As vehicle owners, we’re regularly told to keep on top of our car servicing and maintenance. Unlike your MOT, arranging a full car service annually is not a legal requirement – so why do it?
The answers are clear.
At Dronsfields, we see first hand both the outstanding benefits of car servicing and the obvious pitfalls of failing to observe proper maintenance for your vehicle – so we’ve decided to put together a simple guide outlining what these are.
Read on to understand more clearly why you should keep on top of your car’s servicing – both for your own benefit and for that of the other drivers on the road.
Increase Driving Safety
It may seem that your car is in tip-top condition and running exactly as it should, but this won’t last forever. Furthermore, how your car looks and feels may not reflect what is going on under the bonnet. If you don’t take your vehicle in for regular checks, minor elements of wear and tear can become exacerbated and may quickly turn into major problems.
Not only can this prove very expensive to fix, but it’s also highly dangerous. A sudden loss of control when it comes to the steering or brakes, or having your engine cut out in the middle of the motorway may sound like extreme examples – but these things can happen. If they do, you, your passengers and the other drivers around you will all be at risk.
A full car service will ensure that your steering column is checked for wear, that your power steering reservoir is topped up, that your brakes are in good condition and that the multiple components of your engine are functioning as they should – along with a great number of other tests and tweaks.
It’s hard to predict if and how your car will let you down unless you book a full car service at least once a year.
Full and interim servicing will help mechanics to see if there are any underlying issues that may cause otherwise unexpected problems while driving. The checks they undertake include an examination of the brakes, the air and cabin filters, the steering and the air pressure in your tyres.
Remember, however well you drive, you and those around you will only be as safe as your car’s condition allows you to be.
Once your car reaches three years old, it’s a legal requirement that you arrange for it to be MOT tested. A car that is not maintained is more likely to fail this test which, in the worst case, means that you will not be allowed to drive it again until all relevant serious faults have been resolved.
By taking your car to be serviced regularly, you’ll stay safe and save hassle and money. For these reasons, you’ll be glad you took your vehicle in for servicing instead of continuing to drive a potentially dangerous and costly car.
Potentially Extend the Lifespan of Your Car
When you purchase a car, you naturally want it to remain completely operational and to retain its full level of performance for as long as possible. Another of the major benefits of a car service is that it could go a long way towards significantly extending the lifespan of your car.
Of course, when planning on booking your vehicle in for a service, there are a few matters you need to bear in mind. Firstly, you need to ensure that any maintenance that is to be undertaken will only be approached by fully qualified and highly experienced mechanics. If the individuals checking and fixing your car are not well trained, it’s likely that the repairs that are performed will not adhere to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended guidelines. This will make vehicle faults more likely later down the line, and will reduce the performance – and value – of your vehicle.
We strongly recommend that you seek out a mechanic who is officially certified as a service provider by your car’s manufacturer in order to ensure the best possible results. They’ll also be able to source parts that have been designed for your exact make and model of the vehicle and not lower quality “one size fits all” alternatives.
By bearing all of the above in mind, it’s highly likely that you’ll be able to significantly extend the lifespan of your car.
Lower the Running Cost of a Car
Older, heavily used cars do not have to cost you the earth. Keeping on top of your car servicing can allow you to prevent fuel and maintenance costs from spiralling as the vehicle ages.
If you arrange for your car to undergo regular checks and tests, problems can be diagnosed and rectified before they are able to have any significant impact. This will save you money, time and a great deal of stress.
While there is always a cost attached to vehicular servicing, this is very minimal compared to the bills you may rack up as your vehicle experiences more and more serious faults as a result of not being regularly checked.
You should never run your vehicle on low fuel, worn-down treads on the tyres, no coolant, low oil levels or any other deficiencies caused by failing to get it serviced. This will result in serious wear and tear and could see you having to give your car up way before you would want to. At the very least, it will cause you to spend far more on repairs than you should over time.
It’s clear that failing to keep on top of your vehicle’s maintenance can prove extremely expensive – which is why we’ve included “lower running costs” in our list of benefits of a car service.
To sum up, a regular full car service will:
- Help you to ensure that everyone in and around your vehicle remains safe at all times
- Significantly lengthen the life of your car
- Reduce the amount of money it costs to run and maintain a car throughout its time on the road
At Dronsfields, we specialise in Mercedes car services – but we have over 40 years of experience maintaining cars of all makes and models to the highest possible standards. If you’re interested in booking a full or interim service with our team of specialists, simply contact us today on 0333 240 1020 or fill out our handy contact form in detail. Our headquarters can be found at Pennine Works, Mossdown Road, Royton, OL2 6HS.