It’s natural for vehicle owners to try and minimize costs when it comes to their machines. And one tactic many people consider when trying to cut costs is to forego preventive auto repair or vehicle servicing.

Well, here’s a reality check. According to data released by the Illinois Department of Transport, drivers in the state of Illinois travel approximately 180 billion miles a year. To put this scenario in perspective, you would still travel less than 180 billion miles if you decided to fly around the globe 7 million times!

With all that driving, your car is bound to run into issues. Plus, without preventive maintenance, the chances are your vehicle will outlive its usefulness pretty soon, or you’ll end up stuck in the middle of the road somewhere, or even worse, cause an accident.

Consider this simple fact: The average cost of replacing your car’s brake pads will cost anywhere from $100 to $300 per axle. On the other hand, complete brake failure can make it impossible to control your vehicle, leading to fatal accidents.

So, if you want to be safe on the road and cost-effective, you need to stop sitting on the fence and invest in preventive auto repair. Because quite simply: preventative servicing saves lives and tons of money.

What Every Car Owner Should Know About Preventive Auto Repair vs. Breakdown Auto Repair

A car has a plethora of parts, all of which work together to ensure that the machine functions correctly. Having a car requires paying special attention and care to all the various parts of your vehicle.

Skipping regular vehicle servicing is not the money-saving solution that you may have thought it would be. The money you think you’ll save by skipping preventive auto repair is a wash when you consider the cost of a breakdown auto repair.

Unplanned auto breakdowns can not only lead to inconveniences but can also be the cause of fatal accidents. So, it’s not just inconveniences and the cost you should worry about. If your car starts to deteriorate without your knowledge, you put your life and those of other road users at risk every time you’re on the road.

Besides, if you skip servicing your car, before long, you will be forced to replace your vehicle, which will cost you a lot more compared to taking your car in for preventative auto maintenance.

What Is Preventive Auto Repair?

Preventive auto maintenance and repair, sometimes known as planned maintenance and repair, is a proactive strategy to ensure your car is operating at peak efficiency at all times.

Think of it as your regular health check-up – most people under 50 schedule a medical check-up once every three years or so, rather than wait for a condition or disease to start manifesting. Auto maintenance may include:

• Cleaning equipment
• Minor adjustments
• Lubrication and fluid change, including oil, transmission fluid, coolant, etc.
• Engine tuning
• Suspension checks
• Brake inspection
• Tire, exhaust, and lights inspection
• And many others…

Because you’re monitoring your car, you can schedule maintenance to be carried out during a convenient and less-costly time.

Benefits of Preventive Vehicle Maintenance & Repair

How vital is preventive auto maintenance to Illinois drivers? Preventative vehicle repair is necessary for several reasons, including:

1. Increases Your Car’s Lifespan

This is the big one! Routine preventative servicing extends the life of your machine, ensuring that the vehicle lasts you a long time offering maximum value for money. Periodically inspecting your car, checking fluids, getting regular transmission fluid and oil changes, and caring for minor issues are some of the few ways to keep your vehicle running smoothly and safely for as long as possible.

2. Detect and Solve Minor Issues

Because you are regularly doing DIY and expert preventive monitoring and maintenance, you or the mechanic will detect and solve minor issues before they become more prominent, more costly, and life-threatening problems. Besides, periodic maintenance helps you uncover improvement opportunities for your car.

3. Increased Fuel Efficiency

Several factors influence fuel economy. It can be a pain to continually break the bank every time you refuel your car. Some common causes of poor fuel economy include:

• Engine misfire
• Low compression
• Fouled or worn spark plugs
• Faulty engine thermostat
• Defective coolant sensor
• Under-inflated tires

Preventive auto repair will help identify and fix all the above problems ensuring your car won’t waste even a drop of fuel.

4. Improved Precision, Safety & Reliability

Preventive vehicle maintenance is especially crucial for increased safety. It ensures that your car is always performing at its best. Imagine getting more stable steering, excellent engine starts, and tires with better traction? All this increases the car’s precision and reliability, which increases your safety on the road. Preventive auto maintenance and repair will take away the risk of dealing with an unexpected malfunctioning car.

5. Reduced Spare Parts and Service Charges

It easy to generalize and say that preventive vehicle repair will save you money. But how, exactly? For starters, scheduling a preventative repair will eliminate the need for emergency repairs; this can substantially cut auto spare parts and service charges. Unexpected breakdowns can mean paying mechanics over time and having to pay extra for emergency auto repair services, Illinois.

6. Keeps Car Value High

Whether you’re planning to sell your automobile or not, staying on top of your auto maintenance schedule can help keep your car’s value high. When you go to sell your vehicle with a complete servicing history or trade it in for a new one, your vehicle will definitely be worth more compared to one without a service history.

7. Peace of Mind

A full service will always tell you the condition of your car. With this information, you can cruise the freeways, city streets, and interstate roads with confidence, knowing you’ve abated the risk of a malfunctioning vehicle. That being said, preventive auto repair is the single most important thing you can do as a car owner.

Tips to Keep Your Vehicle Running Smoother & Longer

The tips below are guidelines for general vehicle maintenance. However, there they do not cover all the components as a vehicle is composed of many parts. While you can easily complete some of these maintenance and repair tasks yourself, resist the urge to skip trips to your local Illinois Mechanic. Professional preventive auto repair in Illinois is one of the most significant ways you can save money – not actively, but down the line.

– Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance manual

– Do your own basic inspection: Give your vehicle a once-over every month, or so so you catch any issues out of the ordinary. Make sure your tires have treads and are correctly inflated, and your lights are working. If anything doesn’t seem right, don’t ignore it; call the pros.

• Learn to check and refill your fluids
• Check your oil and change it regularly
• Check the battery and clean contacts
• Replace windscreen wipers when the view gets streaky
• Have your alignment checked, and your tires rotated and balanced
• Clean your car regularly

There’s much more to preventive auto repair for modern vehicles than the tips mentioned above. The old oil check and change would have sufficed a decade ago, but today’s vehicles come with sophisticated care that needs more system and component checks and adjustments. Professional mechanics can do a full service and inspect, adjust, fix, or replace any faulty parts regardless of your car’s make or model.

The Burning Question: Does Preventive Auto Repair Really Matter?

The answer: Yes!

Preventive auto maintenance and repair offers many important benefits. Whatever you do, don’t ignore issues that need to be addressed. Delaying preventative repair or oblivious sounds, leaks, and other problems will inevitably lead to more costly and time-consuming repairs down the line. Talk to Heart – certified and trustworthy auto repair experts – about your car’s preventive auto repair needs. You and your vehicle deserve nothing short of the best. Give us a call for the best preventive auto repair services in Illinois.