Maintain to Sustain Your Vehicle

It’s common knowledge that maintaining your vehicle is essential to making sure it lasts. But when it comes down to the brass tracks, we’re interested in maintaining our vehicles and saving money. So let’s talk what essential facts you should know about maintaining your car and not breaking the bank!

Remember back to when you were a kid, how did your parents take care of their car? Most likely, they wore their car down until they had to make a repair. Although it’s tempting to follow in their footsteps to save money, you’ll ultimately be spending more money for repairs that could have been avoided. Additionally, when your vehicle isn’t maintained, the repair job tends to be a lot larger and more expensive in the long run. Not changing your oil (a relatively cheap maintenance check) can turn into engine repairs, where your tab can really add up.

Today, regular maintenance checks are critical to keeping your vehicle in tiptop shape and saving money in the long run. By having periodic checks, flushes and small repairs done, your car will run smoother for a longer period of time. Additionally, these important condition checks can solve problems before they turn into larger undetected issues.

Regular maintenance is especially important for car owners in the Midwest. Wisconsin and other states with similar climates have “severe” maintenance guidelines (which can be found in your owners manual maintenance guide) because of the dramatic changes in temperature and other weather hazards. Wisconsin weather can fluctuate (from -40 to 100+ in the same year!) and include snow, sleet, hail, extreme winds, etc. Even the changing of the seasons can be problematic with blowing dust and pollen in your car. By understanding that your vehicle changes through the weather, the importance of keeping your car maintained is clear.

So what can you do to make sure you keep up to date on maintaining your vehicle? First, it’s important to schedule regular maintenance check ups for your car by mileage increments (30K, 60K, 100K, etc.). This gives you the opportunity to get your oil changed and check any other underlying problems that could turn into larger issues. By creating a set schedule, you’ll be able to carve out time for your vehicle and save some big bucks! By checking your owner’s manual and creating a set schedule for maintenance, you’ll save yourself money and potential headaches in the long run!