Owning a car is not just about saving enough for the down payment for a car, paying consumable expenses such as fuel and obligatory expenses such as toll fees and license renewal fees. You also have to ensure that your car continues to be able to drive properly and safely on the road, or also known as maintaining your car’s roadworthiness! This is part of the aftermarket cost.

Maintenance cost

Maintenance includes preventive, corrective and predictive maintenance, which may involve parts replacements to ensure a car’s roadworthiness. The aftermarket items (in terms of parts, subsystems, or systems) come from the “new supply” and the “second-hand supply”.

The new items supply can be sourced from either the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) or Non-OEM. They are further categorised into “locally produced” or “imported” items. The OEMs of automotive parts are also being referred to as Replacement Equipment Manufacturers (REMs). They produce parts that are approved by the authorities or parts that are approved by the car maker themselves. However, the new supplies may also include substandard or fake items due to lack of control in the market. So make sure you engage a trustworthy inspection centre. Don’t have one yet? Visit www.ezauto.com to locate one nearest to you today!

Retrofitting work

Car owners might also be interested in amending or adding some aesthetic modification to their cars (such as new body paint and skirting) as well as altering the default specifications (engine capacity, exhaust pipe, suspension system, tyre and rim). These retrofitting works will increase the cost of ownership.

The second-hand supply can also be divided into local or imported supplies. The local supplies include the parts obtained from car users through trade-in activities, vehicle theft, cars that were involved in road accidents, confiscated cars due to legal action, and cars that are “forced” to be retired (no longer roadworthy).

The imported second-hand supplies are usually sourced from “half-cut” shops. “Half-cut” refers to cars being cut into halves for the purpose of car parts salvage. For example, one may ask for certain parts from the half-unit (e.g. front-end consists of engine, radiator, transmission unit; rear-end consist of fuel tank, fuel pump, part of the exhaust system), or may buy the whole half-unit.

Do you now have a better understanding of the true cost of car ownership? It really goes beyond just the capital cost to include running, legal as well as maintenance costs. Basically everything you could think of to ensure your car can be driven legally and safely on the road! Want the best bang for your buck when buying or selling your car?  Visit www.ezauto.my to learn more on how to buy and sell your car on a trust-worthy online platform at the best prices today!