Your vehicle’s health is as important as your own and maintaining it will improve your driving experience. Neglecting regular vehicle servicing is akin to neglecting aspects of a healthy lifestyle such as not exercising, eating properly or avoiding social contact. Just as these things are important to humans, there are several reasons why servicing is important to your vehicle. Here are our top ten.
1. It increases longevity
Your vehicle’s lifespan will be greatly extended if you service it regularly. It’s important to ensure your engine has a long lifespan due to the extortionate cost of replacing it and the important role it plays in making your vehicle run.
2. It maintains value
Keeping your vehicle in top condition, and being able to show a long-standing, regular service history, will add value when you come to sell it. It goes a long way towards telling potential buyers that you cared for your vehicle and they can see that the car they’re buying has no outstanding problems or faults.
3. It saves money
Contrary to popular belief, regular servicing makes running your vehicle cheaper in the long run rather than providing unnecessary expense. This is because paying for a service is almost always cheaper than repair work should a component fail – especially if it causes internal damage when it fails.
4. It improves efficiency and fuel consumption
Regulaly servicing your vehicle’s components means they will work more efficiently and use considerably less fuel. This is because there will be less stress on the components than there would be if they continued to function with a reduced capacity. This also saves money on fuel because your vehicle will drive much further on each tank.
5. It keeps your insurance valid
This is possibly the most surprising and least well-known benefit of regular servicing. Your insurance or warranty can be invalidated if you can’t prove you have been maintaining your vehicle properly as this is often included in the small print of your insurance contract.
6. It helps diagnose potential future problems
Prevent not cure – it’s a policy we adopt with our bodies, so why not with our vehicles as well? A service will highlight any parts which are likely to break or develop a serious fault and the mechanic will be able to recommend any fixes which can avoid an expensive breakdown.
7. It reduces pollution and your vehicle’s impact on the environment
When your vehicle is running in its most efficient state, it will be producing less harmful emissions which contribute to climate change. This also gives your vehicle a better chance of passing the emissions test included in an MOT test.
8. It improves your safety on the roads
Being able to rely on every part of your vehicle at all times is crucial to maintaining your safety on the roads. Regular servicing will keep every component in its optimum working condition, especially the brakes and steering which are vital to avoid accidents.
9. It improves the performance of your vehicle
You bought your vehicle for a reason and, if that was to do with top speed or acceleration, you want it to be able to achieve those same levels of performance throughout its life. Regular servicing boosts the ability of your vehicle to perform and keeps it behaving exactly the way you want it to.
10. It maintains your vehicle to professional standards
A service is a professional’s opinion on the condition of your vehicle. While DIY vehicle maintenance – such as topping up oil and screenwash or replacing a tyre – have significant benefits, there are certain aspects of vehicle maintenance that your average Joe just can’t carry out. This can either be because of a lack of experience or specialist equipment and is always best carried out by a qualified mechanic.
There is a wealth of benefits to vehicle servicing, but the most important part is ensuring it is done regularly. Irregular servicing, or neglecting it altogether, can make any vehicle maintenance you have had carried out in the past a waste of time and money. Always consult your vehicle’s handbook for previous servicing information and manufacturers’ recommendations as to when your vehicle should be serviced.
Author Bio: Drew works for BookMyGarage writing blogs, website content and almost everything else in between. He works closely with ex-mechanics and subject matter experts. When he’s not helping you save money on running your car or making your driving life easier, he can be found either with his head in a book or with a golf club in his hands (usually looking for his ball in the woods
