A vehicle is a valuable investment that makes your life easier – getting you to work so you can earn a salary, taking you to visit much-loved family members and friends and helping you transport heavy items from A to B. It makes sense to look after it and protect it just as you would any other item of value.
“Just like you get routine check-ups for good personal health, your vehicle benefits much from regular care and maintenance,” points out Jarrod Berman, Managing Director of MotorHappy, a supplier of motor management solutions. “Skipping a car service and poor vehicle maintenance poses real consequences to both the vehicle and the driver.”
Any vehicle, whether it’s a personal car, van, or truck, will start to perform poorly once you fail to perform routine maintenance on it. Missing a car service will shorten the lifespan of your car. It may become unreliable and could develop a range of problems that significantly reduces the resale value of your vehicle. A car with a good service history maintains a higher value when reselling it.
“However, more important than resale price is the safety risk it poses to the driver and the passenger,” says Berman. “When a vehicle is poorly maintained or a service is skipped, it poses a safety risk to the vehicle, driver, passengers, and other road users.
If you miss a service, you might not be aware that your vehicle’s tyres have inconsistent pressure, or suffers from wheel alignment issues, frayed belts, worn brakes, oil or coolant leaks and other serious problems.”
Several factors contribute to road traffic accidents, and vehicle defects is one of the biggest contributors. Regular servicing and vehicle maintenance ensure that all essential vehicle operational systems are assessed regularly.
Berman adds that without your scheduled check-up and resulting conversation with your mechanic or workshop, you might be unaware of recall notices for the model, make, and year of your vehicle. This can be dangerous because if a manufacturer issues a vehicle recall replacing electrical components or other parts, it means there could be a severe threat to the driver safety.
If your car is still under warranty, missing a car service can have serious financial implications. “If you skip a car service, you would most likely invalidate your warranty, which means you’re not covered if any major replacements are required. Additionally, if you have an accident caused by a functional issue that should have been addressed when your vehicle was serviced, for example brake failure, your insurance company could refuse to pay out,” explains Berman.
Many motorists might skip a car service because they haven’t budgeted for the expense. “With a car service plan, you can spread the cost over a few months. With affordable monthly payments it’s much easier to keep up with regular servicing and to make sure your car stays in good condition. Plus, it helps you avoid those unexpected repair bills. Think of it as a way to keep both your car and your wallet happy and worry-free,” says Berman.
You might save a couple of thousand rands by missing a service, but the risks simply aren’t worth it.