You did something amazing today! You drove yourself to school! For the first time since mid November and a recent surgery to your foot you got behind the wheel of the car. Your doctor visit yesterday went well and he gave you permission to start walking again, longer distances and even trying to go without the boot, but only at home. You have to admit that you were a little terrified since the last few times of walking you have failed, but you are trusting that the healing is going well.
Driving yourself to work again is a little, itty, bitty step toward independence! Fortunately, during the time when you have been unable to drive your husband has taken the time to follow through on all of the maintenance that needed to be taken care of on the car.
Paying attention to details can help you make sure that your car, truck, van, or SUV running as efficiently as possible. From the need for commercial truck repairs to keep a business going to the attention individual drivers need to give to their car care services and wheels, it is important that you are aware of the not only recommended manufacturer’s service requirements, but also are able to pay attention when you are driving to see if there is any other kind of maintenance.
Oil changes, tire rotations, and filter changes are many of the tasks that vehicle owners have to deal with on a regular basis. Of course, there are other kinds of problems that come up during the natural wear and tear of driving a vehicle. Knowing, for instance, that a ride is more uneven than normal might be an indication of a low tire. A low tire, if it is addressed immediately, can allow you to avoid damage to expensive wheels. Owning a car, like owning a house, is more easy to manage if you are accustomed to paying attention to details and make the effort to deal with problems as soon as they occur. Waiting until a small problem like a low tire, for example, is an issue that can cause significant damage to wheels is one lesson that you do not want to learn.
Car Maintenance Plays an Important Role in Making Sure the Roads Are Safe
Whether you are just getting back on the road after a recent foot injury, you are a first time driver with a new license, or you are a commercial driver for an over the road trucking company, vehicle maintenance is important. Ignoring early warning signs of trouble, in fact, can lead to extensive and expensive repairs.
From tires and wheels to oil changes, consider some of these common facts and figures about the vehicle maintenance industry:
- Including $202.28 for parts and $103.27 for labor, the total average vehicle repair cost in the U.S. is $305.55.
- Unfortunately, more than $60 billion worth of car maintenance goes unperformed every year.
- Today, most new cars do not come with spare tires. Manufacturers, instead, are trying to decrease weight due to stricter emissions rules, so they are selling some new cars with a patch kit and a can of compressed air.
- Americans on average drive their passenger cars and trucks slightly more than 10,000 miles a year, and they get an oil change every 3,000 miles.
- Motor oil, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and windshield washer fluid are the six fluids in a traditional cars that require both maintenance and replenishing.
- Research from a recent study found that an estimated 77% of cars were in need of maintenance or repairs. This means, of course, that seven of every ten cars on the road may have a maintenance issue that can effect its safety.
- With all of the cars that are on the road today it should come as no surprise that there are currently an estimated 87,032 auto repair businesses in the U.S.
- More than 250 million tires are discarded every year. In fact, recent recycling programs melt the rubber for asphalt or shred them for garden mulch. Some companies, in fact, even make new tires out of old ones.
