Six ways to be unaffected by rising car servicing costs

Car dealerships have plenty of methods to get more money out of their customers once an initial sale has been agreed. Some of this income stream might be because a vehicle financing package has been arranged that needs to be paid back. There again, things like extended warranties on spare part might be sold as an add-on to the original deal. This is fine so long as car owners know exactly what they are forking out for and the true value of what they are buying into. Car dealerships selling trusted brands of vehicle ought to be offering a fair price, right? Well, unfortunately, this is not always the case.

According to several press reports including those at the BBC, car servicing costs are only set to grow in the future. There are a number of factors that are leading to this increase, not least because of the cutting edge technology that is installed in so many new cars these days. Dealerships need to compete for expert mechanics who are specialists with certain manufacturers’ systems and pay them accordingly. The tooling needed to service modern cars is also expensive. Ultimately, all of these costs get passed back on to the consumer in the form of invoices for every time their log book is stamped following an inspection. How can you keep the costs of servicing to a minimum?

1) Opt for Inflation Proof Deals

Some car manufacturers will offer buyers a deal whereby the future costs of servicing are fixed. This often means that you have to fork out an initial sum, but the potential increase in servicing costs is mitigated for. Think of it as a pay now save later sort of scheme.

2) Choose Lower-Tech Cars

Not all of the European car makers install computer wizardry in their vehicles, but most do. If you want to keep servicing costs down, then consider opting for lesser-known brands of car maker which keep their vehicles’ systems simple and easier to maintain.

3) Go for Independent car service centres

Choosing an independent mechanic for servicing will no longer invalidate your manufacturer warranty thanks to block exemption rulings. Often cheaper than the official dealership, independent garages, like DAT Tyres, will provide specialised car servicing and identify any problem areas for you.

4) Don’t Skip Servicing

Most car makers recommend servicing is carried out annually. Remember that it is a false economy to have your servicing done every eighteen months instead. Faults won’t be picked up in time and will often mean a simple, cost-free adjustment turns into a costly repair.

5) Respond to Dashboard Messages

Lights coming on your car’s control panel don’t necessarily mean that you face an impending breakdown. Nevertheless, many drivers simply ignore the messages they see. This can be an error because it will lead to bigger problems down the line that take longer for mechanics to fix, if left.

6) Do the Simple Jobs Yourself

Replacing windscreen wipers, filling up with oil, changing light bulbs and inspecting tyres are all jobs that motorists should be able to do themselves without the need of a professional mechanic. Carry out these simple tasks and you don’t have to pay for someone else to do them for you.