How And Why Preventive Maintenance Matters

by Steve Michaels
Posted: Apr 14, 2021

Do you actively practice Preventative Maintenance with your car?

At Foreign Affairs, we sometimes imagine customers may tighten a bit when we bring up preventative maintenance. We can certainly understand why it might make people tense up: the more you bring your car to a mechanic, the more you pay in the work they must perform to maintain your car. There’s a certain faulty logic to this that is understandable.

But this is inaccurate for a number of reasons, as it’s difficult to factor the unknown costs of letting a car go and then needing it running right again. A good analogy to explaining it might be to compare preventative maintenance with your nightly teeth cleaning routine.

When you brush, you likely use toothpaste, a brush specifically chosen for your teeth and gums, dental floss, and mouthwash. All of these items work to eliminate the issues that cause gum disease, plaque, and tartar build-up, which leads to bad breath.

If all you ever did was brush when you noticed your breath was bad, you could get rid of some plaque. But if all you are doing is brushing, you are missing out on flossing in intervals and mouthwash to kill the germs. If all you do is occasionally gargle with mouthwash, the tartar builds on your teeth and in between, trapped food begins to rot. If you just floss, you would let the tartar build and miss out on the plaque on your teeth.

Like the work you put into your teeth, the work on your car needs to be steady, vigilant, and watchful. Regular maintenance has a number of big advantages for you:

It Saves Money. The cost of taking your car to the mechanic regularly is so much less than the money you would have to spend on deep system failures, towing, car rentals, potential accidents caused from the car breaking down, and so on.
It improves your fuel mileage. If you leave your suspension issues until a growing problem is unignorable, you will have lost considerable money in extra gas to power your car. The same is true about waiting too long to change the oil. Every 3,000 miles protects you, but bringing your car in for inspection and letting a qualified auto mechanic present you with a diagnosis is easily the best plan.
It’s Safer. Nothing hurts as much as the pain you could have stopped a loved one from feeling. Your family’s safety is too important to leave in the hands of passing angels. Take responsibility before something awful happens.
5 Ways To Protect Your Vehicle During Winter
Winter is in full swing now that the new year has arrived, which means that road conditions are now the stuff of nightmares. Rain, snow, ice, and salt are all potential hazards to be aware of, and protecting your vehicle from the winter elements is the best way to ensure its longevity and safety down the line. Adhering to these 5 tips on how to protect your vehicle during the winter will go a long way toward making that a reality! Covered Parking: If you have access to covered parking, use it! Keeping your car covered while parked is essential in protecting it from the cold weather conditions. Additionally, keeping your car in a covered area such as in a covered carport or your garage will make getting into and out of your vehicle a more pleasant experience during the winter months.

If you are ready to step up to preventative maintenance, make an appointment today for the vehicle with the auto mechanics of Foreign Affairs! Schedule an appointment for service. Or call us with any questions you might have at 561-475-4145. You can find us located at 1681 N Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33409.