Why you should follow your car service schedule

Nelson Mpanga’s car mileage reads 70,476 kilometers. He last serviced his car at Total Nakawa on April 26, when he had covered 69,453.
When his car hits the 74,453 kilometre mark, he will need another round of servicing because it is required that the car is serviced every time it covers 5,000 kilometres.
If, for some reason, Mpanga drives his car beyond the 74,453 mileage, Isma Katende, a mechanic at Lwanga and Sons Motor Garage in Old Kampala, says it will start developing mechanical issues such as heating of the engine, clogged air and fuel filtres, worn-out brake pads, among others.
Why it is important to service your car

Maintaining resale value
One of the most important aspects of car servicing is maintaining the resale value of the vehicle.
“Before you sell your car, in case you have decided to get rid of it, buyers will want to test it and their decision will depend on what they find,” says Katende.

Preventing parts damage
Cars too, have sensitive parts such as the engine that must be well maintained. Therefore, according to Katende, it is only by doing things such as servicing that the mechanic will check out other parts of the car.
“Your mechanic can advise damaged or worn-out parts should be replaced before the fault worsens,” he says.

Keep terms of the warranty
Brand new cars, in most cases, according to Sam Barigye, a mechanic at Shell Naguru, come with long period of warranty (two years).
However, such warrants come with conditions, among which is servicing. “As long as a car can move from home to work or any other place, it must be checked and serviced,” he says.
Before the dealership considers repair or even replacement, Barigye says, they will look at the mileage to see if you honoured the conditions of the warranty.

Keep car road-worthy
According to Barigye, when you follow your car maintenance schedule, it helps keep it road worthy.
“Servicing helps your car parts run normally, which might also be a determinant for your car’s durability,” he says.