Saturday, October 25th, 2014

The True Cost of Preventative Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is probably the most maligned and misunderstood catch phrase in the English language. This probably because in today’s society preventive maintenance checks are often misconstrued with “up selling”.
Preventative Maintenance is Not Up Selling
If you go out to dinner and the server recommends desert or a bottle of wine, this is an upsell. As most servers depend on their tips to survive and that said tip is a percentage of the total bill, it is an important part of their income. If you go to the dentist and they recommend that you get your teeth cleaned every six months, this is an attempt to keep your teeth healthy, by preventively cleaning them every six months so that the incidence of tooth decay is lessened and any trouble spots that may be in the process of developing and be addressed before they become problems. Is this an economic up sell to the dentist and the oral hygienist? Of course it is; they are keeping their work load under control and at a pace that they can manage while simultaneously keeping you and your mouth healthy.

Failure to Flush CoolantWe Prioritize Your Vehicles Maintenance
This is the same concept that we try to maintain here at Gregg’s Automotive. We look at every vehicle that comes in and we fill out a detailed report which we keep in your file and give you a copy. The difference between us and many other shops especially the big box stores, is that we will prioritize anything that we may find by three important criteria. First by safety, second by need and last by maintenance; this means that any safety items that need attention will be brought to your attention first, repairs that are not a safety issue but can very well turn into one are addressed, and rescheduled as per your demands, and lastly pure maintenance issues are scheduled within a timely manner.

If by chance we find something that is DANGEROUS, if you choose not to address it, I will tow your vehicle home at my expense because I am morally and legally bound not to let anyone drive a vehicle that is unsafe. I know that sounds hardcore and like I am pressuring people to repair their vehicles but If something were to happen and a part failed resulting in an accident I couldn’t live with myself. Remember I drove a wrecker and was a part of the volunteer rescue squad, I have seen too many accidents caused by faulty vehicles and it was more than a few that resulted in fatalities, and those I will never forget.

The True Cost of Automotive Maintenance
So back to the title; what is the true cost of preventive maintenance? Well the cost is the cost! Certain procedures cost a prescribe amount of money. Yes you can use more inexpensive parts, or find a shop with a lower labor rate, or one that does not offer nationwide warranties as we do, but the cost is just that. What I should really ask you is; what is the cost of not following a preventive maintenance program? Let’s go back to the dentist. How many cleanings could you have had done for the price of a root canal or a crown? I would tend to think that the answer is quite a few. The same thing goes for a vehicle.

Failure to Rotate Tires

Don’t Let Fluids Oxidize
By not performing simple and relatively inexpensive fluid flushes the amount of power steering rack failures and intake manifold gasket failures would fall to near zero. Transmission fluid that is allowed to oxidize and lose it lubricity is a driving force in torque converter failures and sensor failures. Cleaning your fuel injectors every 30,000 miles not only increases your fuel economy, it lessens the chance of the pintle of the injector from becoming deformed. And if you are lucky enough to have owned a Ford F-150 with a 5.4, 3 valve engine, cleaning your injectors and the combustion chamber greatly reduces the chance of your spark plugs breaking in the head when you have to change them.

Inspect Used Vehicle Purchases
Most importantly if you have bought a second hand vehicle or a third hand vehicle, remember this if the owners before you did not subscribe to the preventive maintenance procedures, it’s YOU that will pay for their sins.
If you no idea what maintenance schedule needs to be followed, feel free to stop by and we will print you up a maintenance schedule that is from your vehicle manufacturer’s maintenance program.

There is No Good Time to Break Down
Lastly think of this; when you decide it’s time to maintain your vehicle, it’s up to you to decide on what day, or what time etc. The one thing we hear the most when a vehicle breaks down is, “THIS COULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED AT A WORSE TIME”. Well this is no good time to break down just like there is no good time to get sick.
As I always say PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 00001.

PS: If you even think that you might need brakes, October is “PUTTING THE BRAKE ON AUTISM” month so you can be safe, save money, and help us contribute to a great cause.

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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REDUCES THE COST OF OWNERSHIP.
MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 00001

Gregg’s Automotive Maintenance & Repair Center

236 S. Tamiami Tr.
Punta Gorda, Fl. 33950
941-575-8868
www.greggsauto.net
Auto Repair, A/C Repair, Oil Change, Brake Repair & Transmission Services