Importance of Car Servicing

If you get your vehicle serviced regularly, it could go a long way in keeping it in a spic and span condition and ensuring your safety while driving. Maintaining a servicing schedule as recommended by the manufacturer, will not only increase the life of your car, but will also maintain its resale value, if you wish to sell it.

While taking your car for servicing, always remember to make a detailed list of jobs to be done. A typical servicing could include the following:

1. Change of Oil Filter and Engine Oil.


2. Checking the Brake Oil, Coolant Fluid and Power Steering Fluid.


3. Checking of lighting, signaling, brakes and clutch.


4. Replacing Air Filter and Spark Plugs.

Remember to get the servicing jobs done only at the authorised workshops by the company trained mechanics, because every make of the car needs a different approach.

The type of oil you use determines the schedule of changing the engine oil and fuel filter. Now most of the reputed companies are offering fully synthetic oils rather than mineral or semi-synthetic oils. Synthetic oils not only last longer, but also offer better protection to the engine as compared to the mineral based oils. For example, Castrol GTX Magnatec is very effective in protecting the engine due to the built in magnetic properties in it.

You should always make it a point to check the brake, coolant and steering oils when you're getting your car serviced, and top it up if necessary. They should also be checked periodically by you also. Any deficiency of the engine coolant could result in a damage which could be very expensive, which could even require engine replacement. Any carelessness with regard to power steering or brake fluid could cause problems in controlling your vehicle and thereby jeopardize your safety on the road.

Most of the modern vehicles are fitted with components, which can perform auto diagnostics on them.. But because of the cost factor in the equipments used, only some garages have the facility of performing auto diagnostics. Therefore if you own any of the high end car, be sure to take your car only to a reputed company authorised garage, and not to let any roadside mechanic fiddle with it.

Air filters usually last 25,000 to 50,000 kms, depending upon the environmental conditions. If the air filter is clogged, it will reduce the flow of the air to the engine, thus reducing its power and increasing the fuel consumption. Although spark plug is one of the cheapest parts of the engine, but it plays a very vital role in tuning the engine. Some of the manufacturers claim that their spark plugs have a life span of over 100,000 kms, but they should be changed after every 40-50,000 kms. Even if you're using long life spark plugs, be sure to clean them regularly, so that there's no carbon deposit on them. This is very important to ensure that your engine does not get choked.

These are some of the important reasons that you should take utmost care in selecting service garage for your car, which not only has proper diagnostic equipments but also trained personnel to carry out the necessary service on your car, so that you can get many more trouble free miles out of it.