Car Servicing Tips for Your Car
In order to avoid large and unpleasant bills when it comes time to pay for a car service and subsequent car repairs, there are things that we can all do to extend and improve the life of our vehicle. Many people are unsure of how often a car needs to be serviced, strategies to reduce running costs and techniques for maintaining the appearance of a car. Here we address a number of these areas and offer some helpful tips.
How often should my car be serviced?
The best piece of advice here is to check your owner?s manual. This will specify how frequently your car should be serviced and the most important components and systems for checking.
For older cars, an oil and filter change is necessary every six months or 10,000km (whichever comes sooner) at an absolute minimum.
Generally speaking, a car should be serviced at least every six months (and therefore twice a year). Of course, if you notice that your car is underperforming, this is a sign that attention is necessary.
What does a car service include?
The requirements for your car?s service will really depend on the make, model and any obvious problems, but any service should always include:
- The engine oil being changed
- Replacement of the engine oil filter
- A thorough safety check
Why should I have my car serviced regularly?
There are many good and important reasons to have your car serviced regularly. Regular servicing extends the life of mechanical components, ensures that your car is safe and roadworthy, is likely to make your car more reliable, provide greater economy and increase your resale value. Cars that are not regularly serviced are more likely to breakdown and have their owners pay excessive amounts for car repairs.
Regardless of how well you care for your car, all cars need professional servicing.
Running a car is expensive. What are some of the ways that I can reduce my running costs?
Nothing is more taxing on a car than reckless and erratic driving. Conservative driving will not only help to cut down the wear and tear on your car, it will also make your car more fuel efficient and reduce carbon emissions.
At home you can:
- Check your tyre pressure
- Check your oil, water and coolant levels
- Check your lights
Further to this, the following points can limit your running costs:
- Maintain your car regularly (this includes servicing but also relates to the frequency at which you clean your car)
- Seek out and use a credible, trusted and qualified repairer and insurance company
- Although it is not always practical or possible, try to drive in off-peak times
- Limit the number of trips that you do ? as much as possible try to combine errands so that you are not making multiple trips
- Purchase your fuel on the days when it is cheapest. It is also a good idea to fill your tank to capacity on these days.
How long should I expect my car to last?
A car?s life varies greatly according to make, model, use, storage, driving conditions and environment, but regular servicing, repair and cleaning can help to extend the life of a car. More than any other factor, a regular car service by a skilled and credible technician or company will help to ensure the longevity of your car?s life.
What are some of the ways I can maintain my car?s appearance and keep it looking good?
Washing your car often, polishing it at least two times each year and vacuuming the interior as required will help to keep your car in optimal condition and looking good.
As much as possible, try not to park under trees that may deposit sap from plants and bird droppings on your car?s paintwork. Similarly, try to avoid parking in industrial areas where there may be pollutants, chemicals and fumes that may negatively impact your car.
If I wanted to sell my car, how could I make sure I got the best resale price?
Regular car servicing, quality car repairs and washing are important for maximising the resale value of your car. Ensure that your full service history is recorded in your car?s log book.
If you want to quickly spruce up your car prior to its sale, it could be advantageous to have it detailed.
Maintaining a car need not be stressful of exorbitantly expensive. If you ensure that regular car service and car repairs are done, you will almost certainly extend the life and performance of your car.
Sarah Smith says:
Thank you for explaining that regularly servicing your car can help make your car more reliable and prevent needing to take it in for repairs as often. My husband was saying that as long as our new car isn’t making any weird noises, we shouldn’t have to take it in. With your information, I will start looking into an auto shop so that we can take it in regularly instead of waiting for it to break.
February 24th, 2019 at 5:52 am
Dean Phillips says:
I thought it was interesting how you said that you should service your vehicle every six months. My brother just bought a new diesel vehicle. It would be great if he could find an auto shop that specializes in Bosch-authorised diesel services.
March 28th, 2019 at 9:36 am
Steele Honda says:
Thanks for pointing out that regular servicing extends the life of mechanical components, ensures that your car is safe and roadworthy, and is likely to make your car more reliable. I am trying to find the right car servicing company near me that can help make sure that my car is operating at it’s best. I’ve been kind of nervous lately because my engine has been making a weird noise, so getting it checked on regularly would probably not be a bad idea.
April 2nd, 2019 at 8:32 am
Silas Knight says:
You’ve got great tips for car servicing. I like how you said that regular servicing can help your car be more reliable. That’s great. We actually need some servicing done because our car’s AC system isn’t working.
April 30th, 2019 at 6:26 am
Alice Carroll says:
I will be going on an interstate road trip with my friends in two weeks and I want to make sure that my car can endure the long drive. It’s great to know that auto repair shops can offer safety checks. I will probably have to stop by one this week even though there are no noticeable problems with my car.
March 7th, 2020 at 1:57 pm