What is the Difference Between Maintenance and Repair

For any vehicle owner, the distinction between auto maintenance and auto repair is critical to ensuring a long and healthy life for their vehicle. Both are essential in the smooth operation of a vehicle, but the terms are often confused for one another, which can lead some owners to pay more than they should over time.

Auto maintenance is a broad term that covers regular and preventative actions taken to help keep a car that is running properly stay running. This maintenance can include things such as oil changes, transmission flushes, as well as annual inspections and tire rotations. All of these services help to keep a car that is running smoothly stay that way, and help prevent the need for auto repair .

Auto repair is what is necessary when a vehicle has a failure of some kind – be it a broken fan belt, failed spark plugs, steering issues or braking problems. In these cases, it is necessary to repair or replace damaged parts in order to make a vehicle road-worthy once again.

By ensuring regular auto maintenance is performed on a vehicle, an owner can lower their need for auto repairs.

 

Springs & Suspension

If steering your car has become unusual or difficult, unfortunately, ignoring it won’t make it go away. A problematic steering system can get worse over time, can wear out your tires quickly, and cause your vehicle to be unsafe to drive. Because uncorrected alignment issues can lead to hundreds of dollars of tire replacement and suspension repair, we recommend scheduling an alignment check every 6 months or 6,000 miles.

Any of these symptoms may show that you need service or repairs to your vehicle’s alignment, steering, drivetrain or suspension system:

  •  - Uneven tire wear
  •  - Off-center steering wheel while driving
  •  - Swaying
  •  - Drifting
  •  - Pulling to the left or right
  •  - Vibration
  •  - Tire noise

 

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