Lower vehicle inventory means car care important

Maybe you’re not in the market for a new car, but you should still care about the national shortage of vehicles the United States is currently facing. Beginning with factory shutdowns in early 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing with worldwide semiconductor shortages driving further mayhem across auto supply-chains, vehicle inventories have reached historic lows across the United States.

According to Cox Automotive, there were 1.8 million fewer new vehicles available for purchase in 2021 than there were in 2020, and 2.5 million less than 2019. With a supply shortage comes a trickier pricing environment and if you are in the market for a new or used vehicle, you have your work cut out for you when it comes to finding the car you want- let alone a good deal.

Here are some things you can do to keep your vehicle in tip top shape:

Address any dashboard lights

Has that Check Engine Light been on for a while? Maybe it popped up before the holiday season and the car seems to drive fine so you haven’t bothered. This light could mean many things, so it’s important to get it diagnosed before whatever it is signaling fails further.

Oil change

One of the most basic things you can do to keep your engine running smoothly and prevent catastrophic failure is regular oil changes. Check out our blog here if you aren’t sure how often you need this service – but don’t forget, every Roda service comes with a free multi-point inspection where we can tell you when it might be time for certain services. If it is time for an oil change, we’ve got the most transparent, simple pricing in town. Learn more here.

Lights, wipers, tires

On the blog last year we gave you the trio of items to check on your car to-do list before heading out on a big road trip, but this trio is also important to check even if doing normal driving around town during the cold season. For more details on how to check your tires, wipers, and lights, click here.

If you’re not in the market now, take this as your sign to take even better care of your current vehicle(s) so you aren’t left in a tough situation with either needing a new one or needing costly reactive repairs due to forgone routine maintenance.