Hidden Risks of Delaying Your Service

There are many reasons why we may miss our scheduled car service.

Whether it be our busy schedules, even setting aside the necessary funds or simply forgetting can result in dire situations where you may end up forking out more money than if you had serviced your car on time.

The adage of “penny wise, pound foolish” certainly applies when it comes to servicing your car. Here are just some reasons why saving a few Ringgits can cost you thousands in the end:

1. Annulling of Warranties

Car manufacturers may annul warranties if a car owner fails to bring their car in for its scheduled servicing. And by that we mean official service centers.

For obvious reasons, car manufacturers provide for those warranties as they are in control of the servicing and replacement of parts if any.

These warranties are constructed around a particular car model’s performance limitations in usage in terms of mileage and time.

Failing to bring your car on time means that those limitations would be breached while bringing your car to an unofficial service center.

And by “on time”, you can look at the recommended service time. Usually on your windscreen, there will be a small “sticker” stating the date of service and next scheduled service.

You will see 2 items. No of kms and the date. It’s not which is later.

For example, even if you don’t drive often, and your km hasn’t reached the specified limit, but the date is up, you need to send it in.

OR you DO drive a lot, it has reached the number of kms BUT the date is not up yet, you still need to take it in.

For more information specific to your car, read the owner’s manual. Newer cars even have built in sensors to remind you to service your car when the time comes.

It usually appears as a message on your dashboard.

Cost Implications:

What’s usually covered by warranty that you will have to pay for yourself if it’s voided-
A. Engine Overhaul RM1700 and above.
B. Car Air Conditioning Failure RM1000 and above.
C. Electrical Board Failure RM850 and above.

*All figures are estimates and will vary according to car make, model and year.

2. Issues When Selling Your Car

Unless you are a collector, most car owners will eventually sell their car.

Every potential car buyer wants to know that the car they intend to buy has been well taken care of by its owner.

All service data are kept safe and sound by car manufacturers on their servers. You won’t be able to “cheat the system” like this.

Gone are the days where you can ‘lose’ your service book. If your car does not have a good service record then there is a less likelihood that you will be able to let go of that car at the market rate.

In fact you would be lucky, if anyone would consider buying your car if options are many for that particular make.

Cost Implications:

Your car value can drop by RM10,000 if you try selling your car with voided warranty
A. Electrical Board Failure RM850 and above

*All figures are estimates and will vary according to car make, model and year.

3. Unchanged Engine Oil Turns into Sludge

As a car is used, its engine fluid will accumulate carbon and particle deposits. Though perfectly normal, with time the excessive buildup of carbon turns the free flowing fluid to a thick sticky sludge.

It can get so bad that the entire engine would need an overhaul – needless to say, that comes with a hefty price tag.

Cost Implications:

Engine Overhaul RM1700 and above.
Non monetary cost: Build up of sludge will mean your engine will wear out so much faster.

*All figures are estimates and will vary according to car make, model and year.

4. Wheel Alignment & Balancing

The wheel alignment and balancing on all cars will run over time.

Keeping them in alignment and balanced is not just a performance issue because tyres will experience uneven wear and tear resulting in much faster deterioration.

What happens is the thread will wear out unevenly and thus result in having to change all your tyres at the same time, as opposed to only changing the ones that really need it.

Cost Implications:

Changing 4 tyres: RM320 and above. 
Non-monetary cost: Potential accident prone as a sudden burst of tyres due to imbalance can cost lives!

*All figures are estimates and will vary according to car make, model and year.