Car service helps ensure your vehicle is durable and safe to drive. Prompt detection of issues during car service enables you to perform repairs that reduce considerable costs in the future. As a car owner, ensure you familiarise yourself with your mechanical needs and adopt proper car maintenance habits. This piece discusses the criteria for determining the frequency of car service.
Mileage
Manufacturers recommend a scheduled maintenance plan based on the mileage recorded on the vehicle. The automaker approximates the period based on sophisticated tests to determine when components wear out. However, modern technologies such as better oil formulations can stretch this period. Still, ensure you rely on the manufacturer's recommendations.
This criterion is easy to follow and impacts other aspects of your vehicle. For example, your insurer may review the risk of insuring your car if you do not service it after the recommended mileage. Proper repairs are an essential marketing point when selling your vehicle. When making an offer, car buyers often check your maintenance schedule to determine the vehicle's condition.
Age
The age of your car is also a crucial determinant of the frequency with which you should make repairs. New vehicles need attention since most parts are in the burn-in period. These parts may break down as your car adapts to its new environment and workload. As a best practice, you must conduct regular inspections to establish the functionality of these parts.
Old vehicles require full service, including steering alignment, suspension checks, battery testing, or engine tuning. Radiators, pumps and other crucial systems also require attention since they constantly break down after decades of usage. You may also replace such parts, including major items such as the engine or transmission.
Usage
Every vehicle has a unique usage pattern. The amount of work your car performs depends on the owner's needs. For example, you may own a family van that you only use during holidays. You may service such a car less frequently than the one you use to go to work daily. Hence, inform the mechanic about your usage to help them create a schedule for you.
Another factor that determines the usage is the type of roads. Vehicles you drive on urban tarmac wear and tear less than those on murram or dirt roads. Drivers on urban tarmac roads face fewer chassis vibrations, dust and abrasion on the vehicle's body. You may also consider the load you put on the car since it directly influences the rate of wear and tear.
Some of the factors that impact the frequency of car service include mileage, age and usage.
Share14 September 2022
My name is Donna, and I love my toys! I have an ATV, a caravan, a boat and a range of other "toys". I find that there is a lot of information online about auto service but not that much about servicing fun types of vehicles. Inspired by the phrase "be the change you want to see in the world", I decided to start a blog full of information that is usually hard to find online. I will write about servicing toys, vintage cars, sports cars and a range of other topics. I hope that you like these posts and that you learn from them. Thanks for reading and enjoy your toys.