Every car has a maintenance schedule that should be followed. Vehicles don't all have the same schedule, although they're often similar and based on mileage. It’s extremely important that you keep up with your car’s maintenance schedule if you want to keep it running in optimal condition for as long as possible. If you don’t, you could run into issues that could put your safety, and your wallet, at risk.
5 Reasons Why Car Maintenance Is Important
You know it’s important to keep your vehicle running and in good shape, but what exactly does routine car maintenance do for you? Let’s look at the top five reasons why it's important to maintain your vehicle:
Improves safety – Routine maintenance helps keep your car up to date, which keeps it safe. If anything seems wrong, a mechanic is more likely to spot it when performing regular maintenance.- Increases reliability and performance – Vehicles wear down over time, but keeping up with a routine maintenance schedule helps optimize performance and reliability to keep your car on the road longer.
- Saves you money – You could save yourself money on future repairs if your mechanic spots a potential issue before it manifests. Catching things early is usually for the best, and keeping up with routine maintenance allows your mechanic to do this.
- Gives you a higher resale value – A well-maintained vehicle typically means a better resale value when you’re considering trading it in or selling it down the road.
- Decreases roadside emergencies – Although not a guarantee, routine car maintenance diminishes the chance of a roadside emergency.
What Happens if You Don’t Keep Up with Regular Car Maintenance?
Just what could happen if you miss one or two regularly scheduled maintenance sessions? Well, a lot, actually. Not all vehicles are alike – some need repairs and regular maintenance more than others to keep them running – and service schedules are put in place for a reason, so you really shouldn’t skip them.
Many major repairs can be prevented by having your car checked out during routine maintenance. Something as simple as not changing the oil regularly can cause the engine to run hot, and eventually damage it beyond repair. Another example is failing to rotate the tires. If you don’t have this done, you create uneven wear and tear, which diminishes your tires’ reliability and safety.
Basically, it’s better to be safe than sorry by having your vehicle routinely checked and maintained. Yes, it does cost money, but it’s better than shelling out thousands for a repair that could have been prevented.
The Bottom Line
Follow your car’s maintenance schedule. If you don’t, you may end up putting yourself and your passengers in danger, causing even bigger problems that could cost you a lot to fix, and lowering its value over time. Use your owner's manual as a guide, and make sure the mechanic performs all the required inspections during each scheduled maintenance visit.
Whether you recently lost a vehicle due to maintenance issues or are just looking to finance a new car, Drivers Lane wants to help. We're teamed up with a nationwide network of special finance dealerships that have lenders that can work with bad credit, no credit, bankruptcy, and more.
We can match you with a local dealer to get the loan you need. Getting started is easy! All you have to do is complete our fast and free auto loan request form, and we’ll get right to work connecting you to a dealership near you.
