What better place to spend a tax refund than on what is likely for most people, the second biggest purchase in your lifetime…? Your vehicle! According to the Car Care Council “ an estimated $60 Billion in vehicle maintenance and repairs is not performed every year, evidence that there is considerably more that consumers should be doing to protect their automotive investments.”

Brakes, oil changes, new belts or whatever it may be is certainly more cost effective compared to monthly payments on a new vehicle. If a vehicle is maintained by a reputable service and repair facility on a regular basis as recommended by the manufacturer, the vehicle should provide safer, more dependable operation remain fuel efficient and retain its resale value.

Most vehicles will continue to diminish in $ value over the years, however the real value to you as the consumer should be based on the following: cost of investment, lifetime operation of the vehicle, creature comforts, reliability, dependability, fuel economy, efficiency, and overall cost of “repairs” versus “maintenance”. No matter what “type” or “brand” of vehicle you drive, you will always have some type of maintenance to perform. Replacing brakes, hoses, belts, lights, fluids, filters, tires, alignments etc… is considered “maintenance” and should be taken into consideration when trying to decide what the vehicle costs per year in “maintenance” versus “repairs”. Remember “maintenance” should be performed on any vehicle. Lack of maintenance tends to lead to higher and more costly repair bills along with dependability issues.

I am sure that we have all heard at one time while purchasing a new vehicle that it has “lifetime” fluid in it and that no service is required. Having been in this business for many years, I can tell you that I have never seen any fluid(s) or filters that last a “lifetime”. If anything, we have probably seen more failures of components because consumers are led to believe “nothing has to be done”. What about the filters in the vehicle? Take for example: transmission filters, engine oil filters, fuel filters, air filters, etc… the purpose of these filters is to keep impurities from circulating throughout the component and associated systems helping to reduce wear and damage to those components or system.

Did you know that your vehicle might have a cabin air filter or a fresh air intake filter? Most vehicles since the year 2000 have a cabin air or fresh air intake filter. This filter is located in the heater box and helps to filter out the impurities coming into the vehicle such as; pollens, mold spores, dander, and even smells depending on the style of filter in the vehicle. When this filter is not serviced, it can create mold issues along with odor issues. To find out if you have a cabin air filter in your car check your owners manual for additional information.

Spending your tax refund money on your vehicle will most likely end up being a better return on your investment than you may think, increasing the reliability and efficiency of your vehicle along with lowering the chances of unexpected repair bills. Its always less expensive to maintain than it is to repair.

Most recommended mileage services could be found in your vehicle owners’ manual. If you are unable to find this information you may contact us via the information below with the year, make and model of your vehicle along with the current mileage and we will provide the recommended mileage service for your vehicle.

benchmarkauto@msn.com