by Tammy Williams
VehicleMD Staff Writer
Originally published in Fall 2010 Issue

“You may delay, but time will not.”
– Benjamin Franklin

It’s hard to believe that with this quote Ben is actually speaking to 80 percent of Americans—about their automotive maintenance habits.

The Car Care Council sponsors numerous check lane events throughout the year where customers can have their vehicles inspected from bumper to bumper—at no cost—to determine what components are in need of maintenance. The results show eight out of 10 cars passing through the check lanes failed at least one component of the vehicle inspection process.

“Delaying routine vehicle maintenance can have some serious impacts,” said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. White compared routine vehicle maintenance to our own routine physical checkups. A doctor can spot a small problem, such as some plaque buildup in your arteries, that can be taken care of through a few simple steps, thus keeping it from becoming a bigger, more expensive problem that will inconvenience you down the road. Just as your doctor might recommend a statin medication to help reduce cholesterol—from all those years of choosing fried chicken over salads—before it causes a heart attack, your automotive technician might recommend an engine flush to help remove sludge buildup in your engine—from a long-overdue oil change—before it wreaks major havoc.

“Vehicle negligence costs money and can be unsafe,” White said. “It’s important to remind motorists that those who treat their vehicles as valuable investments and commit to regular vehicle maintenance, end up saving a lot of money.

“In fact, according to Runzheimer International, the difference in the savings over a four-year period between keeping a car and buying a new one is more than $10,000.”

If your vehicle is low on fluids, it can affect the safe driving performance of the vehicle and damage internal parts. Nearly three out of 10 vehicles failed the check lane inspections because of low, overfull or dirty engine oil.

Low tire pressure decreases gas mileage and tire life, and vehicles with inadequate tire tread are at greater risk of an accident. During the check lane events, 15 percent of vehicles were found to have improperly inflated tires and 9 percent had worn tread and needed to be replaced.

Surprisingly, nearly 40 percent of vehicles inspected in 2009 needed new wiper blades. This simple fix can really affect driving safety, and the worst part is you may not realize they need to be replaced until it is too late and the rain is pouring down.

These results underscore the importance of preventive maintenance. After all, your vehicle could be one of the statistics. Just because you are delaying changing your oil or replacing your tires doesn’t mean that time is on hold—one more day without an oil change equals one more day for sludge to form.

“Don’t neglect giving your car a quick once-over in the driveway or taking it to your service center to have them check over its various parts and systems,” White said. “It’s so inexpensive to have it checked and, if your technician spots something, to have it taken care of. It’s wise to do it on your own time, when it’s convenient for you, at a trusted service facility. It’s a much better option, than finding yourself in an unsafe, awkward and inconvenient situation when you’re out on the road.”