No appointment needed. Stay-in-your-car oil change in about 15 minutes.
The Importance of Preventive Maintenance This Summer (and All Seasons)
Why Servicing Your Car Now Pays off in the Long Run
If your car starts making strange noises or a warning light appears, it’s pretty obvious that it needs to be serviced. The warning signs are alarming to see, but at least you know.
But what about the times when your car is running smoothly and not showing any signs of problems? Service is just as important when your car is performing well as it is when it’s obviously in trouble. That’s why it’s so important to understand the benefits and necessity of preventive maintenance.
What is Preventive Maintenance?
Just as it’s important to get your body checked up with regular physicals (even when things seem fine), it’s also important to get your vehicle checked up regularly. “Preventive maintenance” refers to the cleaning, replacement, and inspection of mechanical systems and parts in your vehicle. Usually, this kind of maintenance is needed most where wear and tear happen most frequently – wiper blades, tires, brakes, and engine. If you don’t lubricate, refill, or replace certain parts on a regular basis, they’re eventually going to malfunction and stop working.
Why is Preventive Maintenance Worth It?
1. It lowers the risk of future trouble
Making sure your car stays in good shape and its systems operate well reduces the risk of your vehicle experiencing a failure in the future. If you supply your car with better-condition replacement parts and fresh fluids, you can ensure these things don’t break down and fail down the road.
2. Neglect could lead to worse problems
If a cog in a machine breaks, the whole system could experience damage due to that single failure. Likewise, malfunctions in your car aren't isolated incidents. Even small breaks can cause major damage to the rest of the vehicle’s vital systems – and that can be far worse in the long run.
3. Maintenance improves your safety on the road
If your car’s brakes, steering, or tires fail when you’re driving 65 mph, the results can be pretty catastrophic. Reducing the risk of a breakdown in your car reduces the risk that you and your passengers will be in a terrible situation that could’ve been avoided.
4. Prevention is a lot more convenient than repairs
Waiting to service your vehicle is only setting yourself up for inconvenience. Vehicle breakdown isn’t ever going to happen at a convenient time or place. But when you opt for preventive maintenance, you get to determine the time and place it’s done.
5. Maintenance is less costly than repairs
You don’t have to be an accountant to see that regular oil changes are a lot less expensive than a full engine replacement. Preventive services cost way less over an extended period than repairs or full-system replacements do.
6. You can actually extend the life of your car
Neglected maintenance takes a long-term toll on your car that can drastically shorten its lifespan. If you want your car to keep humming along for many more years, don’t ignore what it needs now.
What Kinds of Preventive Maintenance Does My Car Need?
The most common preventive maintenance people schedule for their car is a motor oil change, but there are other types of maintenance that your car needs on a regular basis. Your vehicle requires wiper blade replacements, tire rotations, and air filter replacements every year. Fuel system cleanings, transmission fluid exchanges, radiator fluid exchanges, and battery replacements are also crucial for the long-term performance of your vehicle.
In short, don’t wait until it’s too late to service your car. Give it regular check-ups and take care of the small things now, while things are going well and you can control the timing. Stop by your local Valvoline Instant Oil ChangeSM and ensure your vehicle continues running properly for miles (and years) to come.
Copyright © 2024 Valvoline. All rights reserved.