Are you working 9 till 5 or have an exceptionally busy schedule and getting your car serviced is something you just don’t have time for? The thought of servicing your car can put a spanner in the works when your week is already full. The thought of not servicing your car has probably popped up on more than one occasion. But can your car really go without a service?

A car service is worth it if you want your car to run smoothly and perform at its best while under your control. Having your car serviced can prolong its lifespan and prevent wear and tear that, overtime, if not serviced can result in a more costly and time-consuming situation.

We understand that it’s not always about the time and having your car serviced does cost money. Servicing a car can become considerably expensive but that doesn’t mean it always has to be pricey. Find out more about why servicing your car is worth it by reading the information we have for you below. The stats might surprise you.

Is Servicing Your Car Worth It?

If you don’t service your car when it needs to be serviced or at the recommended time or mileage usage, you risk wearing out your engine sooner rather than later. You will also be risking other mechanical and underside parts of your vehicle that could cause a series of issues down the line.

If you’re afraid that the cost is not worth it then we should tell you now, if your vehicle breaks down or has any issues because it hasn’t been serviced for many years you will find not having serviced your car will make the repairs more expensive.

Here’s a quick recap of why servicing your car is worth it:

• Not servicing your car risks your safety
• An un-serviced car costs more to run than a serviced car
• Your engine can become damaged
• Mechanical and engine systems will stop functioning at their desired and acceptable level
• Your fuel efficiency will degrade, and gas will be more expensive
• You will contribute considerably to the air pollution by emitting more carbon emissions than usual into the air

If you’re still not convinced that servicing your car is an essential part of owning a car, please continue reading.

Why is Servicing Your Car Worth the Cost?

Servicing your car is worth the initial service fees because not servicing your car regularly will work out to be more expensive in the future.

Say you haven’t had your car serviced for a long time and are now having some seriously costly issues, possibly worth over a thousand dollars, according to Car History, a regular service could have solved the problem for just a couple hundred dollars.

Servicing your car regularly is worth it for several reasons:

·         If it’s a new car, you will maintain your warranty

To maintain the warranty of a new car you need to have it serviced by the brand dealership or a qualified and certified mechanic of your car brand.

You also need to keep up with the recommended maintenance schedule or you may forfeit your vehicle’s warranty.

·         Servicing your car improves your and your passenger’s safety

You may not think or feel there’s anything wrong with your vehicle, but regular servicing of your car will pick up details that you might not. Leaks, rusting, faulty airbags, low fluid levels, etc. These are all things that could have a serious effect on your safety and the safety of others on the roads.

·         Your engine is healthier after a service

Think of it as a medical checkup. If you’re not feeling well, you would take yourself to the doctor to get a checkup, to make sure your body is alright and there are no underlying causes. This is the same for a car. The mechanic is the doctor, the car is the patient, and the mechanic is there to make sure the engine and all other parts of the vehicle aren’t going to get worse.

·         Your car retains its value better

Regular servicing of your car will help to retain its resale value and it may even increase the value slightly compared with vehicles that aren’t serviced.

For proof of regular servicing, we recommend keeping all records in the glove box of the vehicle including receipts, logbooks, and maintenance descriptions.

When looking at buying used cars people like to see cars that have been well-maintained, serviced, and looked after by previous owners.

You can check out KBB for some other car value-retaining tips here.

·         Running costs are cheaper

It’s true, the total running costs of your car will work out cheaper annually if you have your car serviced at least once–twice a year.

When your engine isn’t serviced and fluids aren’t replaced and refilled, your car needs to work extra hard to fight wear and tear and to keep going. When your car is working overtime, it burns through fuel quicker and you will find you’re filling up more often than usual and spending more on gas than you should be.

How Often Should You Service Your Car?

Regular maintenance of a vehicle is typically inexpensive compared with vehicles that aren’t serviced regularly. When to have your car serviced will depend on your warranty if it’s a new car and if your car no longer has a warranty or was bought used, you’ll still want to keep up with regular maintenance.

Basic car services can be done for less than US$100 if it’s a minor issue.

Here are typically the best times to have services on your car done:

• Oil and filter change every 3,000 – 5,000 miles for regular conventional oil
• Oil and filter change every 7,500 – 10,000 miles for synthetic oil
• Minor service inspection every 6 – 12 months

A minor service inspection will include:

• Wiper blade replacements
• Brake pads checked – replaced usually every 10,000 – 20,000 miles (1-2 years)
• Tire rotation, air pressure, and alignment
• Battery inspection
• All fluids, belts, and filters are inspected and changed if necessary
• Checking of all lights (headlights, brake lights, etc.) and changed if burned out

How Much Does It Cost to Service a Car?

Car servicing prices differ between one mechanic and the next as well as the area you live in.

For example, stats on Car MD show that the lowest average vehicle repair costs were in

• Wisconsin (WI)
• Michigan (MI)

Michigan repair costs were the lowest with an average of only US$343 per service (check engine repairs)

• Ohio (OH)
• Maine (ME)

While the highest average vehicle repair costs were in:

• Rhode Island (RI)
• Connecticut (CT)

Connecticut repair costs were the highest with an average of US$411 for a service. (Check engine repairs)

• Maryland (MD)
• Delaware (DC)
• Georgia (GA)

According to a poll by Harris shows that the average American spends roughly US$397 annually on car maintenance. Does this figure look small to you? It should! This is how much it could cost you to service your car once or twice a year.

Are you wondering what the figure might look like if you don’t? You could be looking at a whole engine replacement or rebuild and the costs go up to US$6,000 and more. Doesn’t look so great anymore, does it? It might even be worth getting the engine replaced at that cost depending on how much value your car has anyway.

Conclusion

For an efficient, smooth, well-performing, and good handling car, you will want to get your car serviced and it is worth it in the short and long run.

Having your car serviced has numerous benefits that far outweigh the potential costs of not having your car serviced regularly.