If you own a vehicle, you’ll know that regular servicing and maintenance of a car is vital. While many drivers have a service carried out before the winter months to ensure their car is ready for any adverse weather and cold temperatures, it’s important not to neglect your vehicle the rest of the year.
While there are some checks that can be carried out yourself, there are some that should be saved for a qualified mechanic.
We’ll explore the reasons why it’s a good idea to keep on top of your car maintenance and how you can do this:
Safety
The number one reason for ensuring your vehicle is running as it should be is the safety of all the passengers inside it. Having to deal with serious maintenance issues can be a safety hazard if they happen while driving, and because of that, it is better to be safe than sorry.
One example of this is your tires. It’s important to keep the pressure at the recommended level and change the tires if they are worn to their legal limit or if they have visible cracks. You can check the pressure and top them up yourself at your local garage, and it is crucial to do it regularly since it does not require a lot of time, but it can be a lifesaver.
Stay within the law
It is a legal requirement to get an MOT carried out on vehicles that are three years old or older. That ensures the car is in a roadworthy state, and it is extremely important for each driver, as they can face legal consequences otherwise. It’s easy to book an MOT online, and they can usually be done on the same day, so there is no need to be worried about the waiting period.
There is also a legal requirement for tire treads and correctly working lights, and besides that, it is crucial to check the windscreen and make sure it is in good condition.
Legal requirements are not invented to scare us or to take our money, as many people sometimes think, as their importance is in the safety of the vehicle that should be driven on the road, and meeting all the legal requirements will not only save our money, but it can also save someone’s life. Because of that, it is crucial to inspect the car and be sure it is in a roadworthy state before going on a ride.
Save money
Identifying and fixing issues before they become serious problems not only keeps your car in a safe condition but can also save you money. If you have a minor problem that you fail to fix, it can lead to serious damage and end up costing hundreds or even thousands in the long run.
Because of that, if you spot any warning lights or something isn’t functioning as it should be, it’s advisable to have it checked over as soon as possible. Besides saving you a lot of money, it will also make fixing the malfunction much faster and easier, which is crucial for people who depend on their vehicles in their everyday functioning.
Helps hold its value
It’s no secret that a car’s value depreciates over time, but by taking good care of it and keeping on top of maintenance, you can help it retain its value.
Should you sell your vehicle, customers will want to see that the recommended service schedule has been kept up to, so ensure all services are recorded in the manufacturer’s book. Not recording all the services can cost you a lot of money because it can drastically decrease the car’s price.
Finally, staying up to date on servicing and maintenance means you should be able to enjoy a high-performing car for a greater length of time. You might also find that your vehicle is more efficient on fuel, which can save you a lot of money and, besides that, a pleasure to drive, which is something we all strive for.
Save time
We have mentioned that regular maintenance can save a lot of money and make the vehicle much safer, but we have not mentioned that it can also save you a lot of time.
Namely, regular maintenance prevents cars from big malfunctions, as it allows us to see smaller breakages and fix them as soon as possible before they become a big problem that can cost us a lot of money and require a lot of time to be fixed.
Some malfunctions require weeks and even months to be fixed, especially because they are usually unplanned, and it is not impossible to book a mechanic in advance, which is why it is a much better option to be responsible and take the vehicle to the regular maintenance check-ups that will surely keep it in the best possible shape.
Reduce stress
We are all aware of how dangerous stress can be for us and our loved ones, and because of that, it is necessary to reduce it to a minimum whenever possible.
Driving a vehicle that is not regularly maintained means driving a car that is not considered safe and can leave you and your passengers in the middle of the road. The stress increases when driving someone, and they can also experience an unpleasant experience if something happens. It might not seem like the most important reason at first glance, but just imagine being in the middle of the road with small kids in the middle of the night.
The bottom line
Being a driver and owning a car is great since you can go whenever you want and enjoy long rides, but it is crucial to understand how important regular maintenance of that vehicle is. It can save you a lot of time, money, and nerves and help you avoid legal consequences. Besides that, it will be much easier to resell the maintained car without losing value, and it will spend less fuel during the ride.
