Saturday, March 28, 2015

Reasons to Maintain Your Vehicle

J.D. Power's Automotion Blog forecasted that the average new vehicle transaction price for March 2015 would be $30,530, which would be a record for the month of March. Median income adjusted for inflation has been hovering around $52,000 in recent years. The math indicates that we are plunking down nearly 59% of a year's wages when we give the salesman the OK to place the happy tags on our new ride. This makes a case for maintaining a vehicle. Some of the other reasons are...

200,000 Miles is the New 100,000 Miles - Admittedly, we don't see an abundance of brand new cars since the the first 36 months and 36,000 miles are covered by the new car warranty. But the odometer readings we do see actually make a case for vigilant maintenance, since the best way to maximize your investment is to exploit the 200,000 mile potential your vehicle can achieve.

Longer Power Train Warranties- Hyundai broke new ground when, many years ago, it introduced the 100,000 Mile/10 Year power train warranty. Today the decision appears to have been prescient since the average age of the national fleet is 11 years. The stickler here is that you have to maintain the vehicle per the manufacturer's specifications to avail yourself of warranty coverage- no service history, no warranty.

Higher used car values - It is no secret that selling used cars is profitable - think CarMax
CarSense and Autotrader. So how could you use that knowledge to your advantage? Yes, by diligently maintaining your vehicle. Don't consider it a transportation device, instead think of it as an investment. Make deposits into it in the form of oil changes, inspections and scheduled maintenance and think of your technician as a vehicular adviser who is there to protect your nest egg.

The Golden Rule- If self interest doesn't motivate you to keep up on your car, consider this. I have always been struck by the democracy of the road. Find a vehicle, register it, insure it and you can enjoy the same rights as everyone else as long you follow the rules of the road. Your piece could be a Mazda 2 or a Hennessey Venom GT and you're equal on the roadway. But isn't there an inherent responsibility that comes with that freedom? Of course there is, and it's the regard you must have for yourself, your passengers and the guy in the other lane on I-95. That regard is shown when you seek regular and competent advice about your vehicle.

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