Back to all

Budget for Maintenance in Fort Mill

April 3, 2017

Sometimes busy Fort Mill residents dream about going back to the “simpler” days of our grandparents. But if you could travel back in time and take a road trip around SC in a Model T, you might change your mind. The improved designs and quality of today's automobiles have significantly reduced the amount of time Fort Mill residents spend at the side of the road during breakdowns. With proper maintenance, today's vehicles can stay on the road longer than ever before.

Some of those improvements, however, have led to higher repair costs. For example, older cars often broke down from vapor lock. Gas vaporized while traveling from the gas tank to the fuel pump. No gas, no power. The car quits going. The solution was simple — you just sat by the road until the car would start up again. Today's Fort Mill drivers would hardly tolerate that kind of inconvenience, and it's likely that yesterday's Fort Mill drivers didn't care much for it, either. So on today's vehicles, the fuel pump is actually located inside the gas tank. Problem solved. No more vapor lock. The downside is that now it costs a lot more to repair or replace a fuel pump at Fort Mill area auto service centers.

Fort Mill drivers certainly should be grateful for the improvements in auto design that keep us off the side of the road, but it comes at a price. Vehicle care in SC  simply costs more than it used to. So if you think about it, Fort Mill drivers can avoid many vehicle repairs by preventive maintenance. If we plan for maintenance, we can avoid a lot of costly repairs.

Just a bit of auto advice from Tuffy Charlotte Metro: If you like new vehicles and can afford them, then buy them. But if you are buying a new vehicle every few years because you're afraid of the higher repair costs for older vehicles, then you ought to take a second look at the numbers. You can save a lot of money on car payments and SC auto insurance with an older vehicle and preventive auto maintenance can help you avoid most car repair bills. And if you budget for preventive maintenance you have done at Tuffy Charlotte Metro, it can become as routine as a car payment — only a whole lot less!

Tuffy Charlotte Metro
9909 Charlotte Highway
Fort Mill, SC 29715
803-802-2466
http://www.tuffyftmill.com

More articles from Tuffy Fort Mill

Don?t Skip Out on These! (Vehicle Maintenance Items You Should Never Postpone)

February 15, 2026

Maybe that little sticker on your windshield is giving you the reminder that its time for your vehicle to have an oil change. Youve thought, Aw, I can skip this one and save myself a little money. When it comes to things you should never ignore on your vehicle, timely oil changes are number one... More

Steering Clear in Fort Mill

February 8, 2026

Those who know vehicles believe the steering system may be the most vital component of them all. Perhaps you've found over the years your steering has gotten loose. Or maybe suddenly, your steering wheel has gotten very hard to turn. Let's steer you in the direction of understanding why this may ... More

Braking Good (Brake Drum Replacement)

February 1, 2026

Maybe your vehicle feels like Breaking Bad. In other words, when you brake, things are bad. You may find it takes you a longer distance to stop, you feel a vibration, or its pulsating when you depress the brake pedal, or perhaps your vehicle pulls to one side. Those can be symptoms of failing b... More