Don’t Cheap Out When It Comes To Car Maintenance

If you’re a licensed driver in the OC and you’re out there on the road every day, you know that car maintenance can be costly. That’s especially true if you have an older vehicle that’s seen a lot of use in its life. If your car seems like it’s on its last legs, then you should swing by your neighborhood Toyota dealer Orange County. Toyotas maintain their resale value better than any other variety of car because they’re made to last. If you plan on sticking with your older model for the foreseeable future, think about what neglecting these repairs could cost you.

Some Common Automotive Expenses

It’s estimated that the cost of yearly maintenance for your car is about $550. That includes oil changes, shocks, alignment, brakes, and tires. However, if at all possible you should have a little money put aside in case something related to your car breaks or fails. Oil changes can run about $120 per year, assuming you’re getting a fair amount of use out of your vehicle. It might be less if you’re not on the road as much, or more if you’re driving regularly for work or recreation. Oil changes are critical because oil lubricates vital engine parts. If you don’t change your oil promptly, your engine will not be protected from wear. If you have to rebuild or entirely replace your engine, you’re going to wish you had just changed the oil in time. Replacement or repairs could run you anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000.

Tire rotations are essential because they promote even wear on your tires. Your mileage will be better that way, and your tires will last longer. Rotation doesn’t typically cost very much. If you don’t get your tires rotated, then you’ll need a new set faster. Four new tires could easily cost you $350. You should replace your timing belt every 90,000 or 100,000 miles. That seems expensive, at $600 or so, but it will be worse if you decide to push it any further than that. If your belt breaks, it will not be covered by a powertrain warranty. For a lot of engines, it’s going to mean costly repairs. Replacing bent valves due to a broken timing belt is going to cost you up to $2,700.    

There are other features you should keep an eye on as well, including brake pads and shoes, rotors and drums, the PCV valve, and your spark plugs. You should get your car inspected once a year to make sure that all of those are in good working order, but you should get a tuneup for your car more often than that. Depending on how many miles you’re racking up, visiting your mechanic every six or even three months might be advisable. In summation, you don’t want to avoid putting off repairs and replacements. It might seem like it’s saving you money now, but it almost always ends up costing you later.