Avoid Future Problems With Routine Car Inspections

Whether you lease a vehicle or own it outright, car inspections are a crucial part of maintaining your car long-term. During these routine checkups, mechanics have the ability to assess that everything is working right and ensure you don’t have any underlying issues that could jeopardize your safety.

Luckily, car inspections don’t cost much. In addition, it’s easy to schedule an appointment at any time of year. So regardless if you think your car has a problem or not, car inspections are a simple and practical way to get a full work-up from the inside out.

In this safety guide, we’ll detail the importance of car inspections, what typically get’s inspected, and how preventative maintenance can save you from future damage.

Thinking of skipping your next car inspection? Here’ why you shouldn’t

Consider your vehicle an extension of yourself. What we mean by that is your car’s health is just as important as your own. To keep your car running in good condition, you’ll need to schedule a visit to the mechanic ever-so-often just as you would a primary physician.

What happens when you skip those routine checkups? Problems start to happen! A vehicle is a complex and often fickle machine. One failing car part could lead to other problems, and even more damage to your wallet. By keeping up with regularly scheduled car inspections you can help avoid this scenario from happening.

Any hidden problems that the driver may be unaware of are brought to attention before it’s too late for an inexpensive fix. What’s more, with the average driver spending 293 hours per year in the car, it’s safe to say that something will go wrong over time. Many times, when you least expect it.

In order to circumvent these unpredictable outcomes, auto experts encourage drivers to schedule car inspections at least every 12 months. Sometimes more frequently depending on the age and maturity of your car.

What’s involved in a complete car checkup?

When you schedule a car inspection, your vehicle undergoes a systematic review. Using a combination of instruments and expertise, mechanics will check every major aspect of your vehicle, from functions under the hood to exterior elements like headlight quality and tire pressure.

No matter how much time has passed, mechanics perform the inspection thoroughly and the same way each time. Listed below you’ll see a complete checklist of the functions most frequently analyzed during a car inspection:

• Fluids (motor oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant, power steering, and windshield wiper fluid)
• Tires (PSI and tire tread)
• Battery (voltage test and corrosion check)
• Hoses and belts (check for cracks, nicks and corrosion on radiator cap)
• Brakes (inspect brake lines and check for noises or sliding)
• Filter quality (cabin air filters and engine filters)

In general, this is what your mechanic will search for when performing a complete look-over of your car. Keep in mind, a car inspection isn’t designed to find a problem. These routine examines allow professionals to get a clear depiction of your vehicle’s health.

Car inspections are the cornerstone of preventative maintenance

Not every car owner is an auto enthusiast. Which means, not every driver will be diligent about keeping up with routine maintenance and repairs. We encourage car owners to treat their rides as they would a member of the family. With as much time as you spend in your car, it deserves to be taken care of.

Car inspections just so happen to be the solution to avoiding expensive repairs later on. And more importantly, they maintain the value of your vehicle in case you plan to sell or trade-in for something new.

All and all, the extra $100 a year are surely worth the investment. Especially if you want to prevent costly and sometimes irreversible damage down the road.