Everyone wants to make their vehicle last longer, but there is a lot of contradicting information out there for the everyday consumer. It’s important to distinguish between good advice, bad advice, and advice from marketers simply looking to make money from you. Many vehicle owners don’t take any steps to take care of their car, while others simply take the wrong steps. Here is a list of 10 common car maintenance mistakes that you should stop making.
1) Not researching your mechanic – Mechanic Adviser was started for a reason: there was not much information out there when it came to researching mechanics, so consumers weren’t able to get an accurate picture of what to expect. But these days, there is not shortage of resources out there to do your research. Look up reviews online, talk to friends and family members for recommendations, and check for accreditation from ASE and other industry groups. Finally, ask the mechanic or shop owner questions about their services, a Good Auto Mechanic will be proud to tell you about their work and make sure that you feel comfortable doing business.
2) Ignoring strange noises – Ignorance is bliss, but not when it comes to car care. People lead busy lives, so when your car starts sounding like a tractor, some people add it to their list of things to pretend they’re going to look into. This is a major mistake, as ignoring problems in the short-term leads to major problems down the line, and this means bigger problems for your wallet. If your vehicle is making a strange or unusual noise, have it checked out immediately, first, to rule out any potential safety issues, and second, to find out if something needs to be repaired. And no, rap music doesn’t count as a “strange noise coming from the car.”
3) Wasting money on a failing vehicle – There comes a point in every vehicle’s lifespan where it is no longer worth investing a single penny to keep it running. This happens to some car earlier than others, but sooner or later it will happen. However, there are some people who absolutely refuse to acknowledge this concept, and continue to spend money on pricey repairs, despite knowing they’ll be back in the shop within a matter of weeks. Of course, there are instances where this is out of economic necessity, but money spent to keep a car running can also be used toward another vehicle. Here is a quick guide to help you decide whether to repair your vehicle or get rid of it.
4) Oil changes that are too frequent – Contrary to popular belief, oil changes should be performed according to the maintenance schedule in your vehicle owner’s manual. The quick oil-change industry has spent years marketing the idea that oil should be changed every 3,000 miles in order to boost their profits, but this simply isn’t the case. Modern day vehicles do not require oil changes every several thousand miles unless they are being pushed to their limits. Of course, older vehicles, and those used as cabs, tow-trucks, or driven in tough environments will require more frequent oil changes, but for those just commuting to work and the occasional trip around town, following your owner’s manual is the way to go.
5) Not sticking with a shop/mechanic you trust – An interesting phenomenon in the business world is people who have an excellent experience with a service provider, and then don’t return to that business for whatever reason. This can be because they simply forgot, out of convenience, or for the sake of trying something new. With car care, when you find a mechanic that has done good work at a fair price, you should stick with them. There is a small segment of the mechanic industry that is unscrupulous, and gives the other mechanics a bad name, so if you choose to leave someone you trust in order to try someone new, you may risk ending up with one of the shady outliers. And if you have a great experience with someone in particular at a shop with multiple mechanics, don’t be shy, and request the tech you worked with before. Not only will you know what to expect, the mechanic will be flattered.
6) Taking shortcuts – Instead of having work performed properly, some people look for shortcuts that they believe will save them money, time, or both. These can range from attempting to perform work they aren’t qualified for, to trusting their friends with complicated repairs. I once knew someone who had a rear-wheel drive BMW, and instead of replacing his rear tires, he just switched the wheels and tires from the front of the car to the back. Since this vehicle had a staggered wheel setup, he was driving around with smaller tires in the back than the front of his car. Hilariously enough, when he wore the tread out on those wheels once again, he just flipped them around. While this sounds incredibly dumb (which it is), it’s not at all uncommon to see people trying to take repair and maintenance shortcuts that eventually come back to bite them.
7) Neglecting to read vehicle owner’s manual – It’s very likely that the overwhelming majority of vehicle owners never bother to look at the owner’s manual, despite everyone always recommending it. We can understand that no one wants to sit there on their Saturday afternoon and read technical instructions all day. BUT, if you have a problem with your car, or need to understand something, your vehicle owner’s manual is the first place you should look. There are countless examples of people bringing their vehicle in for service when the issue they were having trouble understanding/fixing could have easily been solved with one glance into the little book in the glove compartment. Here is a good example; my battery died recently, and after jump-starting the car, the radio was disabled as a security feature in the car to prevent theft. Many people would have brought the car to a mechanic or dealer to fix the radio, but just reading the manual allowed me to enter a code which brought my radio back to life, without having to pay anyone or go anywhere.
8) Not taking advice – There is a misconception out there that if your mechanic suggest additional repairs or maintenance, preventative or otherwise, they are automatically just trying to make more money and there is NO way that you actually need them. It’s important to look at things in perspective. Your mechanic is most likely a highly trained professional who knows what to look for when it comes to cars. While there are occasional instances of unnecessary up-selling (as with any industry), reflexively ignoring advice and assuming that it’s not needed is not a smart way to approach car care. If you are skeptical, ask the mechanic to explain to you why the repairs are necessary and needed until you feel satisfied with their explanation or decline the services. You can also check your vehicle owner’s manual if you need confirmation that a particular service is due. Lastly, you are free to get a second opinion from another shop if you feel uncomfortable with the first one. Just don’t ignore advice out of sheer instinct, as you may only end up hurting yourself.
9) Buying the wrong car - This may seem a bit obvious, but it’s not obvious to the population at large. Many people buy cars that they can’t afford, don’t understand, and don’t need, and then go on to experience problems with car care as a result of those decisions. Some people buy notoriously unreliable vehicles without doing any research at all, and then spend thousands of dollars in the shop paying for repairs and wondering where they went wrong. Other people buy vehicles that are out of their price range, and then don’t budget for repairs, which are typically more expensive with more expensive vehicles. If you want to be a smart vehicle owner, you need to be a smart vehicle buyer first. Use all of the resources available to you online and everywhere else to buy the right car for you.
10) Choosing price over quality – A mistake many car owner’s make is ignoring the necessity of quality work in favor of a low price. This can apply to purchasing a vehicle, getting a vehicle serviced, or buying new parts for the car. The adage “You get what you pay for” usually rings true when it comes to automotive maintenance and repair. Getting your brakes done on the cheap will probably necessitate additional brake work down the line, so the money you think you saved still needs to be spent. Mechanics that are able to under-cut everyone else will usually perform cut-rate work, and leave you with the same problems, or a set of new ones not far down the road. So if you are really looking to save some money, invest it wisely in quality, rather than looking for the lowest price on the marquee.
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