Vehicle Maintenance: Your Best Insurance for Longevity and Safety

Maintaining your vehicle should be considered a type of insurance and is one of the best insurances you can spend your money on. Keeping your car running smoothly and efficiently will ensure that significant failures are kept to an absolute minimum. Not only will you have the longevity of motoring, but you’ll also receive benefits such as fuel economy and proactive safety repairs.  

The manufacturer of your motor vehicle has specified a service regime based on two factors, kilometres travelled or time. Both measurements are essential, but only one needs to be considered, and it is the one that comes first.  

For example, if we have a 2018 Nissan Patrol due for service after 10,000km or six months, the service is done based on whichever comes first. If 10,000km is travelled in four months, the service is due. If only 6,500 km are travelled in six months, the service is due.  

These intervals are there not only to replace the engine oil and change the oil filter, but the service will also include any specific replacement items as dictated by the manufacturer and will be found in the log book.  

In addition, an inspection of components, tyre rotations, adjustments of brakes if required, scanning of the vehicle’s computer for history codes and reporting on current codes, to name a few, will also be conducted.  

These service tasks identify defects on components that may show signs of deterioration so that you can be informed as a customer and be aware of what needs to be replaced and at what priority before a complete failure.  

If the oil is not replaced at a minimum, it can leave a tarnish all over the rotating internals that can form sludge and block vital oil galleries. Blocked or restrictive galleries can cause premature wear, and failures will occur. Think of your oil as the lifeblood of the engine. 

Many workshops offer a range of additional checks and balances, which are conducted as part of a service and you may be unaware that they’re even being done. Any workshop committed to customer safety, vehicle reliability, and affordability will do additional jobs such as a general health check, applying an air conditioner sanitiser and even replacing bulbs or wiper blades free of charge, for example. Independent workshops in particular have the freedom to deliver superior service.    

Why is all this cheap insurance?  

Major components of your vehicle can be very costly to replace if you have a complete failure. Sending your vehicle past its due kilometres or time will often result in the start of these failures. In some cases, engine replacements can trump what you may have paid for your car.  

In the industry, it is common for us to see services skipped to save money, resulting in an expensive failure. This column is intended as a reminder and an educational opportunity and is by no means designed to worry. Like many areas of expertise, the everyday consumer isn’t aware of what could go wrong. 

Many workshops also offer payment plans such as AfterPay, ZipPay or Humm, to name a few, meaning you can stay on top of your vehicle servicing and preventative maintenance and spread the cost out over the following few months.  

If you are in the market for a second-hand vehicle, the first thing to ask for is the service history. If this cannot be provided, think twice about what you’re about to purchase and the risk you are prepared to take.  

Technology has come along in leaps and bounds, and if you have a regular mechanic, be sure to ask them if they can add you to their customer list who receives service text or email reminders when a service is due based on time. Your mechanic doesn’t know the kilometres you travel, so be sure to stay on top of that one and check the sticker above the driver’s head on the window.