Maintenance and Repair for Gig Economy Cars in the High Desert

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Maintenance and Repair for Gig Economy Cars in the High Desert

Maintenance and Repair for Gig Economy Cars in the High Desert | High Desert Road Runner Auto Care

Maintenance and Repair for Gig Economy Cars in the High Desert | High Desert Road Runner Auto CareThe coronavirus pandemic of 2020 shifted local economies in California and across the United States. The combination of social distancing measures along with severe job losses prompted many drivers in Apple Valley to take up delivery jobs for companies such as Uber Eats, GrubHub, and Amazon Express. Other drivers who had previously put their cars to work on a part-time basis for Lyft or Uber found themselves driving full-time schedules all around the High Desert.

The Importance of a Good Car for Gig Economy Jobs

Once you put your car to work for ridesharing or delivery services, keeping it on the road and in good condition becomes even more crucial; after all, you are now driving for a living. In the past, you could always get by calling Uber rides and ordering from GrubHub when your car broke down, but now you will need a highly reliable vehicle to keep your earning potential. What this means is following the right maintenance schedule to ensure your car stays on the road so that your ability to earn cash is not compromised.

Uber, Lyft, PostMates, and pizza delivery cars are similar to taxicabs and police vehicles in the sense that they require a severe maintenance schedule. Your cars have a recommended maintenance schedule determined by the automaker and printed on the owner’s manual; for the most part, this preventative maintenance schedule assumes normal driving conditions, which in the United States are approximately 15,000 miles per year. Full-time Uber drivers will easily add 5,000 miles to their odometers each week.

Regular Maintenance is Key to Long-Term Operation

High mileage is not the only reason car owners should adhere to a more frequent auto maintenance schedule. Pizza delivery drivers who mostly work in their own neighborhoods know that short drives in stop-and-go traffic while running the air conditioning and rushing to complete jobs will put a lot of wear-and-tear on their cars. What happens in this kind of driving is that the fluctuations in engine temperature will make the motor oil break down faster. Your filters, brakes, and fuel injection systems will work harder, not to mention the suspension elements, bearings, joints, hydraulics, cooling system, and tires.

To figure out the kind of maintenance schedule your car will need to stay on the road as part of the gig economy, bring it to Road Runner Auto Care in Apple Valley; our technicians will help you figure out what services are immediately needed and when you should return for maintenance based on the kind of driving and mileage.