A few years ago, I used to skip regular maintenance thinking I was “saving money”. Oil change? Delayed. Brake pads? "Still good for a few weeks." But then the small things started piling up. The worst was when I ignored a coolant leak and my engine overheated on the highway. Head gasket blew, and the bill was over $1800. All because I didn’t fix a $120 hose in time. After that incident, I started following a routine: oil every 5000 km, seasonal checkups for brakes and suspension, and immediate action on any strange noise or smell. Since then – no major repairs, car runs smoother, and I actually save money. I found this article recently that breaks it down with logic:
https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2025/07/why-regular-car-repair-can-save-you-thousands-in-the-long-run/ – highly recommend it to anyone who thinks “I’ll deal with it later” is a good strategy.