How Can I Save Money on Car Repairs? - Accurate Auto Attention

Car repairs are always inconvenient and often expensive. Is there anything you can do to cut the costs to your time and wallet?

Believe it or not, the best way to save money is by following your manufacturer’s recommended service intervals. Scheduled maintenance ensures your car is treated proactively, rather than reactively. It helps you avoid breakdowns, expensive repairs, and it even saves you time by allowing you to schedule appointments when it’s most convenient for your schedule—rather than be at the whim of a necessary repair.

Female Hands Giving Dollar Banknotes To Mechanic

How Does Routine Maintenance Save You Money?

You’ve probably heard that keeping up with your routine maintenance is important, but how does it actually save you money? Here are some examples:

Catching minor issues before they can become expensive repairs. Routine maintenance includes inspecting the vehicle for signs of developing issues. If we see a brittle hose or belt, for example, we can replace it before it has the chance to break while you’re on the road. If you wait until a part fails, it can often cause damage to neighboring components—or an accident or breakdown. Waiting to replace a part that could have been proactively (and inexpensively) replaced at the service interval could have expensive or dangerous consequences!

Improves gas mileage. Getting your car serviced regularly helps it run more efficiently, which translates to better gas mileage. Bald or under-inflated tires, clogged fuel and air filters, and dirty oxygen sensors are just a few other things that can also affect your fuel efficiency.

Extends the lifespan of your vehicle. Getting a new car can be a blast, but it’s also expensive—especially when you factor in things like registration and insurance costs. With routine maintenance, you can keep your car in the best possible shape for many years. With routine maintenance, you can expect your car to last hundreds of thousands of miles.

Maintains the safety of your car. At the end of the day, your health and safety are priceless. Keeping up with routine maintenance ensures all your vehicle’s safety features are functioning exactly as they should. From brakes and tires to headlights, it’s essential to have all safety features in perfect working order. When considering the potential for insurance increases, lawsuits, and collision repair, accidents can expensive.

Prevents unexpected repairs while on the road. Few things are worse than needing a repair when you’re on vacation. Not only can it be difficult to know where to take your vehicle, but depending on where you are, it can also end up being more expensive than if you had the repairs done back home. If you’re already caught up on your scheduled maintenance, the chances of needing a repair on the road are much slimmer. You can also get a pre-trip inspection for added peace of mind!

How to Know When to Schedule Routine Maintenance

So, how can you tell when routine maintenance services are recommended? The best place to check is in your owner’s manual. Depending on your vehicle’s manufacturer, you’ll have services listed for every 3,000 to 7,000 miles and every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. If you no longer have your owner’s manual, we’re also happy to look up your service intervals for you.

Keep in mind that some dealerships and companies have recommendations that vary widely from what the manufacturer recommends. At Accurate Automotive Attention, we suggest always following the manufacturer’s recommendations, although there may be some exceptions.