3 Car Repairs that You Can’t Put off without Consequences

Most of us rely heavily on our cars on a daily basis. Taking your car into the shop to get it repaired can be a time-consuming hassle, but if you don’t get certain repairs taken care of quickly, they can quickly escalate into more costly repairs as well. While there are some repairs you can put off indefinitely, there are some repairs you want to have done as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Here are 3 car repairs you can’t put off without consequences.

Brakes

There may be no more important safety feature of your car than your brakes. When you put off other repairs on your car, you may be in danger of ending up stranded on the side of the road. Without brakes, however, you are putting yourself any passengers and other motorists at risk. The best way to avoid expensive brake repairs is to have your brakes checked once a year. If you wait until you hear a grinding sound from your brakes, chances are good you are going to need more than just brake pads. Getting your brake pads replaced may only cost you a few hundred dollars. Rotors and drums will cost you significantly more.

Fluid Leaks

Fluids are another of the most important systems in your car. Various types of fluids keep your systems running smoothly and if they dry up or dry out, they can cost thousands of dollars in repairs. The fluids themselves only cost a few dollars, so you want to keep them topped up and have them checked regularly. Most fluids are not hard to check yourself, so if you find yourself topping them up frequently, you may want to have them checked.

Tires

You may think that having slightly bald tires is not a major concern, but you would be wrong. Your brakes will do you little good if your tires can’t gain traction on the pavement. In addition, deeper treads will grip more firmly on wet or icy roads. Keeping your tires properly inflated is also critical for maintaining your tires. Under-inflated tires will wear out more quickly and over-inflated tires are more susceptible to puncture. You should also have your tires rotated regularly to help extend their life. Replacing your tires can be expensive, so maintaining them will help you need to do it less frequently.

Making sure proper maintenance is performed on your car on a regular basis can go a long way towards helping prevent costly repairs. Of course, some of the maintenance itself can be costly, but it generally pales in comparison to the costs of repairs when you don’t perform regular maintenance. Take good care of your car and it will take good care of you when it counts.