Auto maintenance focuses on ensuring that all systems within a vehicle are operating correctly. This work could involve changing fluids, cleaning or replacing parts, and tightening components. Effective maintenance happens on a regular schedule, whether the car needs additional attention or not.
Repairs, on the other hand, take place when the vehicle is not running properly. These fixes are usually expensive because they involve dealing with unexpected issues and paying for additional labor and parts.
Scheduled maintenance can help you catch issues early when they are cheap to fix or avoid them altogether. Not only does this help you avoid expensive repairs, but it also protects you from dealing with the stress, danger, and time-loss that comes with a car breakdown. Additionally, maintenance helps your car run as cleanly and efficiently as possible, positively impacting the environment and limiting your contribution to local air pollution.
In a broad sense, regular maintenance saves money and time and helps the environment. Now, let’s look at specific ways in which you benefit from keeping to your vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule.
Keeps Your Car Running Longer
Regular maintenance, such as oil changes, fluid flushes, component cleaning, and scheduled parts replacement, can keep your vehicle on the road for longer. You may be able to perform some of these maintenance tasks yourself.
Longevity offers two finance-related benefits. First, a well-maintained auto won’t need repairs common in older cars as often as a poorly kept one. Second, the longer a vehicle runs, the longer you can go before making the financial commitment of purchasing a new car. A new car requires either a down payment and monthly payments or a significant upfront cash payment.
Producing new cars and scrapping older cars have an impact on the environment. Sourcing materials such as rubber, plastic, and steel leaves a large carbon footprint, as does the actual act of assembling the vehicle. Though about 75% of older car components are recyclable, battery acids, fluids, and plastics can remain in the environment and cause pollution and toxicity issues.
When is it time to get a new car? Proper maintenance can push this question much further into the future, but eventually, you will have to decide when it is no longer worthwhile to perform repairs and maintenance. You could scrap or trade-in your old car when confronted with a major repair such as an engine or transmission replacement, which, according to Edmunds, could cost between $3,000 and $7,000. You could also decide to retire your current car when repair and maintenance costs add up to more than half the value of your vehicle.
New cars can provide environmental benefits that outweigh the carbon output from production. According to the EPA, emissions in newer vehicles have decreased by 23%, and fuel economy has improved by 30% since 2004. If a new vehicle would bring a significant increase in efficiency, you may want to consider trading up.
If you have any questions, let us know, we are here to help you!