The average age of vehicles is currently 10.8 years, according to the market research firm, R.L. Polk in Southfield, Mich. This is an all-time high, indicating that not only vehicles are improving over the years, but that people are getting better at maintaining their vehicles for the long term.
Consumers are also becoming more cost conscious and choosing to put in the work and effort required to keep their cars and truck running for a longer period of time instead of trading them for newer models.
While this is a great strategy, some people unfortunately fail to follow it properly. Most commonly, this leads to people delaying their car repairs.
Importance of Car Repairs and Maintenance
It goes without saying that trying to keep any vehicle for the long term requires some maintenance and repairs. Yet, a lot of people think that if the car doesn’t possess any apparent issues that prevent it from doing its basic job – commuting – it doesn’t need to be repaired. This is a huge mistake and can reduce the life span of your car.
When minor car issues are repaired in a timely manner, you can prevent the issue from escalating and causing a more significant problem later on. What’s worse is that delaying the service of your car can even compromise the safety of the vehicle and potentially lead to an accident. Therefore, it is necessary to stay ahead with your car repair and maintenance.
Yes, taking your car to the mechanic and getting it repaired can be a hassle, and the maintenance could be straight up annoying. But as a car owner, it is something you need to do on a semi-regular basis.
Getting the Right Service for Your Car
It may sound convenient to visit the nearest mechanic, drop your car there, and expect them to do everything that needs to be done. But unless you are lucky, the nearest mechanic may not be the best mechanic you can find.
At AAA Motor Club in Heathrow, the car-care experts believe that the best way to elongate the life of your vehicle and cut down on the costs you’ll spend on it is to choose a high-quality, full-service repair shop. Yes, it may be a bigger expense at the moment than just going to your local mechanic, but it can prevent any unforeseen issues in the long run.
Going to the right mechanic and allowing them to do all the necessary maintenance and repair work is necessary for your car’s long life. It allows the mechanic to make small repairs now rather than much bigger ones later on. We recommend you bring your car to the most trusted car repairs moorabbin to get professional and high-quality car repair services. Also, it is even better if you could take the car to the dealer’s service department.
However, getting your car to a mechanic or service department is just half the battle. You have to be clear about what issues you’ve been having and communicate them properly. Here are some things you need to do while getting your car repaired.
1. Proper Communication
Being able to communicate properly with your mechanic and being completely honest about any issues you may have is extremely important. A good mechanic will do a thorough examination of your vehicle and make sure to fix any issues that they can find. Yet, any additional information can be helpful for them. A car is a complicated machine, and they can’t check every small area for an issue.
It would be a good idea to write down any issues that you may have ahead of time. Observe any irregularities or defects that you may notice, including specific sounds, sensations, smells, leaks, and the frequency of their occurrence, and note them down on a piece of paper.
Remember to keep a record of how often you take your car for maintenance, and let your mechanic know the last time the car was brought in. Also, let them know whether there was an issue behind bringing it in earlier, as that could be related to the current problems your vehicle may be having.
2. Look Into Car Repair Loans
Quite often, the reason people delay car repairs could be that they may be struggling to come up with emergency cash for this purpose. If you have this issue, you’re not alone. A good car can cost up to $1,200 per to maintain and repair, which can be a lot for some people.
Fortunately, there are ways you get your car fixed even if you don’t have funds lying around. Places like Nifty Personal Loans provide loans for car repairs or any car maintenance that you may need. This allows you to solve your liquidity problems and gives you financial breathing room to take care of your vehicle.
The process is very simple, and you can choose from different loan terms and repayment frequencies according to your convenience. The amount of money you can borrow will depend on your circumstances, credit score, as well as the issue your car has. However, it is usually enough to cover the cost of repair and maintenance.
3. Declutter Your Vehicle Before Dropping it Off
Not only is it common courtesy to clean and declutter your car before dropping it off to the mechanic, but not doing so can affect the quality of a repair. Also, make sure to clear out the back seat and trunk, and remove items such as strollers, baby seats, golf clubs, car repair equipment, etc.
If you leave them in, the mechanic will need to remove them to access certain parts of the car or perform specific repairs. Additionally, it may weigh down the vehicle, which can affect the repair, and later cause performance issues.
The last thing you need to do is let the mechanic do their job. You’ve told them all the issues you’ve had, and they are trained to handle the rest. So try not to bug them too much about the process. However, be sure to be available in case the mechanic needs to contact you. Leave a number where you’d be easy to reach and respond promptly to any calls.