After buying your favorite call from Roseville Auto Mall, learning to do your own car maintenance certainly can save you money. However, if you do not know what you are doing, or if you do not take the proper steps, it can actually cost you more in the long run. Each car is different so the steps and the procedures are unique to your specific make and model of automobile.
With the economic concerns and financial difficulties facing families today, it makes sense to try and find any way that you can cut unnecessary expenses where you can and save money doing certain things for yourself. Car maintenance can be one area that can seem to be a way to save money by doing some of the more routine procedures and scheduled maintenance yourself. More and more people are becoming their own auto mechanic when it comes to their automobile’s service. Unless you are trained or have experience with automotive repairs and maintenance, this could spell trouble for you in the future and result in an increased risk of a problem or breakdown.
While it does save money in the short term, doing routine maintenance yourself and missing important steps, using the wrong part, performing the steps in the wrong order or not following the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines can lead to expensive repairs in the future. A car that is in need of repair that can make it to the shop on its own power costs less than half of the repair cost, on average, of that of a car that has to be towed to the repair shop.
Now, this is not to frighten anyone away from opening the hood of their car or taking out an air pressure gauge and doing basic, simple upkeep and routine checks on the condition of their car. Since the average years of car, ownership is now approaching double digits, it is critical that routine maintenance and key service intervals such as tire rotations, proper tire inflation, oil changes, tune-ups fluid level checks and top-offs, etc. are followed. More involved maintenance such as transmission and cooling system flushing and refill, timing chains, seals, belts and hose replacements are just as important and should be a top priority to ensure safe and reliable operation.
Drivers who do their own work need to make sure that they are honest with themselves and are completely confident in their ability to perform the task at hand. This applies to not only the skills to perform the work but also in having the proper tools in which to perform each service. If there is doubt or a question in your mind, leave it to the professionals. You will find it much better to pay an expert to maintain the vehicle for you than to pay the same person to fix a problem caused by a mistake or oversight.
Why should I spend money on regular car maintenance?
Spending a few dollars on your vehicle seems like a hard thing to do, especially with the current economy. For some people regular repairs may be viewed as just another dollar off the pocket, yet the sad reality is, that’s just part of owning a vehicle. Would you rather not maintain your car today and then suffer the consequences of poor car performance and higher fuel consumption while on the road? As a responsible car owner, you should put your vehicle’s condition in top priority, so you can enjoy the use of your property for a very long time. As has been said in the practice of medicine, many times over, prevention is better than the cure. Just, in this case, regular car maintenance is better than a total overhaul.
How many times should I have my car checked?
There’s really no strict bible on car repairs that can tell you how many times in a month or a year you should have your car checked for defects or when exactly should you go for maintenance. The best option for you is to allow a budget for car repairs, and depending on your car usage, you can schedule maintenance every 20,000 miles. However, if you use your car every day and for long travels, you can schedule checkups for at least once a month.
Also make sure that the car maintenance and repair is done by a reputable repair company or those recommended by the car dealers, where you purchased your car. Some car companies or dealers have a roster of car servicing stations across different regions or states. By getting the list and recommendations of your car dealers or the car company itself, you can be assured of more reliable access to quality car care.
What if I don’t have the budget for monthly car checkups?
Before you continue reading this part, you should ask yourself whether your car is still under warranty. If it is, you should not tinker with it, unless you want to waive your warranty and pay for parts or repairs with cash from your own pocket. For those who are well past the warranty or own 2nd-hand vehicles, a DIY approach would perfectly fit the bill.
If your budget is very tight at the moment, there’s another great way to ensure that your car still gets the tender loving care it deserves – from you. As a responsible car owner, you can take the initiative to learn the critical areas of your vehicle that need a regular tune-up. By reading DIY books or guides on car maintenance you can gain enough knowledge to do minor tune-ups on your car. With the right tools and knowledge, you can even do major repairs on your vehicle. In the long run, this is going to save you a fortune. Plus, you can just schedule visits to car servicing stations whenever it is really necessary that a professionally-trained mechanic should look at your vehicle.
These are the basic things that you need to know while going ahead with the best car maintenance companies. You can try out getpitstop.com for the best of the car servicings offered by them.
