Preventive Auto Repair Today Saves Big Bucks Tomorrow
Here’s the good news: while most of today’s cars look generic and ugly (unfortunately, the craftsmanship that went into the design of classic automobiles of the 1930s and 1940s could not be duplicated today for much under six figures), mechanically, they are far superior to their predecessors of even 25 years ago. Back in the early to mid-20th Century, you’d be lucky if you could squeeze 50,000 miles out of your engine before having to replace it (the very first Chevy Corvette – really just a family station wagon with a sports car body – was particularly dismal in this respect).
Today however, it’s not unusual for today’s precision-engineered vehicles to provide excellent performance beyond 200,000 miles – provided that preventive auto repair is done on a regularly schedule as recommended by the manufacturer. Failure to take care of these issues early on is what leads to getting stranded on the side of the road later.
One of the primary causes of roadside breakdowns is cooling system failure. This is yet another area that vehicle owners tend to neglect until it’s too late. It’s a good idea to check your hoses and connections on a regular basis, and note when they are starting to become brittle or show cracks.
The cooling system is another area that you should be keeping track of. In fact, almost 90% of all roadside breakdowns are due to cooling system failures. Hoses are the main culprit; over time, the rubber tends to dry out, becoming brittle and prone to cracking.
On the other hand, a car that is driven primarily on the freeway and/or is not operated very much could probably go longer. Synthetic oils are more expensive, but are more eco-friendly and have the advantage of lasting longer, so that oil changes can be done less frequently.
Regular tune-ups are a form of preventive auto repair that can keep your vehicle in top form for many years. In the old days, this was something that needed to be done fairly often, at least once a year or every 12-24,000 miles. Today’s cars are engineered to go up to 50 – 100,000 miles between tuneups, however.
Just remember that it really doesn’t pay to skimp on auto repairs; this is “false economy” at it’s worst. Keeping track of your vehicle’s scheduled maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer and getting small problems addressed before they become major – and expensive – problems. With proper preventive auto repairs, today’s finely-engineered automobiles should continue to serve you well for many years and well beyond the 100,000 mile (or even the 200,000 mile) mark.
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