Are you a self-proclaimed “gearhead” or do you enjoy working on cars or keeping up your vehicle in your spare time? Did you know that your hobby or past-time of working on your Jeep or Dodge is more than just a fun activity? It could be saving lives…and saving you money! And if you’ve never even touched your Jeep or hace no interest in talking to parts specialists, know that you could be making a huge mistake. With over 2,500 deaths very year because drivers don’t properly maintain or work on their cars, doing your own maintenance or making sure that your vehicle is safe to drive is incredibly important. Some people may view it as a hassle, but if you view it as a challenge or a great way to fill your time, there are a few things you should know.
What Are The Risks of Not Properly Maintaining My Vehicle?
Like mentioned before, neglecting your vehicle can cost you severely in both money spent and even, in some cases, lives. Let’s put it this way, vehicle neglect costs look something like this:
- almost $750 million are spent every year due to vehicle property damage
- over $650 million comes out of paychecks every year
- by not carrying out preventive maintenance (getting your oil checked, your brakes changed, etc.) over $2 billion is spent every year
- insurance costs reach almost $500 million annually — and that’s not counting how high your insurance might go afterwards as a result
If those costs aren’t bad enough, neglecting your vehicle could also lead to you participating in causing one of the almost 100,000 injuries that disable people every year.
Where Can I Get Parts?
Okay, okay, so it’s important to not neglect your vehicle. So say you want to start taking a more active role in making sure your car is safe and as road-fit as possible. Where do you start? If you’re not so much into actually getting under your car and working on it, there are places that do custom projects or that have people equipped to look at the exact specifications of what you need and carry them out. Say you want genuine Jeep parts to replace something — they can get those for you online or through a supplier.
Why Use OEM Parts?
If you do like getting under your car and doing the dirty work, using OEM parts might be your best bet. Wondering what OEM parts are? OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer and it’s basically just a part that is created by one company that gets used in another company’s finished product. While these can be pricier than other parts (like aftermarket parts), figuring out what type to use is easier, the quality can often be better, and they usually have a one-year warranty with them, so should something be defective or not work, you can exchange or return it at no extra cost to you.
Whether you’re someone who enjoys tinkering with their vehicle on the weekend or in their downtime or you’re someone who could care less, it IS important to make sure your vehicle is being well maintained and cared for. It will save you money in the long run, and could even save a life.