Trust us: Knowing the answer to this question can be a very literal lifesaver.
Mechanical issues in your vehicle can escalate very quickly if not handled right away, and some problems can present themselves suddenly while you’re driving. It can be tedious and sometimes unexpectedly costly to have your car serviced, and it might be tempting to simply skip the regular check-up if nothing appears to be wrong with your car. However, that approach is likely to cost a lot more money long-term, and it’s an unnecessary risk to your safety. For your peace of mind and your wallet, make sure you know how often to take your car in!
So, exactly how often is that?
The short answer is – it depends. It depends on the make and model of vehicle you own, as each will have different levels of resilience, different components, and different requirements. Your user’s manual will always tell you the recommended interval between regular car service, and that recommendation is practically always reliable.
There can be some major variation in when to get your car serviced depending on its make. Most common models have a recommended standard service every 10,000 kilometers or every 12 months, whichever comes first. That’s why, rather than relying on general numbers, we recommend to have a look in your user’s manual.
The Benefits of Timely Maintenance
You aren’t just preventing mishaps; there are economic and preventative benefits to servicing your car in time as well:
Your car will retain value better.
Economics are rough, and they’re especially rough on cars. From the moment you purchase your vehicle, it will almost exclusively depreciate in value; in other words, your car will never again be as valuable as when it was first purchased. Even so, there are ways to make sure your car keeps as much of its value as possible and making sure it’s serviced regularly is one of the main ways. A record of regular maintenance on your vehicle can often be used to sell the car for much more than it would be worth without that care.
You’ll avoid a domino effect.
Car parts are in constant interaction; so, when one is damaged, it will often pass that damage along to other parts through faulty performance. For instance, if your vehicle’s suspension is damaged, your tyres will wear out much faster. Similarly, if your oil isn’t topped up or changed in time, your engine might be damaged. One part might be expensive to replace, but five parts will cost you a small fortune, and the damage might not be evident to you until it’s too late.
In an accident, insurers will note it.
Your insurance providers will consider many variables if you’re involved in an automobile accident, especially a collision. One of their variables will be the car’s care prior to the incident. Could more regular maintenance have been done? If so, could that have contributed to the incident in question? That line of thinking could complicate things for you, which is why a clean record of service will greatly help your claim.