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I see way too many customers who have vehicles and complain about intermittent driveability issues with there vehicle (i.e. runs rough sometimes and has no power, is making a noise, etc.) but choose to ignore it. They'll only address it once the vehicle gets too bad to drive or it won't run at all, or when their wheel falls off because of a failed wheel bearing, and likely they've done further damage than if they'd fixed it earlier.
I can think of two very easy examples of this:
1. Say a customer's radiator starts leaking on their car, and either due to not having the money at the moment, the belief that all mechanics are going to rip them off, cheapness, or whatever the case might be, they decide to just keep topping it off with coolant as needed. Well one day they're out on the road and forgot to top it off that morning, or the leak becomes worse, or whatever, and now they've overheated it and cracked the head/blown the head gasket/etc. and now they're screwed.
They've taken what would've been a couple hundred dollar repair and turned it into a couple thousand dollar repair, if the car's even worth fixing.
2. Say a customer's vehicle has an intermittent misfire (this ones going to all you people who insist check engine lights are just "idiot lights" and don't mean anything, or those that have covered their's with black tape) and rough running. But they keep driving it and now it's got no power going up hills, the check engine light is now flashing, it has a dead miss and a cylinder with no compression.
They've also gone from a relatively cheap fix (plugs, wires, failing coil pack, etc.) to an expensive repair (engine).
It comes down to being proactive vs. reactive with repairs, and it doesn't just apply to auto repair. Same could be said about someone with a leaking roof who just puts a bucket down in their house vs actually getting the roof fixed. And I understand that sometimes people don't have the money and things have to be put on the back burner, but the people I'm talking about ignore things for YEARS on end.
Some people are dumb.
Some people are smart but have no money.
Some people are just lazy.
Money.
Just over half the children in US qualify for free or subsidized lunch. NOT a measure of poverty in US but a number just the same. That fact is for another post in another part of forum.
Too many repair chain stores just keep replacing parts. And some new car dealers also. Some that don't need to be replaced. So there are some customers who just don't wish to take a vehicle to these shops. Afraid of being ripped off. Caveat: not all chain repair shops are like this. Just too many though.
That is why all should seek out an honest local mechanic/shop.
Usually (not always) an estimate for any condition or repair is free - just about anyplace/shop.
My point of view is, if it is a true safety-issue, it should be taken care of ASAP.
if you are driving a junkyard-bound jalopy, and it is fairly safe...........nothing wrong with
milking it along if you are prepared to have it die on you.
If you have a decent vehicle, that you want to keep for a while, yes, keep on top of the maintenance and repairs or you may be $orry.
I tend to fix it immediately. I’m pretty good at diagnosing issues and truthfully parts aren’t that expensive. If you can diy you just saved a ton of money.
Some people put off repairs because it’s too expensive so they baby it along.
Some people are just that oblivious
Some people don’t eant issues so they fix it immediately.
I can count on less than five fingers as to how many times I broke down in the last 27 years
Depending on what it is depends on how fast it gets fixed. I had a radiator that had a small leak, finally got around to fixing it a year later. I have an adjusting cable on my rear drum break thats been bad for a couple years now, ill probably fix it before it snows this year. Most front end parts ill replace relitivly soon after finding the problem but sometimes their not real bad yet. You can usually tell when somthing is real bad and needs to be done right away.
Sooner is often better. Let things go and a simple fix becomes a major overhaul. Amazing what some preventative maintenance does too. I try to take care of most of the fixes myself if possible. The last thing I had to a mechanic was a couple years ago, when I had a pinion seal replaced on my pickup. It is something they do every day. For parts in labor it was $120. To me it was money well spent.
In doing things myself, I gain experience and hone my skills.
It is important for everyone who owns a car or truck to have a trusted mechanic, someone who knows their make and model and engine and who can be counted on to fix what needs to be fixed without wasting the customer's money on unnecessary parts or procedures.
My trusted mechanic is 25 miles from my home. Only once did I need a tow to get there, and the tow truck driver was kind enough to stop by my home so I could get the part I was almost sure I needed -- a part that I'd purchased 3 or 4 years earlier in anticipation of needing it someday.
When I lived in California my trusted mechanic was 100 miles away. But my car was a lot newer then and I only needed to see him a few times a year.
A oil pan gasket leak, that isnt major, will just require you to have something to catch it on the ground vs $1000+ to fix that depending on the car. My Taurus has had a oil pan gasket leak for 7yrs now and I just put a shower curtain on the ground in the garage vs paying for the exhaust to be dropped, just to replace a $40 gasket.
Suspension components can be worn and ride rough but can cost $$$ to fix. I need Struts, and ball joints on my car for atleast 4yrs now, but I will probably replace them myself soon vs paying $1500+ to fix.
My car has 293K miles and the transmission started shuddering a bit on takeoff and 1-2 shift maybe 2-3yrs ago, so i just put $10 bottle of Lucas in it and will drive it til it dies, vs $2000 for a rebuilt or used transmission.
Check Engine lights I will take care of ASAP, along with cooling or brakes.
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