Taking care of your car is like taking care of your body. Regular checkups make the difference between catching problems when they’re minor or waiting and coping with something much more serious.

How often should you visit an auto body shop?

It’s essential to keep up with regular maintenance on your vehicle. Visiting an auto body shop is a great way to do that. We recommend having your car checked out at least once every six months by a professional mechanic. Regular checkups will help ensure any potential problems are caught early and taken care of before they become more costly issues down the road. 

How frequent visits save you money

We all know regular maintenance and upkeep of our vehicles is essential to keeping them running in top condition. Did you know regular visits to the auto body shop can also help save you money? Here’s how. 

Identifying problems early

Regular trips to the auto body shop allow technicians to identify any potential problems with your car early on before they become bigger and more expensive issues down the line. Minor repairs can be made quickly and easily instead of waiting until a significant repair needs to be done. 

Maintaining value

Keeping up with routine maintenance helps maintain your vehicle’s value over time by preventing wear and tear from taking its toll too soon or causing damage that could reduce its resale value later on down the road.

Improved safety

When parts work correctly, it makes for a safer ride for yourself and other drivers around you. Even small wheel repair issues like replacing worn tires or electrical problems like fixing broken headlights can improve safety while driving at night (or during inclement weather).  

Lower insurance rates

Insurance companies calculate rates with complex algorithms, including how well the vehicle has been maintained. If you can prove to your insurance company that you take your car in for regular trips to the auto shop, your monthly rate for your insurance policy may be lower.

What happens when you avoid the auto body shop?

When it comes to car maintenance, regular visits to an auto body shop can help you safeguard your vehicle and ensure that any minor issues are addressed before they become bigger, more expensive problems. Many people skip routine car upkeep to save dollars and time in the
short-term, but hidden or minor issues may develop into much larger problems in the long run. 

Small problems become huge

Minor mechanical car problems can be challenging to detect because they’re often hidden from view. These issues can range from minor inconveniences, such as low tire pressure or poor fuel economy, to more serious problems that could cause engine failure and costly repairs. Some of the most common minor mechanical car problems include worn-out spark plugs, a failing alternator belt or pulley system, loose battery connections, and clogged air filters. 

When these types of minor mechanical car issues remain undetected for too long, they can lead to much bigger problems. For instance, if an oil leak isn’t  addressed in time, it could eventually damage other components within the engine, resulting in expensive repairs that would have been avoided had the issue been caught earlier. 

Similarly, a faulty alternator belt may seem like another part needing replacement. Still, its failure has far-reaching implications, including stalling out while driving due to a lack of power delivered throughout your vehicle’s electrical systems. 

Car scratch repair is another small issue that, if left unchecked, can turn into a large rust problem. Although it doesn’t seem vital, ignoring car AC repair may mean that the AC smells bad or just stops working. Repairs can be expensive.

Safety issues

If you neglect regular inspections and repairs, you may not catch major mechanical problems until it’s too late and you’re stranded by the side of the road. Worse case, an unknown issue can cause an accident that threatens the safety of you, your passengers, and the occupants of other vehicles. Auto collision repairs are extremely costly both in time and money, especially if a lack of maintenance is determined to be the fault of the accident.

More expensive repairs

Avoiding the auto shop can hurt your pocketbook as well. Small or hidden issues can cause massive engine failure, resulting in costly repair bills that could have been avoided. Also, the resale value of your vehicle may suffer. A car that can prove ongoing maintenance is often valued much higher than one with little or sporadic care.

Overall, avoiding trips to regularly scheduled appointments at an auto body shop ultimately costs a much higher price tag. Investing in regular visits to an experienced auto body shop pays off in terms of safety, repairs, and insurance premiums.

Contact Simplicity Car Care today to schedule those routine checkups. A reliable auto repair shop will give you all the benefits of regular maintenance from top-notch technicians you can trust. Give yourself the peace of mind of knowing your car is working as well as it should.