwise depending on what the manufacturer recommends. Timing belts, on the other hand, need to be replaced between 60,000 and 90,000 miles, though you should check your owner’s manual for the recommendation for your car. When it comes to transmission fluid, this should be checked every 5,000 miles when the engine oil is changed, noting its level, color, and smell. Now, what does this all equal in costs? We’ll look into that below.
Maintenance Expenses: Necessary Evils
Obviously, no maintenance services come for free. However, a good automotive shop will be reasonable, and some are willing to work with payment plans. For that matter, these expenses usually aren’t that high in the grand scheme of things. On average, the annual maintenance cost per vehicle was $5371 in 2012, with car insurance expenditures being $593 per vehicle, with auto repair service policies charging $7 per vehicle.
