You might really want to think twice about waving off that oil change at your next auto service. Guess why? Because an oil change is a form of auto maintenance that can cost as little as, literally, a hundred times less than engine replacement!
Synthetic oils only cost fractionally more that regular engine oil and have a number of unique benefits for your vehicle: better viscosity index (a better number basically results in less gunk in the engine), less oxidation, less evaporation loss, and better performance at high and low engine temperatures (really important).
An oil change is one of those classic types of auto service that drive home the point that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The fact is that getting proper auto service at the right time can lead to better performance, fuel economy, safety, and long-term savings.
Your Car Might Need More Auto Service
The 1) age of your vehicle as well as 2) the driving conditions that you encounter every day could mean that you need more regular auto service. Taking a lot of short trips and sustained stop-and-go driving, for instance, can put added stress on the battery, engine, and transmission of your vehicle.
The fact is that something as simple as getting your power-steering fluid levels checked at your next auto service could make all the difference in the world. is a kind of hydraulic fluid that basically sends power to your steering system so that you can actually turn your vehicle…pretty essential stuff!
Power-steering fluid, it turns it, isn’t necessarily the kind of thing at the forefront of people’s minds these days. That said, every National Car Care month (April, by the way…that won’t be on the quiz) the Car Council takes a look at the costs of getting auto service versus skipping it.
What does the Car Council usually find? In short, there’s essentially around $60 billion (with a “b”!!!) of needed auto maintenance and part replacement that doesn’t get done every year in the United States. They also find that a worrying four out of five vehicles have one or more components that fail the vehicle inspection process.
That means that the average vehicle needs auto maintenance like oil changes and power-steering fluid checks along with checks on the braking, emissions, cooling, electrical, and transmission. Modern vehicles have 30,000 or more parts, and the electrical systems are becoming more complex. Auto service is more important than ever.
Keep Your Vehicle on the Road for Longer
Auto maintenance will enable you to keep your car, whether old or new, on the highways and byways for longer. Even though newer cars have in-vehicle maintenance reminder systems and typically offer more feedback in terms of your ongoing maintenance needs, any vehicle is going to benefit from regular maintenance.
Older vehicles, though, will typically have mileage-based service intervals rather than a constantly updated in-vehicle maintenance reminder system like newer vehicles. Whether your vehicle is fresh off the factory floor or a bit more seasoned, periodically changing out the oil, fuel filter, coolant fluid, and spark plugs is going to lead to better performance.
The average vehicle basically stays on the road for 13 years, but with proper preventive maintenance the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence says that vehicles can last, on average, 16 years and over 100,000 miles. Regular service and maintenance, they went on to say, can potentially extend the life of your vehicle by 50 percent or more! That could mean, for example, going from 10 years to 15 years – nothing to scoff at.
So, come in to All Around Auto Repair for a full diagnostic check, parts replacement, and auto service to keep your vehicle on the road for longer. Remember, the sooner you schedule auto maintenance the more benefits you’ll get down the road.
