How often do you use a mechanic on the Sunshine Coast? Do you book your car in regularly for servicing, or do you wait until something goes wrong? If it’s the latter, it could actually cost you more down the line.
Generally speaking, it is recommended a car is serviced every 10,000km or 6 months, whichever comes first. However, the NRMA reports that many drivers choose the ‘whatever comes last’ approach.
Leaving it too long between services can compromise your vehicle’s safety and cause premature wear and tear. With today’s computer-driven engines, ignoring the warning light could be a costly mistake.
When reviewed, some of the drivers who leave it a long time between car servicing say it comes down to cost; others say they don’t believe the vehicle needs it and that workshops charge a lot of money to do very little.
Mechanic Sunshine Coast
Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have to say, that second viewpoint is generally wrong and rather silly. Think about your vehicle in the most basic terms; for starters, it’s made up of many moving parts – so there are many things that could go wrong!
Think about how and where you drive; do you like to put your foot down? Do you use your brakes a lot? Do you go off-road?
No, I only do short trips around town, you say, so I can go longer between services. Wrong! Did you know the most engine wear happens during the first 10 minutes of your journey? Vehicles drive at their best when both the engine oil and engine components are warm. Often, on short trips, your car won’t even reach its optimum engine temperature.
Mechanical Repairs Sunshine Coast
Engine components are machined to very precise measurements. It’s all to do with clearances and tolerances and, when the clearances aren’t quite right, you will experience less-than-perfect performance and more wear and tear. When your engine is cold, the tolerances are not correct.
Before you get too excited, exceptionally long trips cause a lot of wear on your engine, too. Running a vehicle at an extreme heat for long time periods – which is hard to avoid in Australia – can cause problems. And it goes without saying that if you are planning a long drive, you should get your vehicle properly serviced first.
A large percentage of mechanical repairs on the Sunshine Coast are caused by the way we use and care for our vehicles. Considering how much you can pay for a car these days, it amazes me how little care and attention some drivers give them.
Buying a new car is one of the most expensive purchases you will make; compared to that outlay, booking a regular service is a pittance and well worth the effort.
Mechanical Repair Service
A good mechanical repair service can cover everything from your steering and suspension to clutches, brakes, air conditioning and auto electrics. And remember, the faster they can find the fault, the quicker and more economically they can fix it; that’s why it’s important to take your vehicle to a quality mechanical workshop.
This is especially true if you drive a European car; these are highly engineered vehicles which need to be kept in peak condition for ultimate performance. Don’t worry, they will reward you for the little extra effort with years of amazing motoring.
Research shows that performance cars that are regularly serviced work out more cost-effective over time, as well as maintaining an excellent resale value.
Choosing a Mechanic
So, with all that in mind, what should you expect from a mechanic on the Sunshine Coast? Let’s start with cost, as that seems to be a major decider for some car owners. If your car is still under warranty, you may have been told that you must return it to the dealership for log book servicing. Not only is this untrue, but it generally works out more expensive.
By choosing a prestige vehicle workshop that is not a dealership, you will almost always pay less because they don’t have the same overheads. Take SVS Autocare, for example; with outlets on the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane, they offer a top-class service for less than a dealership would charge.
Not only that, but they have all those great extras, like free courtesy cars and pick-ups, comfortable air-conditioned customer lounge, even a VIP club. More importantly, they guarantee their work because they only use genuine quality parts and master-trained technicians.
Personally, I would rather pay for a job to be done perfectly the first time, than have to keep going back because they can’t find the problem. Yes, most of us have been there! Like most people, I rely on my car a great deal, especially living out of town. I also want to drive with 100% confidence that my vehicle is safe.
In the end, it’s all about safety really, and what price do you put on that?