Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Preventative Maintenance

Prevent Defense

 

While the human body comes in an indeterminable number of shapes and sizes, there are truths that are difficult to question. If you eat right, get exercise on a regular basis, and get your regular checkups at the doctor’s office, the odds of living a longer, more productive life increase significantly. Of course, following this approach isn’t always easy – and may seem expensive – but the potential rewards far outweigh the costs.

This discussion is about cars, not humans. But their functions are similar. And so is their care.

Have you ever seen that person, stuck with their car on the side of the road – at night, during rush hour, and (wait for it) in the rain? You remember how much you envied that person? You don’t?

Just like none of us ever want to be in the hospital, being stuck with a malfunctioning vehicle – regardless of where and when – is an unpleasant experience. And in many cases, completely avoidable. What it takes is a little time and some forethought.

Mickey Mantle once said, “If I knew I’d live this long, I would’ve taken better care of myself.” (I know I’m quoting a Yankee, but Ted Williams or Jim Rice didn’t speak much.) Your vehicle can’t speak much, either, but if you plan on keeping it awhile, consider ol’ Mick’s advice.

You already do the basics. You take the car in for an oil change – because you already recognize that investing $35 and one hour every three months is excellent insurance against spending $3,500 for a new engine. And to really ensure that you’re not that person on the side of the road, you put gas in the vehicle regularly. This is a good start. However, like the human body, there are lots of moving parts in a vehicle, and getting them checked out regularly is a great way to keep them moving.

But why bother, you might ask? Isn’t it just plain expensive to keep maintaining the old one, when a new one is a lot less hassle?

Well, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spent 1.5 percent of its income on auto repair. Therefore, assuming an average household income of approximately $90,000, you lucky people are spending about $1,350 a year on fixing your vehicles.

Let’s assume you’re unlucky, and you spend twice as much. That’s $2,700 a year into maintaining your car. Ouch! Until you head to the new car dealer, and the finance guy (don’t youhate that guy?) gives you the deal of a lifetime. According to the National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA), the average price of a new car is nearly $29,000. But you get 0% financing for 6 years – and only paid $26,000 for the vehicle. Hey, finance guy isn’t so bad, after all.

But now you’re putting out $4,333 per year for the new car with the incredible deal, versus $2,700 for your current car – if your situation is far worse than average. And you still have maintenance for the new car as it gets older. New car smell is expensive, isn’t it?

By all means, if you want a new vehicle, buy it. And then maintain properly, because you want it to last. And if you intend to keep the vehicle you have, then maintain it properly, because you want it to last.

How?

Find a place you trust, and let them do a proper inspection on the entire vehicle. And when you hear that something is in need of repair, stop delaying. Like that bad knee you’ve been trying to ignore, it doesn’t get better with time. Far too often, the person stuck on the side of the road was aware of the problem, but figured that they have time to take care of it, or didn’t have the money. Well, they now have the time – to wait for the tow truck. Hopefully, they have the money…

The auto technicians at Living The Dream Auto Care are masters in preventing that “broke-down feeling” without leaving you feeling broke. They have been helping theirguests stay out of the rain since they opened their first location in Canton in 2009.  And now, they have opened a new location at 95 S. Main St. in Mansfield.  Along with giving honest answers, and having state-of-the-art repair equipment to handle virtually any vehicle, they have the cleanest bathroom in any repair facility in the state.  Give them a call at (774) 719-2631 to schedule your next checkup.

Cars differ, just like humans. But the standards of maintenance are the same. Getting a proper regular checkup will alleviate breakdowns and costly replacements. And when you’re on your way to the gym, we’ll make sure you don’t break down on the way there.