‘Moms Know Best’ Car Maintenance Tip 2: Routine Maintenance
This blog series consists of questions from work-at-home mom Kimberly to Jamie Holmes from Master Mechanic. Find out how moms can save money, stay safe, and extend the life of their vehicles.
How often should routine vehicle maintenance be performed?
Jamie: Have you ever had this happen to you? You’re driving along and you notice a new noise or worse your vehicle starts to run poorly and it seems like it might even stall, leaving you stranded on the side of the road! Situations like these are stressful for any vehicle owner and are 99% avoidable, let me tell you how:
Performing routine maintenance is the secret to owning a reliable, economical and safe vehicle; it’s also the best way to keep repair costs under control. Many vehicle owners think that an oil change is the only service their vehicle needs. While oil changes are indeed a critical service, there are many other components that require inspection, lubrication and fluid changes on regular basis. Paying attention to these other items and servicing them on a regular basis will put you on the road to reliability and worry-free driving.
What exactly is done during a routine appointment?
Jaime: What if you don’t perform routine maintenance now or you bought your vehicle used and don’t have its history? The good news is that in most cases it’s never too late to begin a preventative maintenance program. The first step is to have a “baseline” vehicle inspection performed, accompanied by a full written report. This type of inspection will give you a complete overview of your vehicle’s condition. When you make your appointment with the shop of your choice, explain the reason for the inspection. Also, be sure to have the inspection performed by a certified technician as they will have the experience and knowledge to properly assess your vehicle.
After your vehicle has been assessed ask the service advisor to take the findings and list them in this order: safety, future failure, maintenance (fluid changes, brake system service) and cosmetic items. By placing the required services in this order you can ensure that your vehicle will be safe and reliable while keeping costs within your budget.
Making the move from a “break down” vehicle owner to one who anticipates their vehicles needs, takes a different way of thinking. However, the benefits outweigh the costs in the long run. Not only will you have more worry-free drives, but your vehicle will also last longer and retain its value.
Contact your local Master Mechanic to learn more about preventative maintenance.
