There’s no better reason for keeping up with your regular car maintenance than to avoid paying costly repairs in the future. If you have never changed your car’s oil, never rotated its tires, or do any maintenance work, really, other than keeping the tank full, chances are you will have to pay thousands of dollars for a few repairs soon.
For those who haven’t yet learned their (financial) lessons about car maintenance, here’s a list of the most costly repairs that can happen to your vehicle when you skip regular upkeep.
1. Airbags
It’s amazing how very few people get seriously injured in car accidents; and the main reason for such safety is the airbags. The only problem airbags have is that they have to be at their best condition at all times. So once they are used, they need to be replaced right away. In addition, the deployment of the airbags can damage the surrounding components such as the glove box and the steering wheel.
2. Suspension System
The suspension is usually unnoticeable when it’s working properly. You won’t feel the dips and bumps in the road if you keep your suspension system in its best working condition. Unfortunately, this car component is made up of several parts, such as the struts, shocks, tie rods, and springs. Although usually only one part of the system needs to be replaced, a repair with car repair services in Singapore gets really expensive when a system overhaul is required.
3. Transmission Assembly
This piece of machinery is probably the most complex part of a vehicle. It holds a collection of levers and gears that assist your car to shift direction. Replacing your car’s transmission can get extremely expensive, definitely no less than a thousand dollars, and takes hours of intense labour. Bring your car only to a trusted car repair company to have this job done.
4. Hybrid Car Battery
Hybrid cars are ‘in’ right now, but many car owners in Singapore do not know that there is a tremendous hidden cost with purchasing this type of vehicle. Any rechargeable batteries eventually loses its ability to retain a charge over time, and batteries for such cars will likely die no more than a decade of use. If you opt to replace the battery, you will also have to replace the car’s computer system, which will surely cost you much more than having a car with standard battery.
5. Engine
If, after a check-up, your mechanic says that you have a major engine problem, you’re in a big trouble. It could probably mean that there’s something wrong with the cylinders of your engine. The repair will include removal of entire engine from the vehicle, and your best bet is to get a new engine rather than fix the issue in the old one.
6. Hybrid Inverter Assembly
This car repair is costly because Hybrid car parts aren’t always readily available in many automobile shops. Moreover, since the only warning sign for this problem is the ‘check engine’ light, issues in this area can be hard to detect. Although it doesn’t fail that often, when it does, replacement usually don’t go less than a thousand dollar.
7. Catalytic Converter
Singapore requires emission testing for cars, making catalytic converters an essential car part. This car component is responsible for converting harmful chemicals in exhaust fumes into harmless compounds. Luckily, the converter is located just between the muffler and the engine, making it easy for mechanics to locate and replace the component.
8. Fuel Injection Pump
This pump is the part of your car that moves the fuel from the tank into the engine, and is the most important component for the car’s operation. Replacing the pump is an easy task, but it is usually located in an area that needs extra effort to access. Replacing it with a new one can cost hundreds of dollars, not to mention the labour fee for the extensive work required.
9. Air Conditioning System
Imagine driving around the hot and humid streets of Singapore without using your car’s air conditioner. Having that cool, relaxing breeze is important for your comfort, but fixing a broken air conditioning system can be very costly. Just having your A/C checked and recharged will charge you a few hundred dollars, but an extensive repair cost much more.
10. Turbocharger
More car manufacturers today are making their mid- and high-end car models with turbos built-in to them. Turbochargers function by forcing more fuel and air into the engine cylinders, resulting to faster acceleration. If your vehicle has turbocharger, your car makes a slight hissing sound when shifting gears and a whining noise as you gain speed. The part alone is already expensive, so replacing it with a new one never comes cheap.
11. Camshaft
The camshaft is what keeps a car’s engine valves operating, and controls the flow of air into the engine. A replacement of an entire camshaft can cost you a couple thousand of dollars, but it is totally preventable as long as you keep your oil changed regularly and have your camshaft adjusted periodically. For high-end cars, using a low-grade gas can impact the operation of the car’s camshaft, so make sure to provide your engine with premium stuff every once in a while.
What do these costly repairs is telling us? That those car owners who think are saving more money from skipping regular maintenance sets themselves up for some serious financial liability. The longer you go without car servicing, the more chances for you to land to a skyrocketing car repair bill. Do not let this happen. Schedule an appointment to a car servicing company today.