News

In recent findings released from CARFAX, it's become evident that a significant portion of American drivers are falling behind on car maintenance. Of the five categories (most up-to-date, above average, average, below average, and least up-to-date ), our own state of Maryland ranks below average when it comes to vehicle maintenance. We're one of fifteen states in this category, and while we're not in the worst category, we're not far from it.

Now, we suspect motorists are aware that car maintenance has benefits and that skipping out on these services leads to decreased performance, safety issues, and long-term costs.

So what's stopping motorists from taking care of their vehicles on schedule?

That's what we want to examine today, because we know that you need to understand the cause of an issue to correctly address it!

What the Data Shows about Specific Maintenance Services

Here are some of the stats collected on US drivers from CARFAX:

• 29% of drivers aren't keeping up with oil changes
• 44% of drivers neglect tire rotations
• 1 in 5 owners are behind on both oil changes and tire rotations

These aren't the only car maintenance services that an owner can neglect, of course, but they are two of the most well-known ones. 

Why are Maryland Drivers Neglecting Maintenance?

The CARFAX report didn't go into why motorists are neglecting maintenance, but there is information out there on why motorists put off automotive services (this survey looked at service in general, including repairs, but the insights are valuable for giving us an overall understanding of what prohibits drivers from seeking service).

The top reasons given were:

• Time - People simply don't feel like they have the time
• Affordability - The cost of services are prohibitive for some motorists
• Urgency (or lack thereof) - If there's not an immediate issue, drivers don't feel the need to service their vehicles
• Anxiety - Drivers who don't know the cost of service may not go out of fear of what it will be
• Trust - Some drivers put off automotive service or skip it because they don't have a shop they trust

We can't say the reasons are unexpected, but we can address them in relation to our Drive Thru Tire shop in Germantown, MD.

First, your time is valuable to us (and saving you time means we have more time to help others, so it's a mutual desire). We strive to get you in and out in a timely manner while making sure we properly address your needs. When possible, we try to accommodate same-day turnaround. If you've been told you need to wait a few days before you can get new tires installed or another service performed, check with us to see if we can take care of you sooner. Sometimes we can!

For affordability, we keep prices competitive (you can take it from our customers) and promote special offers and tire rebates to help you score great deals. We also accept financing through the Goodyear credit card and payment through a variety of credit cards. 

In regards to urgency, it's true that maintenance isn't urgent in the same way as an issue that requires repair. Your vehicle is running good and maintenance is performed while it is running good so it keeps running good. There's not the same sense of reward since, even though you know the service is required for a reason, you don't see the difference like with a repair. That said, if you skip maintenance again and again and again, you're not doing yourself or your vehicle any favors. Eventually, skipping maintenance can lead to urgent issues that cost you a significant penny. For example, old oil can turn to sludge given enough time, and you do not want that. If there's the possibility you'll sell your vehicle at some point in time, you'll also find it more difficult to negotiate a higher price if you don't have a good service history. Put another way, would you pay higher for a vehicle with no history or one that has proof it was taken care of over time? Getting into the habit of practicing maintenance is worthwhile, but you may have to train yourself to appreciate its importance and impact. Consider treating yourself to something nice when you take care of your car. That can be an extra incentive when the urgency, or lack of urgency, isn't pressing you to act.

Anxiety and trust are warranted issues that have been a part of the service industry for years, due to experiences that people have had with unscrupulous shops. But your vehicle needs service, so you need to find a place you trust to provide consistent, good service. That means you need a business built on the foundation of providing genuinely good service to customers and not upselling when there isn't a reason to suggest something. There's no way to know for certain before you visit a shop how your experience will go, but you can research online to see customer reviews and ask friends and family. At Drive Thru Tire, we have great reviews (and a big thank you if you're one of our customers who took the time to leave one), so we hope you'll give us a try the next time you need tires or one of the other services we provide. 

The Drive Thru Tire team wants to do our part to raise Maryland's status when it comes to maintenance, like tire rotations and oil changes, but we can't do that without you. So if your car is good to you, be good to it and schedule an appointment while this article is fresh in your mind!