5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Ignore Car Maintenance

A busy lifestyle can make you completely lose track of regular car maintenance. When you can’t even remember the last time you took care of your own needs, those of your vehicle seems like the least important thing in the world. Yet, if it let you down in your time of need, you would get mad at the car, not yourself, right? Well, that’s why they say it’s better to be safe than sorry.

We have prepared 5 arguments in favor of regular car maintenance that you should take into consideration.

1) Safety comes first

Even though roads in Canada seem to be safer every year, a large number of traffic accidents is considered to be the result of inadequate or irregular car maintenance. Yes, that is not the first thing that comes to mind as you read such news since we all like to put the blame on reckless driving or even underperforming driving skills. (Read how to keep your hands off your phone while driving.) And yet, faulty brake system, worn tire treads, misaligned wheels, frayed wiper blades, broken headlights, tail lights or blinkers or even exhaust build up are all the things that could fail you while driving and cause a collision with another road user, tree, building or just leave you stranded on the side of the road.

The condition of your vehicle can definitely affect your safety while driving. 

Regular vehicle checkups are crucial here because these are exactly the problems that are supposed to be detected and fixed in a repair shop by a licensed mechanic who has access to professional equipment.

2) Keep it purring

You have bought a vehicle you wanted (be it after you saw it on social media or someone recommended it) because you liked the performance features you were promised. It doesn’t matter whether you made the decision based on fuel consumption, horsepower, and torque, traction control, braking system, transmission type, navigation system or if it has the seat warming feature. You had certain expectations when you made the purchase and you count on the car to perform. However, a car is not a pair of great running shoes you buy, use and clean when they get really dirty (or just throw away if you don’t want to deal). In order for the vehicle to give you the best experience possible (or the one you expect), it has to be maintained regularly.

It is said that you have to treat your car with the same respect and attention you want in return.

Therefore, you need to pay attention to your vehicle’s needs so that it can be there for you as well. Some simple checks you can perform yourself, such as the level of fluids or the wear and tear of tires and car’s body, but to get a more comprehensive and detailed view of the state your car is in, leave it to professionals.

3) Save some Loonies and Toonies

Don’t be so surprised. Yes, it’s true. You CAN save money by regularly maintaining your car.

How, you ask? Well, it’s quite simple.

If you leave the vehicle with your mechanic before or immediately after you have noticed something strange, and he actually finds a failure in the making, you have prevented a major system breakdown as well as it happening at an unfortunate moment. Instead of the engine overheating in the traffic jam or on some back road, you could take the blinking coolant temperature warning light right there on the dashboard seriously and either try to fix the problem yourself or have a repair shop do it for you.

It will definitely cost you less than the towing of a broken down car and repairing a major malfunction.

Moreover, if some or all of vehicle’s systems aren’t working properly, it will ultimately cost you more to drive it in not so great condition. The vehicle will need more fuel to run at a certain speed or travel a distance, oil levels will deplete considerably faster, not to mention the deterioration of tires. For all of those reasons, it would be wise of you not to wait until the last moment for a fix, and just keep your car at its best at all times.

4) Keep the insurance

We don’t doubt you took out an insurance policy when you bought the car, but did you really pay that much attention to the conditions it entailed? In case you didn’t, here is a little kick for you.

Your insurance claim can be invalidated if you haven’t maintained your car regularly.

We come back to the point of the vehicle’s performance – you didn’t provide the conditions necessary for the car to operate at its best, meaning, you are to be blamed for why it malfunctioned. Don’t let that happen to you. Seeing as negligence on your part could not only cost you an arm and a leg but also put you and others in danger, be smart and take care of your car on a regular basis.

Furthermore, if you ever want to sell your car, systematic check-ups (and their records) will prove the good condition of the vehicle you are claiming and help you in asking for a higher price. If a person wants to buy a used car, they will be adamant about thoroughly checking the condition and ascertaining if everything is up to par and consistent with their own wishes and expectations. Not only that, but should your car be compared to another one of the same model, make and mileage, the one that received regular maintenance would have a better chance of selling and for a better price.

5) Some things you just can’t do yourself

Unless you are a licensed mechanic and know vehicles like the back of your hand, there is only so much you can do on your car before it requires a professional inspection. Yes, you can probably change a tire. Yes, you can add coolant if necessary. You could even repair broken lights. But, what happens when you try to fix something and create an even bigger problem? Or worse, when you lull yourself into thinking you fixed it and stop paying attention to warning lights and questionable noises? Yes, take interest in your car and its inner workings, try to do as much as you can on your own but have in mind that such personal vehicle care cannot replace regular maintenance.

Having an amateuristic approach to keeping a car healthy cannot be enough to ensure safety.

Having and maintaining your car in pristine condition underneath the hood is the only job half done. Don’t neglect the body of the car either – keep it clean, waxed and rust free so that your car remains as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. Not only that but tend to the car cabin as well. If you don’t want to do it yourself, have professionals vacuum, dust and air it. It will only add to the safe and overall pleasant driving experience.

We would be pleased to perform regular maintenance on your vehicle, so make an appointment today or come to our repair shops in Hamilton and Oakville! We are expecting you!