If you thought your car can run without problems for long merely by getting the tank full and revving the engine up, you can’t be more wrong. The reason automakers stress regular car checkups is that at the end of the day, no matter how fancy or luxurious your car is, it’s a machine after all. A machine goes through wear and tear every day, and needs to be taken care of to prevent hassles later on. The more negligent you are, the higher you’ll have to spend on maintenance when a fault props up. Let’s take a look at some of the most expensive car repairs you may have to get done if you’re not careful.
1. Transmission Replacement – One of the Most Expensive Car Repairs
Most cars on the UAE roads today use automatic transmission. It takes regular care and vigilance to keep your car’s automatic transmission working smoothly. Things can easily go wrong with it. Around nine out of every 10 automatic transmission issues are a direct result of problems with its transmission fluid. In case you own a manual car, the major issue is that the transmission wears out by improper use of the clutch. Transmission fluid doesn’t need to be changed too frequently; however, try changing it at least once every three years, or you’ll have to cough up between AED 6,500 and AED 12,000 for a new transmission. Even a repair will cost between AED 2,500 and AED 5,000.
2. Brake Pad and Rotor Replacement
Your car’s brake pads can be seen from between the iron rims; they cover the calipers that squeeze together on your brake’s rotor to create friction and bring your car to a stop. There’s a standard minimum thickness for these pads. Depending on the manufacturer, this thickness can range from 2.5 to 3.0mm, and can be checked easily. Even though recent cars have sensors built in to warn drivers of diminishing thickness, it’s still better to be on the safe side and pay a visit to your local mechanic every now and then to get the brake pads checked; because once they wear out, they can even damage the rotor, replacement of which may cost you thousands of Dirham.
3. Camshaft Replacement
A camshaft is the key to a car engine’s smooth running. It keeps the valve movement in check and controls air inflow into your car’s engine. The single most common cause of a fault in camshaft is not changing your car’s engine oil on time. Substandard gasoline also ruins camshafts. In order to prevent this from happening, try your best to change car oil as soon as it’s due, and ask your mechanic to check and make adjustments to the camshaft periodically. In case you don’t take enough care of your car’s engine, and the camshaft gets ruined, a replacement will cost you around AED 3,000.
4. Tyre Replacement
Even though most users make it a point to get tyres replaced every two to three years, it still costs a lot of money to get four new high-quality tyres installed in your car. You should delay changing them by continuously being careful with their maintenance. You can stretch the tyres’ life by driving more carefully and avoiding routes that would take you to grubby, rough or bumpy roads. Even the gravel on newly laid-out roads can adversely affect your car’s tyres. Never apply the brakes harder than you have to, and don’t accelerate too fast either. A major trick to make tyres last longer is rotation: the process of switching each tyre’s place every now and then to even out the wear. Tyres can cost you anything between AED 150 and AED 1,000 apiece, depending on what brand and quality you choose, so treat them well once you’ve invested in them.
5. Air-Conditioning Compressor Replacement
Your car’s air compressor is key to maintaining its inside temperature in all weather conditions. With the kind of summer we have in the UAE, you really won’t want to drive with a malfunctioning compressor, would you? A compressor is a fairly vulnerable part, and can malfunction as soon as a rod or valve inside it breaks. Even an engine belt malfunction can cause a ripple effect which would lead to a faulty compressor. A new compressor can cost anywhere between AED 700 and AED 2,000; even more for high-performance vehicles or SUVs.
Therefore, it is necessary to get your car regularly checked for faults and malfunctions, so they can be dealt on time and save you money.