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Routine maintenance is practical, yet some motorists and businesses skip out on services that can save frustration, time, and money later. You may have a friend or family member in this category of drivers, or you might be one yourself. If most people recognize the benefits of maintenance, why would anyone choose not to follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance guidelines? Well, the answers differ depending on whether the maintenance is for a passenger vehicle or commercial one.

On the passenger vehicle side, two constraints are time and money. Unless you're covered under a maintenance program, you'll need to pay something to have your vehicle looked at by a service technician. While most folks understand vehicles need maintenance, not everyone preps for the eventual cost. Drivers may underestimate the number of miles they will drive in a year, meeting their mileage maintenance interval sooner than expected. They may also have tight budgets. At East Valley Diesel Specialty, we offer financing to assist with automotive repair and maintenance costs. A dedicated credit card for car care can help make maintenance and any unexpected repairs more manageable.

Other motorists opt out of maintenance for DIY jobs. For those who know what they are doing, it's a way to save money. However, it means foregoing an official service and proof of maintenance. If you plan on keeping your vehicle until the end of its service life, that won't be of much consequence. If you foresee the possibility of selling in the future, having a record of maintenance can help you negotiate a better price. If you go the DIY route, make sure to keep your receipts as a way to verify your maintenance efforts. Last, there are drivers who plan on taking their vehicles in for maintenance but forget or have "other things to do." We recommend making maintenance one of your top "things to do," because we find it to be worth the time. As for forgetting, if you're reading this article now, when was the last time you had maintenance done? Now might be a good time to check and make a note in your smartphone calendar or whichever calendar you use.

Routine maintenance is a great way to keep your vehicle running for its expected lifetime or beyond. Catching worn auto parts early can prevent unexpected downtime later. In addition, malfunctioning parts may have an effect on other parts and systems in your vehicle, increasing their rate of wear. Preventive maintenance reduces the chance that you'll end up on the roadside. It helps you keep everything running smoothly and may help you sell your vehicle at a better price down the line, if you choose to sell it.

Fleet maintenance has a different set of variables. In fact, there are different types of maintenance for fleets, including: proactive maintenance, reactive maintenance, predictive maintenance, and reliability centered maintenance. Companies vary in which type they follow, based on operation costs and application. You can read more about each in Operations & Best Practices: A Guide to Achieving Operational Efficiency (Chapter 5). This is a guide released by the Federal Energy Management Program that goes into more detail about the pros and cons fleet managers should consider.

At East Valley Diesel Specialty, we do our utmost to make fleet PM easy. We'll work with you to keep your commercial vehicles operating at their best, so they continue to reach their destinations. We work with many fleet companies and guarantee a quick turnaround time.