Why not servicing your car is a false economy

With the mounting costs of family life, things like your car’s annual service can seem like an unnecessary expense. Servicing your vehicle isn’t compulsory like an MOT, so it’s easy not to prioritise it. What’s more, if your car is running fine, with no obvious problems, you can fall into the trap of putting off your service to save money. However, not maintaining a regular service interval can often be a false economy, as a service aims to ensure your car runs efficiently and economically. What you think is saving you money in the short- term, could actually cost you far more in the long run if your car needs costly repairs, or worse, ends up on the scrap heap sooner. At an MOT, the majority of checks are aimed at making sure your vehicle is safe, whereas a service is more focused on the overall maintenance of your car. The garage will check vital parts for signs of damage or wear and will check fluid levels and top up as required. They’ll also carry out an oil and oil filter change to maximise engine efficiency. By ensuring you stick to your service schedule, problems may be picked up early …

With the mounting costs of family life, things like your car’s annual service can seem like an unnecessary expense. Servicing your vehicle isn’t compulsory like an MOT, so it’s easy not to prioritise it. What’s more, if your car is running fine, with no obvious problems, you can fall into the trap of putting off your service to save money.

However, not maintaining a regular service interval can often be a false economy, as a service aims to ensure your car runs efficiently and economically. What you think is saving you money in the short- term, could actually cost you far more in the long run if your car needs costly repairs, or worse, ends up on the scrap heap sooner.

At an MOT, the majority of checks are aimed at making sure your vehicle is safe, whereas a service is more focused on the overall maintenance of your car. The garage will check vital parts for signs of damage or wear and will check fluid levels and top up as required. They’ll also carry out an oil and oil filter change to maximise engine efficiency. By ensuring you stick to your service schedule, problems may be picked up early which may reduce repair costs.

However not maintaining regular servicing can also result in a number of other problems which are highlighted in the following infographic from Stoneacre

A useful infographic about what happens if you don't service your car.

Be honest, how often do you service your car at the moment? Are you more likely to keep up a regular service schedule now? Let me know in comments!

*This is a collaborative post.

Leave a comment