Why Is It a Good Habit to Service Your Car Annually?
We understand, you don’t look forward to having to take your car into the garage for its annual service. It’s a tedious chore, and can leave you without a car for a day, or longer if there’s something wrong that has to be urgently fixed. Worse still, we are all of us at least a little bit afraid that a slick mechanic is going to try and push unnecessary repairs and maintenance on us in order to squeeze more cash out of us. We’ve all seen those “cowboy mechanics” on TV and were suitably horrified.
In today’s blog, we’re looking at the more positive side of the annual car service. We hope that after reading this you are more positively disposed toward your local mechanic and their garage services.
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Why is an Annual Car Service a Good Thing?
Believe it or not, we are convinced that there are a greater number of good and compelling reasons to get a car service than either to avoid it or even be afraid of it.
1. It Saves Money
This one will feel counterintuitive at first, but it does make sense when you think about it. The average cost for a full service in the UK is about £151, but can range from £133 to £300 depending on how much needs to be done. Let’s take a figure at the higher end of that scale such as £200. At the end of the day, which amount would you rather pay? The £200 a year for an annual service, or £4000 several years down the line when your engine packs in and you need a new one? That’s the reality of it.
Your annual MOT test is not the same as a service. The MOT doesn’t check the engine itself for any signs of faults. It checks many other systems and safety components, and that is around £50 well spent to know that your car is roadworthy. If you want to save big in the long term by not having to replace the engine, however, then your annual service really is the only way to do that.
2. It Keeps You Safe
The annual service that you invest in will allow professional mechanics the chance to spot any problems that may be small right now, but could turn your car into a death trap later on. A faulty component in the engine can start as a nuisance, but quickly becomes deadly when it causes you to break down in the middle of a busy junction or on the motorway.
Even worse, failing to spot something minor wrong with the brakes, suspension or steering now could turn into a deadly loss of control later when left unattended for too long. You get the picture. There’s no price tag to be placed on either your or your passengers’ safety, not to mention the safety of other road users and pedestrians.
3. It Will Prolong the Life of Your Car
A well-maintained car is one that will go on until the odometer is reading well into 6 figures. Obviously, a longer life in good working order means you’re getting more value for the money you paid to buy it. Don’t forget that a car is a naturally depreciating asset, and so the more use you get out of it before the time comes to sell, and the better you have done with it.
Economic times are uncertain right now. The 21st century has already delivered the Great Recession and a global pandemic that has crippled the global economy. Who’s to say what you’ll be able to afford in the coming years? It’s better to make the things we have last and continue working well. In this way, we avoid potential financial pitfalls.
4. It Will Maintain the Resale Value of Your car
Another positive factor relating to financial matters is that a properly serviced car will be worth more if and when the time comes to sell the car. Cars that have a complete service history and thus can be proved to be in full working order are going to be worth more to a buyer than ones without.
You’ll never turn a profit on your car, but you can at least get the best-possible price when you sell. It’s another reason to invest that annual fee and get the servicing done properly.
5. It will Boost Fuel Efficiency
One of the most noticeable signs that a car has problems is that the petrol you put in the tank isn’t lasting as long as it used to. When you skip services and maintenance appointments, you may notice after time that you are filling up more often. Besides being wasteful, this practice is also just adding to the financial burdens of your family.
The average British driver is spending £1.22 per litre of petrol. For that alone, you should have enough reason to maintain fuel efficiency as much as possible. The best way to do it is with a properly serviced and well-maintained car.
6. It Will Cut Down the Chance of Breakdown or Malfunction
The final and perhaps the most immediate reason to maintain an annual servicing habit is that it will vastly reduce the chance of your car conking out in the middle of nowhere or, even worse, on the motorway or somewhere dangerous. Most breakdowns are not caused by some sudden and catastrophic failure, but rather by a small problem that was left unattended to grow and spiral out of control and start affecting other parts of the car’s mechanics.
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Conclusion: Keep the Habit, Keep Your Car
All of the above, together with your common sense, should by now have convinced you of why it’s best to maintain the good habit of servicing your car annually. To not do so would be short-sighted. Yes, you could make a small saving each year, but after a few years anything you saved would be wiped out by the major repairs you’d need from not having kept your car in good order. Don’t make false economies, invest in keeping your car safe and properly maintained.