Identifying issues early on has many benefits including saving your life and keeping the car performing optimally, which makes car maintenance an important task to be followed regularly.

According to a widespread opinion, changing the oil and air filters is all that is needed to ensure the proper functioning of the car and keep the engine n optimal condition.

Prevention, as we know, is the best weapon and the logic of these planned interventions is precisely to act even before malfunctions or mechanical problems of any kind occur. A maintenance schedule is usually set by the manufacturer of each make, and mostly cover the fluids related to the engine. But, there is much more to look after, such as:

• check brakes; 
• check battery and lights; 
• check and replace the glow or spark plugs if needed;
• check the condition of the tyres, tyre rotation, tyre pressure; 
• check  steering and  suspensions; 
• check the belts; 
• re-gas air-con; 
• replace oil filter, air filter,  (when existing fuel filter); 
• leaks whether engine oil, transmission oil or coolant.   

Many expensive car repair bills can be avoided, by only having the vehicle regularly serviced?

It is proven that many of the issues are being discovered and taken care of during such a visit, which if left unattended, can lead to other components getting damaged, therefore increasing the chances of having to deal with higher repair bills.

The frequency of such routine visits is not a one size fits all approach and is highly impacted by the type of roads driven on, environment – whether is a dusty one or clean, climate and type of driving, age of the vehicle. 

• Servicing the battery regularly can help you prevent the possibility of not being able to start the vehicle even after replacing the battery. Take for example Nissan Micra 2002-2010. If you own this vehicle, when the battery goes flat and you attempt to start the car, the IMM(immobiliser module) and ECU(engine control module) will de-synchronise. For this particular model, the re-synchronisation has to occur in a garage, as the job is more comprehensive and requires more sophisticated equipment and time. Read more about the importance of servicing the battery. 
   
• Another important aspect of why a regular maintenance schedule needs to become a routine is because it can save the engine and or the transmission should there be any oil or coolant leaks that would go unnoticed, or it can increase the lifespan of the engine and the transmission. Oil or coolant leaks, besides that, are not environmentally friendly, it can also lead to the engine and or the transmission running dry at some point which may require a complete engine and transmission rebuild or replacement. Nonetheless, a much higher repair cost. 
   
• ADAS or otherwise called Advanced Driver Assist Systems. This definitely is one overlooked part of the vehicle that is not talked about enough as this also requires attention. More about ADAS and the importance of recalibration, you can read on the ADAS Services page.