The Benefits of Regular Car Servicing

For a lot of people, a car service is a frustrating expense and inconvenience. I mean, if your car is already working just fine, getting a $500 bill from your mechanic can seem pretty annoying.

However, you shouldn’t think of a car service like you would repairs. You’re not paying to get something fixed; you’re paying to avoid getting something fixed. A good car service is effectively preemptive maintenance. You pay a little here and there to avoid having to deal with those massive repair bills down the road. But regular car servicing is about more than just preemptive maintenance. It’s an investment in the quality and longevity of your car.

So let’s have a look at a few of the benefits of regular car servicing.

Avoid Costly Repairs

A good service is designed to ensure that everything is in perfect working order and provide the necessary maintenance to prevent any issues arising. A good mechanic will be able to identify potential issues and carry out the minor maintenance necessary to prevent them becoming major problems. While the service may cost a couple hundred dollars, you could be avoiding major repairs costing thousands of dollars.

In the case of log book servicing, your mechanic will follow the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines, replacing parts and components according to a preset schedule. While these components may not have yet reached the end of their useful life, they will be starting to wear and won’t be performing at optimal efficiency. Log book servicing is designed to ensure that no components actually reach the end of their useful life, preemptively replacing them before they break down.

A common example of this kind of preemptive maintenance is replacing the timing belt or chain. Usually this is done after about 100,000 km, depending on the vehicle and engine type. This will usually cost a few hundred dollars to do and will prevent the massive engine damage that a broken timing belt or chain can cause.

Improve Vehicle Safety

A key part of any good car service is a thorough check of the vehicle’s safety and handling systems. This includes seat belts, airbag systems, brakes and steering, tyres and electronic systems like traction control and proximity sensors. Even something as simple as worn out wiper blades can be enough to affect your ability to drive safely. Regular maintenance will ensure that all safety components and systems are in good working order. This will help to keep you, your family and other road users safe and avoid accidents or injury.

Maintain Vehicle Warranty

If you have a new car that’s still under warranty, chances are you will require regular and specific servicing to maintain the warranty. Servicing requirements will usually be spelled out in the warranty agreement and can include the type of service (often log book servicing), the regularity of service and even your choice of mechanic. If you don’t adhere to these conditions, you could end up voiding your warranty, which could end up being costly down the road.

Maintain Resale Value

Regular servicing and a detailed service history will be a huge help when you go to sell your car. From a buyer’s point of view, a good service history shows that the vehicle has been properly cared for and maintained. It will also outline the work that has been done on the car, giving buyers an idea of what they may need to spend on maintenance down the road. All in all, regular and documented servicing will help you to sell your car faster and for a better price.

Reduce Running Costs & Improve Performance

A regularly serviced car is more likely to be running at peak efficiency than a poorly maintained car. Factors like engine tuning and wheel alignment and balance will have a significant impact on fuel efficiency and tyre wear. Without regular servicing, your car could be using more fuel than it should and wearing out tyres faster than it should.

Improve performance and handling, smoother and safer drive… ensure it’s running as well as it possibly can.

Peace of Mind

The longer you go without taking your car to a good mechanic, the greater the chances of you facing a major breakdown. Regular servicing has the added bonus of giving you peace of mind about the condition and reliability of your car. Whether you regularly travel for work or you’re getting ready for an interstate road trip, regular professional servicing will give you the confidence that your car will make it there without major breakdowns or delays.

When you consider the various benefits that come with regular car servicing, the minor inconvenience of being without your car for 24 hours is really brought into perspective.