If you had told us back in January 2020 that a lot of Californians would be uncertain if the back to school season was going to be normal, we would have given you a very curious look. Now that we’ve all lived through the ups and downs of childhood education throughout the COVID-19 era, it’s anyone’s guess as to what the back-to-school season will look like for anyone who is of school-age.
With that being said, there are going to be a lot of school kids who are old enough to drive who will need a car for commuting purposes. Whether that child is in high school, attending community college, or driving long distances to a state or private university, he or she will need a reliable vehicle. Which leads us to the question: Is your student’s vehicle ready for school?
Before the COVID-era, most parents had the vehicle of the young driver inspected before their kid began the school season. Then, after the school year was over, the vehicle required another safety inspection because it would often be neglected or over-used while the student was focused on other things.
Today, in the post-COVID-era, we are seeing a subtle shift in car usage and here is what we predict for the 2020 / 2021 school year.
- Prediction #1: The fleet of family vehicles will begin to shrink because most families will reduce the number of cars that require a large car payment.
- Prediction #2: Some family fleets will remain the same in number, but the ability to purchase new cars will go down. Therefore, most family fleets will undergo more preventive maintenance in order to make them last longer and reduce the risk of breakdowns.
- Prediction #3: Once a vehicle is no longer viewed as reliable and dependable, that vehicle will be sold off or donated to another family that needs a car for their young driver. It will now be up to that new family to service, repair, and maintain the “used” vehicle so it can safely transport its passengers.
If all of these predictions are true, here are two things that families will need to do to make sure their young driver’s vehicle is ready for the school season:
When you currently own the vehicle, make sure you bring it in for regular, factory-scheduled service and repairs. The team at Import Auto Specialists will be happy to inspect the vehicle, show that needs to be repaired right away and what can wait. We can also create a preventive maintenance schedule that will lower the risk of breakdowns for your young drivers.
If you are thinking about buying a “new” used vehicle, be sure to run it through a comprehensive pre-purchase vehicle inspection. When you have Import Auto Specialists perform a pre-purchase inspection, we will do a visual inspection of the vehicle from bumper-to-bumper. During our inspection, we will check off lists and show you a report about what is performing well, what needs work, and what needs repairs. The information gleaned from this pre-purchase vehicle inspection will give you and your young driver the negotiating power you’ll need if there are any major repair issues that could label the car a “lemon”.
We also have young drivers at home and we understand the desire to make sure they and their vehicles are ready for back-to-school season, regardless of how that looks during COVID-19. That is why we invite you to Import Auto Specialists in San Diego for preventive maintenance and repairs.
Our goal is to inspect your vehicle and offer precise car care. Our team prides itself on getting to know your car, your driving habits, and you, which allows us to provide you with specialized service. Import Auto Specialists is now offering discounts to help stretch your budget dollars. Give us a call at 858-576-7186 or schedule an appointment today so we can take great care of you and your car.