Car Service Tips: Avoid these 5 service center charges, you can save thousands of rupees in every service

Nowadays, buying a new car has become quite an easy task, but after bringing the car home, keeping it in good condition is a difficult task. People often complain that too much money is being spent on vehicle service and maintenance. Has it ever happened to you that you went for car servicing and the service advisor there gave you an estimate of Rs 5,000, but in the evening handed over a bill of Rs 12,000?

Most car owners are intimidated in the name of service. Service center owners often add such work to the bill which is not required, citing safety and life of the vehicle. If you show some wisdom and learn to refuse some non-essential services, you can reduce your bill by 40 to 50 percent. Let us know where money can be saved.

1. Engine flushing hoax

Service center people will often say that debris has accumulated inside the engine and an engine flush is necessary to clean it. If you get your car serviced on time and use the right grade of oil, then there is no need for engine flush. Modern lubricants already contain detergents. If you do not fall into this trap, you can save around Rs 800 to Rs 1,500.

2. Wheel Balancing and Alignment

This work is done at the service center at double the rate compared to the market. Service center owners charge heavy labor charges and weights for this. You can get the same work done from a specialized tire shop outside at half the price and with better machinery. By skipping this process, approximately Rs 1,000 to 1,800 can be saved.

3. Anti-rust coating and Teflon coating

This is a big scam with a new car. The advisor will say that your car will rust or the paint will get damaged. Most of the cars nowadays come with underbody protection and good quality paint finish from the company itself. Getting Teflon coating done annually is just a waste of money. If you have to get it done, then get it done from professional detailing shops and not from service centers. In this case you will be able to save Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000.

4. Nitrogen air and wiper fluid

Often Rs 50-100 are added to the bill in the name of wiper fluid, which is actually just soap water. Similarly, money is also collected in the name of nitrogen. You can mix shampoo and water at home and put it in the wiper tank. There is no need to pay huge money to the service center even for nitrogen. In this way Rs 200 to 400 more will be saved.

5. Brake Cleaning and Caliper Greasing

This is another hidden charge which is added to the labor cost. Routine service includes checking the brakes. It is not logical to pay separate cleaning charges for this unless there is a serious problem with the brakes. If any such charge has been added to your bill, then Rs 500 to Rs 800 can be saved by removing it.

Our advice: Car servicing is important for your safety, but it is not wise to burden yourself with unnecessary value-added services. Next time you go to the service centre, trust your car’s actual needs and the manual instead of following the advisor’s words. Remember, a service center is a business and its aim is to make profits. By adopting the tips mentioned above, you will be able to save thousands of rupees.