My mother always used to say that “a stitch in time saves nine”. I am a person that doesn’t like unexpected problems. Preventative maintenance is important for the longevity and productivity of your vehicle. Not only does it work to rectify any current problems your vehicle has encountered, but it also helps prevent further damage from occurring in the future. There are many types of preventative maintenance, from something as minor as changing a brake pad to something large like running a full diagnostic of your machine’s internal wiring and electrical output.

If you’re not sure whether preventative maintenance sounds like something you’d be interested in, read on.

Saving Money: Perhaps one of the most major bonus points for preventative maintenance, is its ability to save you money over time. Your vehicle requires a lot of upkeep, and part and labor costs can get high depending on the work being done. To ensure that you don’t overspend in the future, it helps to pay a small amount to make sure everything is running properly now.

For example, something as simple as rotating your tires regularly, and getting an alignment at a garage, can save you from the hassle of prematurely replacing four tires. This is a comparison of $200 vs. $800-$1000. Over time the tread on your tires wear down, usually more so on one side than the other. When you have the tires rotated, you allow the tread on the other side to wear down more evenly, extending the life and tread of your tires. If you allow the tread to bald on one side, while the other remains as is, it could alter the ride of your vehicle, and result in a burst tire.

Tires aren’t the only place you can save money. An oil change can increase the longevity of your engine, regularly changing brake pads can keep your rotors and calipers from becoming damaged, and having a tune-up will keep your electrical in tip top shape.

Safety Precautions: It’s not just for financial reasons that we at Glenn’s Auto Repair suggest preventative maintenance to our clients. Our main reason for preventative maintenance is for safety purposes. Your vehicle takes quite a beating over time, driving into pot holes, beating the summer heat, and barreling down the freeway at excess speeds. Imagine if something were to give out on you during one of your excursions, leaving you stranded roadside.

Many of our preventative maintenance procedures are small and affordable services, but they make a big impact on the longevity of your vehicle. Something as minor as having a diagnostic run on your warning lights could save you from engine failure on the middle of the freeway. At Glenn’s Auto Repair, we think of our clients as family, and we always want our family to be safe. Concerned about odd noises, smells, or shaky handling of your vehicle? Stop by Glenn’s and let one of our experienced mechanics repair any issues sooner rather than later.

Avoiding Future Inconvenience: You paid good money for your vehicle, and you expect it to get you where you need to go. Preventative maintenance ensures that your car keeps running smoothly, and doesn’t cut out on you when you need it most. Many of the services offered through Glenn’s Auto Repair, focus on individual areas of your vehicle, which can have a large impact on its overall performance. From the timing belt to the power windows, there are hundreds of small components working together to give you a safe and comfortable ride.

Some of the inconveniences you could encounter without preventative maintenance include your power windows locking up, battery dying when you’ve been parked too long, heat and AC cutting off when you need to regulate your vehicle’s temperature, among many other more major issues.

Lim’s Auto Body is a full service auto body and mechanical repair shop locally owned and operated in Largo, Florida. For more information, go to our web site www.limsautobody.com or call (727) 422-3232.

So there are advantages in purchasing a used car, and there are advantages to purchasing a new car. If you have decided to purchase a new car, one of the by-products is that it could help you create a good or much improved credit rating.

If you have poor credit but want to purchase a new vehicle, you need begin preparing well in advance. To begin, you need to obtain a copy of your credit report to get an idea of what the lender will see. Obtain your credit report three months before you plan to make a purchase, so you can check for and eliminate any outstanding or false items. You can obtain a copy of your credit report from several online sources, often free of charge. The report will collect the data from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Note: You can only obtain one free copy each year. Obtaining your actual credit score can be costly, but the report will give you a basic idea of where you may fall on the credit score spectrum. Experian measures subprime credit as 619 and below on their own scales. After you’ve obtained your free credit report, examine the section where it reports negative items. These negative items are usually items from collection or fines that you may have paid in a court case. Instead of looking at them in a negative manner, use them to determine areas you can improve on.

FIND A LENDER AND DEALERSHIP
Unfortunately, due to your poor credit, you’ll be paying a high interest rate. Ideally, you’ll get approval from multiple lenders so you can choose the best interest rate possible. Next, find a dealership who will work with you. Hint: Pay attention to the radio for any dealerships that will finance people with poor credit. Avoid the corner dealerships, which usually deal only in used cars. Some dealerships have websites where you can view inventory and fill out a credit application. Try checking the site for your dealership of choice. Don’t forget to check your bank or credit union. They may be willing to finance you since you have already established a financial relationship with them. They may also offer lower rates on your loan.

BRING PROOF YOU’RE A GOOD FINANCIAL RISK
When you’re ready to go into the dealership, bring proof that you’re a good financial risk. You’ll need to bring a few pieces of paperwork with you. They are:

. Your most recent pay stub within a 30-day limit.
. A utility bill (proves where you live).
. Your driver’s license
. Three references who would put in a good word for you.

These documents will enable a dealership to determine your trustworthiness as an applicant.

Lim’s Auto Body is a full service auto body and mechanical repair shop locally owned and operated in Largo, Florida. For more information, go to our web site www.limsautobody.com or call (727) 422-3232.