Back to all

Budget for Maintenance in Tampa

December 11, 2017

Sometimes busy Tampa 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 FL 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 Tampa 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 Tampa drivers would hardly tolerate that kind of inconvenience, and it's likely that yesterday's Tampa 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 Tampa area auto service centers.

Tampa 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 FL  simply costs more than it used to. So if you think about it, Tampa 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 Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy): 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 FL 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 Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy), it can become as routine as a car payment — only a whole lot less!

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy)
4353 Gunn Highway
Tampa, FL 33618
813-908-0438
http://www.tuffygunn.com

More articles from Tuffy Gunn

Stop! And See Us (Brake Pad Replacement)

October 12, 2025

If youve ever driven a bicycle with hand brakes, youll probably understand how the brake pads on your vehicle work. Bicycle brakes use a system that squeezes the bike wheels rim with a pair of cushioned pads activated by your hand squeezing the hand brakes on your handlebars. The friction of tho... More

Before You Buy a Used Vehicle (Car Inspection before Buying a Used Vehicle)

October 5, 2025

Before You Buy a Used Vehicle (Car Inspection before Buying a Used Vehicle) Perhaps this sounds familiar. Your vehicle seems like its been around forever, and youve decided its time to move on. But when you check the price of new vehicles, the sky-high price tags have you considering a nice, pre... More

A Turn for the Worse (Using Turn Signals)

September 28, 2025

Distracted driving is bad, you know that. Daydreaming, talking on the cell phone, putting your makeup on in the rear view mirror. All bad. But there's something else that causes more than twice as many accidents, according to a recent study. And that's people who don't use their turn signals.... More