A vehicle is an investment and most people put in a lot of money from the get-go and do not necessarily plan on putting in thousands of dollars down the road on repairs and service. Sure, vehicles will need some TLC which costs money, but the best way to be money smart when it comes to your vehicle is to ensure that it is properly maintained. Waiting until it is too late will cost you thousands of dollars more than many folks are able to pay. So this Money Smart Week April 20-27, we want to remind you just how important proper preventative maintenance can be as a money-saving tool in the long run. In fact, a vehicle properly maintained and kept three years after your payments end will save you $20,000 to $30,000.

So just what are the most expensive repairs? Well besides battery replacement and investment and cooling system flushes, you could also spend extra money on failing to rotate your tires and keep them at their proper inflation levels. This service is FREE with an oil change from our auto repair shop yet could end up costing you anywhere between three hundred dollars to twenty-five hundred dollars. Ignoring tire needs could lead to suspension problems, alignment issues, ball joint replacement, control arm bushing, and much more. None of these services end up being cheap and all will have a direct impact on the performance and safety of your vehicle.

Being money smart doesn’t mean skipping maintenance and service on your vehicle to save the extra bucks. Not only will this compromise your vehicle’s performance and parts, but it will also compromise the safety of your vehicle on the road, leading to accidents, injuries, or worse. Transmission service is also a vital part of proper maintenance. Using the proper fluids and having your transmission flushed by an experienced auto repair shop will prevent serious and expensive repairs. Transmission fluid is the life blood of your transmission. It cleans, cools, and lubricates all the moving parts inside. Over time, heat destroys the fluid’s ability to lubricate and the detergent in the fluid eventually loses its ability to clean.

As an owner of a vehicle, you are responsible for keeping your vehicle working and safe. Being money smart means investing money when you need it before it is too late. There are plenty of other services and costly repairs that you may encounter, but partnering with our Tempe auto repair shop for preventative maintenance is the best way to be money smart now, and years from now.