The Importance of routine maintenance on your car

Do you see that little sticker on your windshield with a date and a kilometer value on it? Yep that little sticker that magically appeared after your last visit to the mechanic. Do you know why the mechanic put it there? Its a reminder for you to schedule your next service maintenance around that time, no its not because the mechanic wants to meet to talk about the Blue Jays or Raptors. Stick to the guidelines, yes he is gonna talk about the games with you but your car is more important to him and it should be to you too.

Pay attention to your car, protect your asset, avoid expensive repairs and breakdowns by maintaining your car regularly.  This also increases the lifespan of your car and gives you the best performance possible, here are some car maintenance measures that you should routinely undertake:

1.    Tire Check

Let’s get practical now, the entire weight of your car is carried by your tires, why would you neglect something as important as the this?  Tires play a vital role in the overall vehicle performance, check your tires regularly, it’s important!

The following issues should be addressed:

• Under-inflated tires are flatter to the ground and makes your car unsafe while stopping. this leads to premature wear of the shoulders of the tire
• Over- inflated tires are rigid and still and does not connect to the road evenly, leading to uneven tire wear and a harder ride.
• Tire rotation, since tires wear differently it’s always best to rotate them to maximise on tire life.

Why is it important?

Rotate tires and maintain optimum pressure this way performance would be improved, your drive would be safer and you would also save on fuel.

2.     Oil & FIlter Change

The most important and common maintenance requirement is an Oil & Filter change. The engine is important to your car, its very important, without a proper functioning engine there is no car. So care your engine by scheduling a regular oil change and air filter change it’s invaluable to the life of your engine.

• Oil change - your engine is lubricated by adding oil, this makes the engine parts run cooler, it combats rust, corrosion ,reduces engine noise and also reduces wear and friction.
• Filter change - the filter removes impurities and contaminants from the engine and aids in its performance.

Why is it important?

By changing the oil and the filter on a regular basis as recommended by your mechanic the lifespan of your engine increases hence your investment is protected.

3.    Brakes

Being the most critical component of your car, regular maintenance of your brakes should not be neglected so as to avoid failure which can lead to an accident and or more costly repairs down the road.

• Monitor the friction materials such as the - shoes, pads, rotor and drum since they are used and wear down every time you apply your brakes.

How often should you service your brakes?

At least once a year to inspect the condition of the hydraulic system and operating hardware.

4.     Other important maintenance service repairs necessary for a well performing vehicle:

• Suspension & steering - the suspension keeps your car's tires in proper contact with the road and steering allows you to avoid dangerous situations.
• Coolant - prevent wear on your engine by keeping a check on the coolant levels
• Wiper blades - your mechanic would make sure your blades are in good shape and they would be replaced when worn
• Battery - your mechanic would advise on the lifespan of your battery and when it should be changed, most batteries last 3-5 years.
• Hose & Belts - this is checked by your mechanic for cracks or leaks
• Spark plugs - your mechanic would check and replace spark plugs when necessary.

Pay attention to your car, pay attention to that service sticker and schedule a routine maintenance for your car , it’s important!

If you need a reliable and affordable service centre, consider making an appointment at Somerville Auto. Our skilled service technicians would provide you with the services required to have your vehicle running smoothly at all times.