If you buy a car in Dubai and you look after it properly, you’ll be far less likely to be hit by hefty repair bills in the future. Find out why your car’s service manual is your best friend and how to select a good garage and get a fair price when you sell your car.
Caring for Your Car Saves You Money
Getting your car serviced each year and maintaining it between services is money well spent. Problems are likely to be caught at an early stage when they’re cheaper to fix, and your car will have a better resale value and longer life.
A well-maintained car is also more fuel efficient and you’ll save money in the long run. If you need to make claims on a warranty you are normally expected to show that you’ve got a complete maintenance service record. Which leads us to the next point:
Get to Know Your Car’s Service Manual
Your car’s service manual is the key to keeping your vehicle in excellent condition. Written by manufacturers who designed and built your car, it should show:
- How often you need to get your car serviced
- How often regular maintenance tasks need to be carried out such as oil changes.
- When the car’s replaceable parts might need to be changed
Using your service manual as a guidance gives you the opportunity to plan ahead for the cost of your car’s maintenance and repairs.
To avoid spending money on your car unnecessarily, always follow the schedule in the service manual. For example, many dealerships and quick oil change chains will typically recommend you to do an oil change twice as often as what is required for your car needs.
Watch Out for Dashboard Messages
Most cars now have dashboard warning messages about a wide range of topics, including issues with the braking system, engine, oil & coolant levels and tire pressure. Your car owner’s manual will explain what each lit-up warning message means and what you need to do.
A few of the warning messages sometimes need to be sorted urgently, you may be required to pull off the road and stop the engine immediately.
So if you see a lit-up warning message, always attend to it first. It could save you from a hefty repair cost at a later point or even prevent you from being a danger to other motorists and pedestrians.
The Cost of Skipping a Service
When you are strapped for cash it can be tempting to skip servicing your car. But if you do this you run the risk of a much bigger bill down the line.
The average cost of a basic car service is around 200 AED, far less than the cost of having to replace parts later because of damage from missing out on a service.
See estimated costs to change the below parts:
- Engine exchange – 8500 AED
- Cylinder head gasket – 1700 AED
- Radiator – 1670 AED
- Water pump – 1000 AED
Keep an Eye on the Cambelt
Check your service manual to find out when your car is next due to have its cambelt (the camshaft drive belt or timing belt) replaced. This varies from car to car, but is often needed at around 70,000 to 80,000 miles.
Cambelt replacement can seem expensive (as much as 1200 AED or more) but if it fails while you’re driving, you could face serious engine damage that could cost much more to repair than changing it when recommended.
Look After Your Tires
Caring for your car’s tires will not only save you money, but also keep it safe for you to drive. If your tires are in poor condition they could blow out on a busy road or lose traction in poor weather and cause a crash. Stick to the recommended tire pressures in your manual and check them regularly.
Tires that are over or under pressure wear unevenly and will need to be replaced sooner. Check the tracking regularly too as wheels that are out of alignment wear unevenly. Depending on your car, tires can cost anything from 300 AED each so it makes sense to get maximum mileage out of them.
You have just discovered some of the best maintenance tips on how to keep your car in its excellent condition. Meanwhile, if you want to sell or buy a new or pre-owned car, Sun City Motors is the best place to be in. Check out our partner’s available cars in stock now!
