Strange but true: performing regular maintenance on your car is the best way to save your money. The old saying “prevention is the best cure” applies to your automobile, too—you’ll always be better off keeping your car in great condition than trying to fix problems once they’ve occurred!
Depending on where you live, your car also has to deal with many different weather variables. Here in Arizona, the intense sunlight, heat, and dry and dusty conditions conspire to age our paint jobs and wear our tires down—in other parts of the country, cars have to contend with snow, ice, and humidity.
As one of Arizona’s leading car insurance companies, we take a great interest in keeping our customers happy and safe with their vehicles. Here are some reasons why car maintenance is so important:
1. A Well-Maintained Car Is a Safer Car
You will be a far safer driver and passenger in a well-maintained car. Safe driving and your car’s maintenance are closely related, as the condition of your tires, brakes, fluids, and lines directly affect the car’s ability to maneuver you out of harm’s way.
Some examples of safety-related maintenance include:
Keeping Your Tires at the Proper Pressure
Underinflated or overinflated tires create all kinds of problems. For one, they wear unevenly, so that the outside of your treads may wear much faster than the inside, or vice versa. They also don’t perform well in wet or icy conditions. And worst of all, improperly inflated tires are at high risk for blowouts, which can cause accidents.
Making Sure Your Tire Treads Are Still Good
Your tire treads are where the proverbial rubber meets the road. If they get worn down, your tires won’t have enough grip to stop your car when that driver in front of you slams on the brakes. You’ll also be at risk of hydroplaning or slipping. Make sure to have your tires rotated with every oil change.
Keep Your Windshield Wiper Blades Fresh
Windshield wiper blades that have worn down leave streaks across the windshield as they pass over it. Replace these immediately. In a bad storm or on cold, briny roads, bad wiper blades can leave you unable to see out your windshield!
2. You’ll Save Money
A wise mechanic once said, “An oil change is the cheapest maintenance you can do on your engine.” What he meant by this was that even though a synthetic oil change can cost $70 or more, the consequence of skipping it is that the car’s engine dies a painful death. For many vehicles, this would total the vehicle.
The same goes for all types of car repairs. Changing the oil, replacing filters, topping off fluids, flushing and replacing fluids, and generally just keeping the vehicle operating smoothly are all much cheaper than the consequences of not doing so.
And did you know that poorly tuned engines get far worse fuel economy than well-maintained ones? A badly maintained engine may consume 50% more fuel, leading to wallet drain that you don’t want. Improper tire pressure can also harm your gas mileage.
Checking the systems and keeping your car clean also improves its longevity. Remember that car washes and wax jobs are all part of regular maintenance.
3. Your Car’s Performance Will Improve
Maintenance will make your car perform at its best. By keeping up with tasks like maximizing tire traction, keeping up with steering and brake fluid, replacing your brake pads and rotors when needed, and keeping the engine well lubricated, your car will start more easily and stick to the road better.
All of this maintenance is possible by simply booking an appointment at a convenient time with your local mechanic.
4. Your Car Will Look Its Best
Houses have curb appeal, but cars have everywhere appeal—and a good-looking automobile says a lot about the owner. You can do several things to keep your car looking its best:
Clean It Regularly
You should give your car a wash about once per month, rinsing all of the dirt off, lathering it with a car cleaning soap, rinsing again, and towel-drying it off. This keeps corrosive substances like salts, dust, and chemicals from dulling your paint and causing the metal panels to rust.
Wax It
You should wax your car several times per year. This is a job best done directly after a car wash when the car has dried. Ideally, you should do this job in the sunlight so you can see any spots you may have missed. Wax protects the car’s paint from sunlight, water, and corrosive substances like salt.
5. Maintenance Will Save You Time
Keeping up with your regular maintenance will prevent breakdowns down the road—or even on the road. Extensive auto repairs can put your car out of commission for days or weeks. You’ll also have to go through the debacle of getting a tow truck, a rental car, and a ride from a friend.
With time becoming an ever more valuable resource, anything you can do to get more of it is worth pursuing. Car maintenance is a prime example of this.
6. Your Car’s Resale Value Will Be Higher
One of the first questions buyers ask is how well the previous owner maintained the car. If you can answer honestly that it received all the recommended regular maintenance, you’re going to get a much better value for it when it comes time to sell or trade it in.
Insurance Is Every Bit as Valuable as Maintenance
When the unexpected occurs, you want to know you’re in good hands. That’s why Oasis is here—to provide our customers with the best coverage in Arizona. Choose from our Arizona insurance services in multiple locations through the state, including:
Contact us to find out how you can get the best protection for your vehicle at the best prices in Arizona.
