By Aurelia Mbokazi
If you own an older car, this will probably sound familiar.
A strange noise that was not there before. A warning light that comes and goes. You convince yourself that neither is urgent because the car still gets you where you need to go. You will have it looked at after payday, when work slows down or when life feels a little less busy.
I know that feeling because I did the same thing.
My 2013 jalopy has become my family’s backup car and usually comes out when I do not have a test vehicle. Because I was not relying on it every day, it became easy to push its upkeep down the priority list. There was always something that seemed more important than booking it in for a service or having a small problem checked.
Then, on Friday afternoon, while my nephew was on his way to fetch my children from school, the car finally gave up.
Breaking down in the middle of traffic is something no motorist wants to experience. Cars were hooting, traffic was building up behind him and the entire situation became a nightmare.
The diagnosis afterwards was sobering. The car now needs a clutch replacement, along with attention to several other issues that I had ignored over time.
Mechanical parts eventually wear out, and I cannot say with certainty whether the clutch replacement could have been avoided. What became clear, however, was that postponing smaller repairs and routine attention had allowed the vehicle’s overall condition to worsen, increasing the risk of an unexpected breakdown.
Road safety starts long before you turn the key
Much of South Africa’s road safety conversation focuses on speeding, distracted driving, fatigue and driving under the influence. These remain serious contributors to crashes on our roads. Yet another factor often receives far less attention: the condition of the vehicle itself.
A vehicle does not always become unsafe suddenly. In many cases, it gives us small signs that something needs attention. The problem is that life gets busy, money is stretched and those signs are easy to push aside when the car still appears to be running.
Service and maintenance are not quite the same thing
Although the words are often used interchangeably, servicing and maintenance do not mean exactly the same thing.
A service is a scheduled inspection carried out according to time or mileage intervals. It may include changing the oil and filters, checking fluid levels and inspecting important components for wear.
Maintenance is the broader responsibility of keeping a vehicle safe and reliable. It includes scheduled servicing, but also covers repairs and replacements between services, such as fitting new tyres, replacing worn brake pads, fixing faulty lights or having an unfamiliar noise investigated.
In simple terms, a service is one part of maintenance. A vehicle can be up to date with its scheduled service and still need additional maintenance when a part becomes worn or a new problem appears.
That distinction matters in my case. I had not only delayed regular servicing. I had also postponed attending to smaller problems as they emerged.
Small problems have a way of becoming expensive ones
Keeping an older vehicle on the road does not mean you should expect constant breakdowns. Many older cars remain dependable for years when they receive regular servicing and timely maintenance.
The difficulty is that many of the components that keep a vehicle safe wear down gradually. Brake pads become thinner, tyres lose tread or wear unevenly, fluids deteriorate and steering or suspension components may slowly begin to show signs of strain. Because these changes happen over time, it is easy to assume everything is fine until a small concern turns into a major repair.
A scheduled service gives a qualified technician an opportunity to identify developing problems early. Paying attention between services is equally important. A new vibration, warning light, unusual noise or change in how the car drives should not automatically be left until the next service date.
A breakdown costs more than the repair bill
My experience reminded me that a breakdown is about much more than replacing a faulty part.
It disrupts your day, leaves people stranded and creates towing, repair and alternative transport costs that were never part of the budget. Depending on where and when it happens, it may also leave the driver and passengers in an exposed or uncomfortable situation.
That Friday, my first concern was the fact that my nephew and children were stuck in traffic and needed immediate help. The financial consequences came afterwards.
What can you do differently?
The reassuring part is that you do not need to be mechanically knowledgeable to take better care of your vehicle.
Start by keeping a simple record of when the car was last serviced and when the next service is due. Do not rely only on memory, particularly if the vehicle is not used regularly. Set a reminder based on the manufacturer’s recommended time or mileage interval.
Between services, pay attention to changes in how the car feels, sounds or responds. Warning lights, vibrations, difficulty changing gears, changes in braking or unfamiliar noises are all reasons to ask a qualified technician for advice.
It also helps to separate routine servicing from unexpected maintenance in your budget Even a small monthly amount set aside for tyres, brakes, batteries and minor repairs can make it easier to respond when a problem first appears instead of postponing it until it becomes more expensive.
Most importantly, do not assume that limited use means a car needs less attention. A backup vehicle still ages, fluids still deteriorate and parts can still wear or develop faults while the car spends long periods parked.
The lesson I will not ignore again
Looking back, I realised that I had not ignored several small problems. Individually, none of them seemed urgent. Together, they became one expensive and highly stressfu llesson.
It is impossible to prevent every mechanical part from wearing out. That is part of owning any vehicle. What can often be prevented is the surprise that comes from leaving known problems unattended and hoping the car will continue carrying on regardless.
Looking after an older car is not about keeping it perfect. It is about servicing it when itis due, responding when something changes and understanding that maintenance continues between scheduled services.
If sharing my experience encourages someone else to book an overdue service or have that strange noise checked before the next journey, then it will have been a lesson worth sharing.
Because the most expensive service is often the one we convince ourselves can wait until next month.
