Making the decision to keep your vehicle long term can be a wise one. After your vehicle is paid off it can give you a return on your investment that is not available to consumers who simply trade their vehicles off. Not having a car payment can open the door to some new monthly revenue that was previously going out the door. This new-found money could be a lasting resource if you make the right decision to preventatively maintain your vehicle. This means that giving a little money back will keep your vehicle in dependable and eye-pleasing condition.
The common pitfall for many consumers who pay off their vehicles is that they forget to invest any money into their automobile. This scenario will certainly result in a major breakdown or a vehicle that is not eye-pleasing or comfortable. In these cases the owner usually trades the vehicle off and starts on a new payment book. There is no capital to be gained in this case.
It is a well known fact that most automobiles can be maintained at a very dependable level to over two hundred thousand miles. An approximate cost to maintain the average vehicle is about $1,200 to $1,400 per year. These figures can vary depending on the present condition of your vehicle. Doing preventative maintenance should result in 3 to 4 visits to a professional repair facility. Yes, this is a commitment but if you do the math it is well worth it.
To take the guesswork out of preventative maintenance we have a comprehensive booklet available. We also have a great article from Consumer Digest, "How To Make Your Car Last 200,000 Miles". Factory Maintenance Schedules are also available for your vehicle at our service counter. All of these resources are available to our customers free of charge. Just ask! We welcome your feedback on these features. You can e-mail us at tech@astauto.com or contact us any of the old fashioned ways.
We welcome your feedback on these features.