Too Busy for Routine Car Maintenance? Why You’ll Want to Reconsider

Is routine car maintenance that big of a deal? Do you have to rely on a brand-specific dealer for your service needs? As one of the most trusted teams in the area, we’re here to answer those questions and explain why you’ve found the best Honda service center in Cincinnati here at McCluskey Chevrolet.

What’s Considered Routine Maintenance?

Before we discuss the consequences of ignoring routine maintenance, it’s crucial to know what’s considered routine. When we talk about routine services, we’re referring to what the manufacturer outlines in your vehicle’s owner manual. These services extend your car’s longevity, heighten its performance, and optimize your safety behind the wheel.

Your owner’s manual provides a general guideline of when each routine service should occur in months or mileage, whichever comes first. These services generally include oil changes, tire rotations, multi-point inspections, and fluid checks, which occur more frequently; longer-interval routine services include brake tune-ups, servicing the transmission, replacing the spark plugs, and inspecting the fuel system, suspension, and other major components. But what happens if you skip any of these services?

If You Skip a Routine Oil Change?

Oil changes are one of the most crucial routine services your vehicle relies on to perform optimally. Why? The engine in your car, truck, or SUV relies on many moving components working together to power your vehicle and move it from Point A to Point B. These components rub against one another, generating excessive friction and heat. At the same time, the engine is exposed to dirt, dust, and other debris because of its position under the hood and proximity to the road.

The oil in the engine has three essential functions: to lubricate, clean, and cool. As a lubricant, the oil improves how the components move together, actively reducing friction. Likewise, as the oil passes through the engine, it picks up dirt and other contaminants that can damage your car’s powertrain.

When you skip routine oil changes, you’re setting your car up for failure. The engine’s components aren’t properly lubricated, so they must work harder. As a result, the engine burns more fuel—a chain reaction you’ll feel at the pump as you spend more on gas. This additional wear and tear on the engine also decreases its lifespan and leads to more expensive repairs, like an engine overhaul or a voided warranty. You can also expect the engine to overheat or, eventually, break down because of neglected maintenance, all of which are costly to overcome.

If You Skip Tire Maintenance?

Our talented tire technicians will be the first to encourage you to be diligent about tire maintenance. Why? The tires are your vehicle’s only point of contact with the road, so their condition directly impacts how your vehicle performs and your safety in the driver’s seat.

Routine tire services start with rotating the tires, which is included with every oil change. Each tire on your car wears differently, but rotating the tires according to the manufacturer’s recommendation promotes even tread wear. In addition, it’s crucial to ensure the tires aren’t damaged and are properly inflated. Our technicians conduct a multi-point inspection with every service, which includes measuring the tread on your tires, noting any areas of concern, and ensuring proper inflation.

Skipping routine tire maintenance threatens your safety and hinders your vehicle’s performance. Without rotating the tires, the tread wears unevenly, compromising traction and increasing the risk of an accident. Driving on bald tires is illegal and hazardous, especially in Cincinnati’s slippery conditions when hydroplaning can occur.

Tires that aren’t inflated correctly won’t perform their best or most efficiently. For example, an overinflated tire can lead to a blowout, compromising your control over your vehicle. The same can occur with an underinflated tire because the tire doesn’t make the ideal contact with the road, reducing traction, causing uneven wear, and ultimately leading to failure.

Ignoring these services also impacts your wallet. Overly worn tires force the engine to work harder because they struggle to make solid contact with the road. This demand increases the engine’s fuel consumption, so you spend more filling the tank. Moreover, it also means your tires wear faster, requiring you to buy new tires long before anticipated.

If You Skip Brake Tune-Ups?

How many times do you engage the brake pedal every day? We don’t give our brakes a second thought unless we’re slamming down the pedal to avoid a collision. Instead, we mindlessly rely on them to reduce our cruising speed, stop at a red light, and maintain control on a winding backroad. Engaging the brake pedal is a natural part of our driving routines.

As our vehicle’s only stopping power, brake service is another essential to add to your routine. The brake system is complex, with the brake pedal multiplying the force of your foot via hydraulic pressure. The master cylinder generates this pressure, sending brake fluid through the hoses to the calipers, which put pressure on the piston to squeeze the brake pads. As the pads squeeze against the rotors or discs, the friction causes the wheels to slow.

Routine brake services assess the major components of your brake system, including the brake fluid. Ignoring this service or a brake tune-up mitigates your car’s stopping power in several ways. First, the system may have a damaged or leaking hose, which means there’s not enough brake fluid available. Alternatively, the brake pads or rotors may be severely worn. In this instance, the components rub against one another but don’t generate the necessary friction to stop your vehicle quickly or effectively.

If You Skip Fluid Checks and Top-Offs?

Did you know your Honda relies on many fluids to perform its best? Fluids permeate your car’s many moving components, from the engine to the transmission, brakes, and power steering. Every fluid plays a critical role in how your vehicle operates.

Routinely checking the fluid levels and topping them off as needed ensures these levels are ideal based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. Beyond checking the oil, it’s critical to check the transmission fluid and differential oil, which lubricate gears, seals, and other powertrain and drivetrain components. The engine coolant ensures your car’s heartbeat operates at the ideal temperature, while the brake fluid optimizes your vehicle’s stopping power. Even the windshield wiper fluid is critical since it improves your visibility.

It’s easy to assume that fluid checks can be an afterthought, but that’s a costly mistake. These crucial fluids are the lifeline to how your vehicle’s components work together efficiently and maintain an ideal operating environment. Without them (or the appropriate levels of them), you run the risk of overheating the engine, hindering the brake system, etcetera, compromising your control behind the wheel.

Routine Maintenance Made Easy

Bringing your car in for a routine oil change and tire rotation isn’t how anyone wants to spend their free time. Because of this, it’s easy to ignore these routine services for the sake of your schedule or your financial situation. However, this comes at a greater cost.

Ignoring routine services threatens your safety in the driver’s seat and your future financial footing. These services promote your vehicle’s longevity and performance, from ensuring the engine works efficiently to guaranteeing the tires wear evenly and the fluid levels are ideal. Without these services, your vehicle is prone to more breakdowns, higher repair costs, a lower resale value, a voided warranty, and far more headaches and inconveniences.

Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate car maintenance alone. Our state-of-the-art service center in Cincinnati is run by certified technicians who are happy to share their knowledge and expertise. Even though we carry the Chevy marquee and are a certified service center, our extensive talents guarantee we can handle all your Honda’s routine maintenance and repair needs. More importantly, while your vehicle is in trusted hands, you’ll enjoy a world-class service experience like you never imagined.