Service your car and it will serve you well

By Barry Lake

MODERN cars have longer and longer intervals between routine services with almost every all-new model.

Advances in metallurgy and engineering expertise have extended the life of engines beyond anything the motoring pioneers ever could have envisaged.

To keep pace, suppliers of ancillary components like oil seals, ignition systems, spark plugs and especially oils have had to continually -- and quite rapidly -- improve their own products.

But what good is it if oil, for example, can last for tens of thousands of miles -- even hundreds of thousands, if the car still has to be serviced regularly to fit new spark plugs, oil filters, air filters, or to have the ignition timing adjusted?

So with every improvement in one area, all other components have to be developed to keep pace.

We now have, on today's new cars, such things as long-life spark plugs with platinum electrodes that last for the life of the engine; ignition systems that have no breaker points nor other moving parts; "fit and forget" belts to drive the fan, water pump, power steering pump, and air-conditioner compressor; as well as oils and oil filters that last longer than we ever dreamed possible ...

But all of this is of interest and benefit only to those who have the necessary funds to buy one of today's new sedans or more technologically advanced cars.

But even these new, supposedly worry-free cars need servicing.

In fact, with long periods between routine check-overs, it is even more important not to be tardy when servicing time does come around and that you take your car to an authorized service center, not a local garage mechanic who probably will not be properly trained and is not likely to have the right equipment.

And it is important to keep an eye on such things as tire pressures, in particular.

For those who still have to live with more down-to-earth cars, regular servicing is absolutely essential.

An unseen oil leak can drop the oil level so low that serious damage can be done to the engine.

A slipping fan belt can cause overheating that also will lead to severe engine problems.

Often forgotten is the cost of running a car that is badly out of tune due to the ignition contact breaker points wearing and retarding the ignition timing, and to spark plugs whose electrodes have burned away to widen the gap between them, or carburetor and automatic choke linkages becoming worn.

When these things happen the car's performance drops off dramatically and fuel consumption goes through the roof.

Don't forget tire pressures either. Low pressures can make a car handle dangerously, seriously lengthen emergency braking distances, and increase fuel consumption.

A tire with low air pressure can also overheat due to flexing of the carcass and could eventually fail with potentially disastrous consequences.

Modern tires, like all other motor car components, are far better than they ever were in the past -- but they can still develop punctures, or dirt can get into a valve and make it leak.

So checking tires regularly is imperative on both old and new cars, especially if you do a lot of driving outside the metropolis where the roads can be very rough.

Then there is the humble windshield wiper rubber. It's one of the least costly items on a car, yet one of the least frequently replaced.

Worn windshield wiper rubbers can endanger your life by improperly wiping the screen on rainy days and they can also scratch the windshield, adding to the danger and, ultimately, leading to the far more costly replacement of the windshield.

With windshield wiper rubbers or blades -- as with all parts on a car -- it is far better and usually less costly in the long run, to buy genuine parts.

They cost more in the short term but you know they will do the job properly and will probably also last longer.

No matter how old your car, have it serviced regularly, and have any necessary repairs done immediately they become apparent -- by a competent mechanic using genuine not spurious parts and oils.

In this way, you will keep your car in good working order; it will always start, should never let you down, it will be safer, and will be worth more money when you sell it.

Another factor to consider is the availability of service and spare parts.

It will take some time before some of the newer car companies extend their coverage out of the metropolis and across the entire country.

Established players such as Toyota and Indomobil have well- established national networks and this could be a factor in your decision-making process, especially if you are going to do a lot of country driving.

However, over time all the major companies will develop good service and support networks.

Indeed most claim that they already have.

All in all, regular servicing and maintenance of your car is one of the best investments you will ever make.