Saving Money with Regular Vehicle Maintenance in Waupaca, WI
Your vehicle is something you expect to get into every day; turn the key and take off for your next destination, whether it’s work or a day exploring the lakes. However, if you don’t keep up with preventative maintenance, that might not happen one day. Often, people skip over regular maintenance, thinking they are saving money when, in reality, they are going to end up spending more in the long run.
Preventative Maintenance for Most Vehicles
Most vehicles require the same preventative maintenance, though some require more, depending on your driving habits. If your driving is considered “severe,” then you need to do certain maintenance more often, including oil changes, transmission service and flushes, and coolant flushes.
You will also need to replace your vehicle’s engine air filter more often. Vehicle maintenance includes:
- Oil and filter change.
- Engine air filter replacement.
- Cabin air filter replacement.
- Tune-up.
- Fuel filter replacement.
- Check the brakes, belts and hoses.
- Rotate tires.
- Balance tires.
- Wheel alignment.
- Coolant flush.
- Transmission flush and filter change.
- Brake fluid flush.
- Power steering fluid flush.
- Lube the suspension and chassis.
How Spending Money Saves Money
When money and/or time are tight, it’s easy to skip vehicle maintenance. However, that will end up costing you more in the long run. When you skip preventative maintenance:
Repairs Cost More
When you ignore preventative maintenance, it can lead to costly repairs. For example, failing to change the oil can lead to extensive engine damage or engine replacement. Because we also do a vehicle inspection, we can tell you when you have upcoming repairs. If you didn’t know your brakes were low, you might have to replace rotors and calipers instead of just brake pads if we had caught it early.
Fuel Efficiency Suffers
Poor vehicle maintenance also leads to poor fuel efficiency. Clogged air filters, dirty oil, worn-out plugs, and incorrect tire pressure all lead to spending more money at the pump. Anything that blocks air and fuel from entering the engine affects the mixture it requires to run. Oil that doesn’t have full lubrication potential also makes the engine work harder. Worn plugs don’t fire hot enough – if they fire at all – to burn all the fuel and air in the cylinders. There are many things related to maintenance that could decrease fuel efficiency.
Resale Value Decreases
When you can’t prove to a buyer or dealership on a trade-in that you kept up with maintenance, the value of your vehicle declines. People know that poorly maintained cars will cost them more money to start maintaining and repairing, so they’ll want to pay less for them.
Safety is Compromised
When you ignore preventative maintenance, your vehicle has worn tires, failing parts, transmission and suspension issues, and malfunctioning brakes, all of which are safety concerns.
Breakdowns Are More Common
When you don’t keep up with maintenance, you could have unexpected breakdowns, which then cost towing fees on top of emergency repair costs.
You Void Your Vehicle’s Warranty
If your engine seizes and the manufacturer sees that you haven’t kept up with oil changes, it will refuse to honor the warranty. This goes for any other malfunctions that might be covered under warranty.
Your Vehicle’s Lifespan Declines
Keeping up with regular maintenance increases the longevity of your vehicle. Instead of premature wear and tear, your engine and other parts last much longer when you do oil changes, transmission flushes and other maintenance.
Unpredictable Expenses
When you skip preventative maintenance, things become unpredictable, which leads to sudden expenses. For example, if you break down on the highway, you don’t have time to shop around for the best deals, which could lead to higher repair costs.
Contact Little Wolf Automotive in Waupaca, WI
Your owner’s manual should have a maintenance schedule. However, if you no longer have your owner’s manual, you can call Little Wolf Automotive with the year, make and model of your vehicle, and we will look it up for you.
Contact Little Wolf Automotive in Waupaca for regular vehicle maintenance by calling (715) 258-0200. We are conveniently located at 323 S. Western Ave., Waupaca WI 54981.
