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Servicing your car can be an expensive endeavour and the last thing you want is a stacking bill during your next visit to the mechanic. A regular check-up of your car is necessary to ensure that it is safe to drive and is performing as efficiently as possible.
Like Frank Martin from “The Transporter” fame says, “The way a man treats his car is how he treats himself.” But living up to this quote can be a problem for some people who don’t know much about their car or the type of maintenance required for it.
There, however, are some points you can ensure to mitigate potential high costs of repairs which will be talked about in this post. Let’s look at some of these points:
1.Consider regular servicing:
Leaving your car without servicing can be a potentially harmful in the long run. When you are struggling with your finances or just short of money, then it seems tempting to just skip the servicing until some other date. While this may seem okay now but you risk bigger bills in the future on your car.
The cost of a normal car service is far less than having to replace car parts later whilst you are on your way to something. Did you know, simply replacing your car radiator can set you back by almost €430 or a cylinder head gasket which can cost like €530? That’s like an awful lot of money for replacing simple parts right? If you don’t use your car very often or don’t drive long distances then an annual check-up will more than suffice but if you are clocking your miles quickly then it’s better to get your car serviced on regular intervals.
Consider servicing your car every 6 months or every 5500 miles. Looking for a destination for your next road trip or searching international destinations, then be sure to look for Holiday deals @ Kwik Fit.
2.Learn basic maintenance tips:
Learning some simple fixes and maintenance tips will always come handy and at best, will help you save a significant amount of money. This will also prevent you from doing any major or costly fixtures down the line.
You don’t really need to be a genius of some kind to keep your car in a decent shape. If you are going for basic maintenance, youtube videos are more than handy at these times to help you out. Learn some basic fixes like oil levels, tire pressures, checking and changing air filters etc.
These things don’t take up too much of your time and can be done by anyone with a little knowledge. Also be on the lookout for your tires and check them every couple of weeks.
If they have been dangerously worn out or have a tread depth of less than 1.6mm then get them changed as soon as possible. Keeping your tires this way can get you a fine of up to €1500 and three penalty points for every tire that you keep below the required standard. Not to forget, going out with a worn out tire will further levy extra replacement costs.
3.Do some research:
Doing some pre-emptive research does you no harm. Many people make the same mistake of sticking to their old service center for eons. Just because your friends have used this service center or your parents for that matter have used them doesn’t make the place competent or trustworthy.
If you feel dissatisfied with your current service center, then go the extra mile and research for yourself. Check out reviews of the place to ensure that you get a fair value for your money and a high standard of servicing for your car. The average rate for franchised today is somewhere around €90 pounds whereas, for local independent garages, this rate stands at around €63 pounds.
Considering both points, it is better to stick with your car’s franchise as these are the people who will have a better understanding of the problems of your car and how to effectively solve them.
4.Pay special attention to your dashboard messages:
Nowadays, most cars come with standard dashboards which give out warning messages on a wide range of topics ranging from engine oil and coolant levels, tire pressure levels, issues with braking systems etc.
Your owner’s manual also can dole out a wide variety of information regarding your car and what each of this dashboard could mean and what is it that you need to do to ensure a smooth functioning of your car.
Pay special heed to such warnings and messages as these could help you save potential costs and hefty repairs.
So there we have the 4 need to know essentials that you should pay heed to before your next car service. Happy and safe driving.