Randalls of Lane Cove is your one stop shop in Lane Cove for automotive repairs. They have told ITC that they regularly hear the following:
“The car barely leaves Lane Cove!”
“It’s just a backup runaround, our second car”
“Hasn’t come close to 5,000km in 2 years”
and
“I only drive to the shops and back, the car barely leaves Lane Cove!”
While it may seem logical to delay servicing a car that’s not driven often, you may want to think twice as this could open you up to much larger expense down the track.
There’s actually quite a few things that can happen internally to cars over a period of time – regardless of how often or how far it’s driven – and we’ll discuss them below.
Randalls recommend their customers service their cars regularly, no matter how often or how far you drive. Every 6,000km or 6 months is the rule of thumb, and that’s usually what manufacturer’s recommend.
Here are five things that can happen to a car over time, regardless of how often it’s driven:
- Oil Buildup
Motor oil has a shelf life of 5 years, however after 6 months the oil in the car may start to build up in a sludgy, gel-like substance and impacts how your car runs. This buildup of oil could result in an overheating engine, and significant wear and tear due to a lack of lubrication that the oil provides.
The best way to prevent oil sludge buildup occurring is to change oil on a regular basis, regardless of how many kilometers the car has driven. Engine damage due to oil buildup is a costly thing to repair, and may cause continual ongoing issues for the remainder of the life of the vehicle.
2. Filter contamination
As with oil buildup, it’s recommended that oil filters are replaced when the oil is changed. Oil filters sometimes go under the radar, as they keep the engine from getting damaged through the harmful contaminants in the oil itself. Particles and contaminants can settle in the filter even when the car is idle.
According to Castrol, it may take 20km of driving from a cold start before the oil starts to warm up enough to reduce the rate of fuel contamination. A lot of the cars in Lane Cove don’t usually go that distance, meaning fuel contamination may occur regardless of kilometres driven.
3. Fluid Changes
There are many fluids in your car that can diminish over time, regardless of how often you drive. Transmission fluid, brake fluid and power steering fluids are all checked during a routine service.
These are not only crucial for the smooth operating of a car, but also feature heavily in regards to safety. Cars that go more than 18 months or more without a service risk not only safety issues, but also potential failures that may cost more to repair in the long run.
4. Tyre Pressure and Impacts
Tyres usually last longer than oil and don’t need to be replaced as frequently, but there could be further costs and risks associated with not inspecting tyres every 6 months or so.
While many of the cars we see in Lane Cove don’t normally do long distances, they are still routinely used to get to and from the shops. This regularity of getting in and out of parking spots will have an impact on the tyres, so once again, regardless of kilometers driven it’s important to get your car serviced.
Inspecting tyre pressure and wear and tear is a vital part of car servicing. Mechanics will often recommend a tyre rotation (moving the front pair to the back) which improves the longevity of your tyres.
5. Batteries
Most adults will know how frustrating it is to get stuck with a car that won’t start. Unfortunately batteries aren’t able to live forever, and the rule of thumb is that they last around 3 years. Battery corrosion and electrolyte levels may become affected regardless of how far or how often the car is driven.
Century Batteries writes that “Battery testing should be considered an integral part of any periodic vehicle maintenance routine and should be performed whether or not a starting problem has occurred. Due to the increased electrical demands on the battery, little warning is given before failure. Pre-emptive battery replacement can help eliminate many of the costs and problems associated with a flat or end of life battery.”
Modern Mechanics have tech gadgets that can gauge the health of your car battery. It may not need replacement just yet, but it’s good to know roughly how much life is left in your battery so that hopefully you don’t get stuck at the wrong place and time, and potentially fork out in towing fees.
Things to keep in mind:
Detection
- There’s a range of issues that can go wrong with a car, but early detection is key. By making regular appointments on 6 month intervals with your mechanic, you can diagnose tyre wear and tear, oil buildup and fluid leaks.
Prevention
- Tyre rotations can prevent the need to buy new tyres, oil changes can prevent engine damage and radiator fluid checks can prevent overheating. As with most things, prevention is always much cheaper than the cure.
Preserving
- Regardless of distance driven, it’s not only important to have a car that is safe to drive, but prolonging the life of the car the resale value is also beneficial.
Randalls now takes online booking, and you can book in months ahead at www.randallsautoservice.com.au or just speak to the team to arrange an SMS reminder for your next car service. Thanks for reading!
Contact Details for Randall’s of Lane Cove
Randall’s has been in business since 1946, and is managed by Paul and his team of qualified technicians.
Randall’s is the only One Stop Auto Repairs Shop in Lane Cove and the Lower North Shore.
This is a sponsored post.
