It might be difficult to think of an inanimate object, such as a car, as an extension of yourself. But in reality, this is one of the best ways to treat your car. It requires regular attention and maintenance — just like we do with regular doctor’s appointments and checkups.
Most people wait until there’s an issue with their car before they take it to an auto repair shop. But honestly, this is only costing you more money than you probably need to spend on your car. If you can stay on top of your car maintenance, you can avoid these issues altogether (in most cases!).
Here’s how often to schedule an auto repair service.
Auto Repair Servicing: When Is it Necessary?
The least you should do for your vehicle is take it in for all its scheduled oil changes and preventative maintenance checks. Now, this depends on the type of vehicle you drive and the manufacturer. But for most cars, this is roughly every 6 months, or 3,000-5,000 miles (whichever comes first). During this routine maintenance, an auto mechanic will check your vehicle’s oil and other important fluid levels.
Other than a basic oil/fluids check, your car also needs a general tune-up. This calls for an in-depth inspection of all motor functions, so it’s a little more complicated than routine maintenance.
In an ideal world, this would be every 1-2 years or 30,000 miles. This is not something you want to avoid and is a chance for an auto mechanic to catch any sinister issues that could turn into majorly expensive repair work.
Don’t Ignore Issues, Respond to Them Right Away
The worst thing you can do for your vehicle is to ignore any issues that begin to show themselves, no matter how minor they might seem. We get it — you might not have the time or money for ”car problems”. But ignoring an issue will most likely make it worse, which could only cost you more down the line.
Here are a few tell-tale signs that you need to take your car for an auto repair service:
- Unusual noises — if your car begins to make strange grinding, squealing, ticking, or rattling sounds you haven’t heard before, it’s time to visit an auto repair shop
- Lights on the dashboard — this is your car’s way of telling you something is wrong. Don’t ignore flashing lights on the dash that you haven’t seen before, especially the engine light! Check your car’s manual to decipher what a flashing light could mean
- Shaky steering — if your car’s steering wheel begins to shake or vibrate, you might have a wheel alignment issue
- Failure to start or cutting off while driving — while there are a number of issues that could cause this, most of the time this indicates a problem with your alternator
All of these issues are obvious, though. Sometimes, an underlying problem is a little more subtle. If you drive often, you’ll know when your car doesn’t feel right. It might feel sluggish, lose power, or seem extra shaky. If your gut is telling you that something’s wrong, don’t put it off, book auto repair services sooner rather than later.
Express Auto Service Has You Covered
As a general rule of thumb, it always works in your favor to schedule an auto repair checkup before you actually notice an issue. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. And when it comes to cars, this couldn’t be more appropriate (and financially savvy).
If you’re in need of an auto repair shop that does it all, Express Auto Service is your go-to. Get in touch with our team to book in your next tune-up and thank us later!