At your service! Four car-maintenance hints to save you money

By Martin Pretorius

As your car's odometer ticks off the time to its next service, you're doing the mental calculations to figure out how you're going to pay for it. The service plan has just expired, but the manufacturer warranty is still active. This means that you have no option but to take your car to the dealership for this service, just to get those all-important stamps in your service book. At this stage, you're still at the mercy of dealership labour rates and original equipment parts prices, and neither of those go cheaply.

But once the warranty expires, or if you don't care about maintaining that warranty, there are other options which would still ensure optimal maintenance of your vehicle without costing you an arm and a leg. Here's what you can do:

1. Find a franchise or an expert

Stop going to the agents for routine services. If you drive an ordinary, run-off-the-mill volume selling car, chances are that any general auto care franchise, or even a private (but RMI accredited) workshop, will have the know-how and equipment to give your car most of the care it needs. Research the non-dealership franchise you intend to use, look at online customer complaint forums such as Hellopeter, and meet the workshop manager in person. You're going to have to build a relationship with him/her, so best be sure in advance that you share the same goals for your car. You'll want this workshop to adhere to the manufacturer's service schedule, and ensure that everything which would have been done at the agents will be done on your car here too. This includes items like brake fluid- and coolant changes, inspection of brake lines and other pipes, and inspection of suspension bushes and engine mountings. Don't take shortcuts.

If your car is of a slightly more exotic breed, or you require vehicle-specific maintenance but still don't want to go to the agents, or just want to pay more, you might want to call on the services of an expert. Most of these are also accredited with the relevant trade authorities, but due to their more specialized services, their labour rates are about midway between the general workshops and the dealership. This still means a significant saving, and, because these experts are usually well-known among clients and owners, having had a well-regarded expert work on your car will count for a lot when you decide to sell the car.

 2. Make peace with Non-OEM parts... sometimes

Not all automotive parts are created equal, that is true. But, as long as you stick with trusted brands from reputable sales outlets, there's seldom any valid reason to rely exclusively on Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts.

 In many instances, the non-OEM parts come from the same factory, or are made to strict OEM specifications by a third-party supplier. Valeo clutches are a good example: they're supplied to many manufacturers as original equipment, but identical items are sold at a vast discount under their own brand as well. Once again, the key is research: find out which suppliers and part are highly regarded by other owners, and which components are still best sourced from the agents.

 3. Learn to work on your own car

We're not talking about overhauling the gearbox or performing an engine transplant here, but there are many maintenance jobs which fall well within the abilities of a halfway-competent home mechanic. If you have suitable work space and a rudimentary set of tools, you could easily change the oil and oil filter yourself, and if you have a torque wrench as well (and know how to use it), you can replace your car's brake pads at home as well. Ask a friend with decent spanner-wielding skills to assist you, and if you're still unsure of the procedures to perform the work on your car, hunt around on YouTube for tutorials on the subject. There's a wealth of information in online forums as well, so don't be afraid to ask for advice.

 4. Invest in a non-proprietary diagnostic code scanner

The aftermarket has a wide selection of affordable diagnostic scanners available, and there's sure to be one which will be able to communicate with your car. This is especially relevant for cars with OBD2 diagnostic abilities, where it's very easy to quickly check all the sensors attached to the engine, and often the braking system and the automatic gearbox as well. These scanners also allow you to read and clear error codes, and many of them enable you to reset the service indicator (if fitted) as well. If your car dates from before the OBD2 era (which began in the late-1990s), you can still find either a scanning tool or a simple way to make the engine's computer flash its error codes in the instrument cluster. Again, the internet is your friend – it's practically guaranteed that you'll find someone else who has it all figured out.

 Perhaps your car's service book won't retain its unbroken line of dealership stamps if you break away from agents-only maintenance, but you can save quite substantial amounts on repairs and servicing. There's no reason for this move to necessarily result in inferior maintenance, provided the maintenance schedule is adhered to, good-quality parts are used, and a competent “outsider” supplies the labour. And if you're feeling adventurous, learn how to do the simple things yourself. The savings will be worth it, and you'll get to spend some quality time with your car.

Disclaimer: AutoTrader cannot assume responsibility for any advice given here. Use the above as general guidelines only. Servicing requirements are vehicle dependant. and some of this advice may not be applicable to your vehicle or brand of vehicle.