Routine maintenance is practical, yet some motorists skip out on services that can save them frustration (and expensive repairs) later. You may have a friend or family member in this category of driver, or you might be one yourself. If most people recognize the benefits of maintenance, why would anyone choose not to follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance guidelines? There are a few that come to mind, and the answers differ depending on whether the maintenance is for a passenger vehicle or a commercial one.
Passenger Car, Light Truck, and SUV Maintenance
On the passenger vehicle side, two constraints are time and money. Unless you’re covered under a maintenance program, you need to pay something to have your vehicle looked at by a technician. While most drivers understand their vehicles need maintenance, not everyone preps for the cost. A person may underestimate the number of miles they will drive in a year and meet their mileage maintenance interval sooner than expected. They might have tight budgets, making it more difficult to save for these services.
Other motorists opt out of maintenance for DIY jobs. For those who are mechanically inclined and know what they’re doing, it’s an easy way to save. However, it means foregoing an official maintenance service at the shop and proof of maintenance. For drivers who plan on keeping a vehicle until the end of its service life, that won’t be of much consequence. If there’s a possibility of selling the vehicle in the future, having a record of maintenance can help the owner negotiate a better price. If a a shop history cannot be established, it’s useful to have a record of maintenance items purchased. The receipts will show what products were used and when they were purchased, which can add peace of mind.
Last, there are drivers who plan to take their vehicles in for maintenance but keep forgetting or have “other things to do.” We recommend adding maintenance to the top of that “things to do” list, because we believe it is worth the time. As for forgetting, any driver reading this article now should consider the last time they had a maintenance service performed. Now might be a good time to make a note on the calendar and schedule an appointment if service is due soon.
Fleet Maintenance
Fleet maintenance has a different set of variables. In fact, there are different types of maintenance for fleets, including: proactive maintenance, reactive maintenance, predictive maintenance, and reliability centered maintenance. Companies vary in which type they follow, based on operation costs and application. You can read more about each in Operations & Best Practices: A Guide to Achieving Operational Efficiency (Chapter 5). This guide, released by the Federal Energy Management Program, reviews the pros and cons fleet managers should consider when choosing a maintenance schedule.
At our service center, we do our utmost to make fleet PM easy. We work with you to keep your commercial vehicles operating at their best, so they continue to reach their destinations. Our team works with many fleet companies, and we guarantee timely service.
If it’s time for maintenance, don’t wait! Give us a call and we’ll assist with all your automotive and fleet maintenance needs.
