Disabled drivers need to keep on top of vehicle maintenance. It is crucial for a disabled driver to properly maintain their car, to have it fully serviced at the appropriate time, and to keep it in great condition.
Driving a well-maintained vehicle is much more enjoyable, safer, and, in the long run, will save you money. But a lot of disabled drivers, especially those who are relatively new to driving, are not sure how often to have their vehicle serviced, or what is involved in vehicle maintenance.
Disabled drivers tend to have a lot of questions about vehicle maintenance, such as… What is the difference between vehicle maintenance and a service? Why is it important for a disabled driver to have their car serviced? How often should a disabled driver have their car serviced? How much does it cost? How often do I need car maintenance? What is involved in car maintenance for disabled drivers?
Let’s dive into these crucial questions…
What Is The Difference Between Vehicle Maintenance And A Service?
Vehicle maintenance describes any regularly scheduled actions that need to be taken to keep your vehicle in good working order, such as changing motor oil and checking tires. A service is a full check-up of your entire vehicle that will discover any defects and perform any necessary maintenance or repairs.
To use the human body as an analogy: maintenance is eating a healthy diet and doing some exercise; a service is a full health check-up with your doctor.
Why Is It Important For A Disabled Driver To Have Their Car Serviced?
It is important for disabled drivers to have their car regularly serviced for several reasons, including:
- To make sure your car is safe to drive
- To prevent breakdown and malfunctioning
- To increase the performance of the vehicle
- To retain the vehicle’s resale value
- To save you money by finding issues early and improving fuel efficiency
- To lengthen the vehicle’s lifespan
What Does A Car Service For Disabled Drivers Include?
There are different levels of car service. A full car service for disabled drivers will generally include:
- Oil and filter change
- Checking the operations of brakes and steering
- Exhaust check
- Battery check
- Charging system check
- Tire tread and pressure check
- Engine tuning check-up
- Checking hydraulic fluid and coolant levels
- Windscreen wash check and top-up
- Cooling system check
- Suspension checks
- Steering alignment
- Testing the car’s battery condition
- Wheel alignment check
- Shock absorbers check
How Often Should A Disabled Driver Have Their Car Serviced?
So how often should disabled drivers have their vehicles serviced? There is a wide range of advice on this. Most manufacturers recommend having a basic service every year or every 10,000 miles, and a full service every 30,000 miles. Older vehicles may need to be serviced more often than newer vehicles.
How Much Does It Cost A Disabled Driver To Have Their Car Serviced?
The cost of a car service varies depending on the garage or mechanic you use, and the region you are in. A full service may generally cost around $200, while a basic service will cost around $100. This is money well spent because a regular service will prevent larger expenditures down the road, lengthen your car’s lifespan, and preserve its resale price.
Do You Need To Service Your Car Every Year?
Some manufacturers recommend getting a full service every year, but this really depends on how much the vehicle is used. Your vehicle may need a service more or less than yearly depending on its age and how often you drive it. Getting a basic service for every 10,000 miles driven is a good rule of thumb. (So how often should you service a petrol car, and how often should you service a diesel car? Well, the answer is that there’s no difference!)
What Is Involved In Car Maintenance For Disabled Drivers?
How often do I need car maintenance as a disabled driver? This really depends, again, on how often you use your car, how old it is, and what environment you drive it in. A basic service every year or every 10,000 miles is a safe bet.
Is Vehicle Maintenance Any Different For Disabled And Non-Disabled Drivers?
The only difference between vehicle maintenance for disabled and non-disabled drivers is that disabled drivers will also need to get any modifications or adaptations they use on their vehicle checked over.
Featured image by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash