For most people, buying a vehicle takes years of saving. And the expenses don’t end there. Most of the time, owning a car is more expensive than buying one. The constant maintenance required to make sure the vehicle operates safely ranges from $1,200 to $1,500 a year. And this budget is only for cars that meet the 20,00 kilometers per year mark. For those who use their cars more than this, the price would generally increase as well.
But why is it that high, and why is it important to spend that much? Much like your body, your cars also need regular checkups at least once a month to avoid dangers. The safety and well-being of the one driving and the passengers riding with them are priceless.
ENSURING YOUR SAFETY
The World Health Organization states that death caused by road traffic crashes reaches approximately 1.3 million people annually. It’s also stated that the leading cause of death for people ranging from 5 to 29 years old is injuries incurred in road traffic accidents. In the first half of this year alone, the estimated number of deaths rose by 16% compared to 2020 and 17% compared to 2019.
With this in mind, the safety precautions done among vehicle owners should also increase. Most of these accidents could have been easily avoided with proper auto checkups and maintenance. Having your car break down on a quiet road in the middle of the night can also put you in a dangerous situation even if an accident has been averted by exemplary driving. Ten minutes of checking the treads of your tires and the air pressure in them can save the lives of everyone in the car. And a regular checkup of the car’s brakes can be the determiner of your family’s safety.
SAVING YOUR MONEY
Engine failures don’t happen without visible symptoms at least a day before it happens. Unexpected repairs and unanticipated auto-parts replacements can also hurt your budget. Like with your body, a minor problem can lead to an expensive solution if not taken care of immediately. Leaks and cracks can happen even if you’re the most careful driver in the world because of something as trivial as friction-induced wear and tear.
With regular maintenance, you give yourself a chance to see signs of possible future problems. By saving smaller parts with minimal damages, you can avoid paying more for replacement parts and major repairs.
AVOIDING UNNECESSARY HASSLE
Something as minor as deflated tires can lead to broken bumpers. Small inconveniences might lead to bigger complications that will affect your daily life more. Neglecting your broken tail light that would require less than 10 minutes’ worth of effort and a few bucks might lead to paying for a more expensive ticket and the possible hassle of getting your license confiscated.
WHAT YOU SHOULD LET PROFESSIONALS CHECK REGULARLY
Your tire pressure, tread depth, battery, and even all your lights can be checked inside your garage. With proper research and attention to detail, these parts can easily be worked on at home. However, some need professional eyes instead.
OIL AND COOLANT
Car engines work smoothly because oil lubricates the metals in your engine. Dirty oil becomes thick and could lead to the erosion of the engine. And without oil, the friction would cause heat that might lead to the metals melding together. This is where coolant comes in. It absorbs heat and passes it through the radiator. But since it resides in an environment with a very high temperature, it breaks down from time to time.
If you don’t get your car checked regularly, the coolant’s malfunctions, such as the failure of its rust inhibitors, might cause rust to form inside your engine. The rust would block the cooling paths and would lead to your engine overheating immediately.
Besides getting these two things checked, make sure your car’s head gasket works properly to seal oil, coolant, and the combustion chamber as well. The complications of these parts will make a car breakdown the least of your worries. Make sure you get them professionally checked and worked on. From general jobs like complete vehicle inspections and repairs to specific works like the Subaru head gasket change, getting your vehicle handled by professionals is the safest solution and the cheapest one in the long run.
BRAKE FLUID
Basic science tells us that the density of water and brake fluid isn’t the same. This leads to a difference in boiling limits that, in turn, could lead to air forming in your brake lines. This thin possibility that your brake fluid can absorb moisture might end up being the reason your braking system breaks.
Services like Brake Fluid Flushing cannot be determined by a schedule or by feel. Even your local mechanic might not have the proper equipment to test the moisture and dust content of the fluid. Getting the dealership to work on it would be the best option.
Basically, the idea is as simple as taking care of your body. If you take care of your body today, you won’t have to worry about your health tomorrow. And even though certain sicknesses can be dealt with at home, getting checked by a professional will always be the best course of action to ensure your survival.
