Keep your vehicle running longer

The economy isn’t exactly looking up and people are hanging onto their vehicles for much longer than they anticipated they would.

According to a recent survey conducted by the Automobile Association of South Africa, it was found that 40 percent of people opted to keep their vehicles for a period between five to ten years.

Apart from typical economic reasons, it was found that more than 35 percent of vehicle owners who took part in the survey said modern-day vehicles have proven reliable, hence the reasoning behind the longer hold on these vehicles.

The Automobile Association elaborated that more than 25 percent of primary vehicles were older than five years, and more than 30 percent exceeded 10 years of age.

“Another interesting finding is that just under 50 percent of owners say they pay out of pocket for maintenance costs, with only around 20 percent saying they have maintenance plans for their vehicles. About 20 percent of owners say they actively save and plan for maintenance while around five percent say they don’t plan financially at all for maintenance expenses,” said the Automobile Association.

Managing Director of AA Warranties, David Chard said the results confirmed that far too many people were relying on their car to never break down and, when it did, they would rather pay out of the pocket than have a financial plan in place.

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He said a service or maintenance plan was effectively a savings plan for when problems did arise, and was geared solely for the proper maintenance of a vehicle.

Chard further added that if owners wanted to keep their vehicles running for longer, they would need to consider the following:

• If you are starting a vehicle from cold, allow it to idle for five minutes for the oil to circulate.

• Avoid excessive acceleration, turning and braking.

• Avoid over-revving your vehicle.

• Attend to warning lights immediately; don’t think these will go away in time, they may indicate serious issues.

• Regularly check tyre pressure. Do this when you stop to refuel. Also, check your oil when refueling.

• Check wheel alignment and balancing every six months, especially after extensive travel.

• Replace serviceable items (e.g. brake pads, fan belts) according to the service schedule of your vehicle.

• Request the parts which were replaced during a service to ensure they were in fact replaced.

• Stick to the servicing schedule of your vehicle; being proactive about your vehicle’s well-being is part of being a responsible car owner.

• Consider a mechanical warranty to provide ‘medical aid’ cover for your vehicle.

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