Being prepared is essential for every long road trip. From driver to machine, both parties must be in tip-top condition before embarking on an endearing journey back home. Here’s why car service is important before you go on a long road trip.
Long Distance Drives Stresses the Engine
Excessive use without regular maintenance is going to stress the engine. An internal combustion engine (ICE) consists of hundreds of moving parts. Science has taught us that friction generates heat and heat generated from fuel combustion is going to strain your engine due to the metal expanding on a molecular level. Something’s going to give without maintenance or with newer replacement parts or have its fluids topped up.
What would you need to keep an eye on during maintenance would be anything made out of rubber like hoses and wires. Additionally, your car needs to have its fluids topped up to keep it running smooth and lubricated like engine oil, brake, and transmission fluid, and coolant to protect the engine from overheating. Heat has always been the bane of every ICE engine which leads us to wear and tear of any critical parts.
Minimize Wear & Tear Parts
Going to a car service center regularly can help you identify which part may need a replacement. With regular servicing, your mechanic can tell you which parts are under stress and require a replacement. Ostensibly, your car can still run without replacing these intricate parts but the caveat is the risk of the engine breaking down or endangering your passengers.
You may think you save hundreds of ringgit of service and maintenance costs by doing so. But when that car breaks down, replacing a whole engine will be much more expensive than any spare part!
Reduces Chances of Breaking Down While on The Road
A vehicle that gets sent to a car service center regularly can reduce the chances of getting your car broken down in the middle of traffic. Remember to swap out parts when necessary to prevent a breakdown during your annual road trip. Traffic is already bad as it is, let’s do our part to not make it worse.
As a rule of thumb, take your car for a short drive and a trip to the nearest car service center for a maintenance check. If your vehicle starts showing signs like overheating, smoky exhaust (on a petrol car), and a rough-sounding engine, it may be a sign your car is struggling to keep up.
Sudden High Fuel Consumption
In addition to a rough-sounding engine, an unserviced car will have an abnormally high fuel consumption rate. High fuel consumption during city driving and slow traffic crawls is normal. But when it still even occurs while driving on empty roads, do take note if the engine starts sounding rough.
Rough-sounding engines paired up with high fuel consumption means that the fluids that lubricate your car engine may need to be changed. Remember when we mentioned checking the viscosity of your engine oil earlier? That engine oil is what lubricates all the moving parts like pistons and crankshaft to keep it reciprocating smoothly. But what happens if they don’t get changed?
Like frying oil, the more often it’s being used, the darker it gets. The effectiveness of the lubrication from the engine oil will dwindle due to soot, grime, and carbon build-up as a byproduct of the engine combustion adds viscosity. The more power the engine requires to run due to poor lubrication, the more fuel it will consume in the process. Also do take note if the engine oil levels are lower than usual, there might be a potential leak somewhere in the engine.
How to Perform A Quick Car Service On Your Vehicle At Home:
1) Check the Engine Oil Level Via Dipstick
2) Check the Battery Water level
3) Inspect the Wiper Fluid & Blades
4) Check Brake Pads
5) Take a Look at Tire Threads & Air Pressure
6) Check the Coolant Level & Top Up If Necessary
