subject: Auto Maintenance With Mileage [print this page] If you have ever wondered what you need to do to your car and when, this is the article for you! This list will show you what you should be doing to your car every so many miles.
This is a general list and will help identify any potential problems that may be occurring with your car. Early treatment is much easier than a late cure.
Every 3,000 / 3,750 miles:
- Oil Change with Castrol
- Replace oil filter with genuine filter
- Install new drain plug washer
- Inspect tires for rotation/align and wear
- Check CV boots
- Reset service reminder if applicable
Every 6,000 / 7,500 miles:
- Inspect brake pads / shoes
- Inspect brake hydraulics
- Inspect fuel lines and connections
- Adjust clutch [1]
- Inspect all exterior lights
- Visual inspection of cooling system
Road test:
- Visual inspection of steering
- Visual inspection of suspension
- Rotate tires
- Balance tires going to the front
- Inspect exhaust system
Every 15,000 miles:
- Replace spark plugs
- Replace air filter
- Drain and fill automatic trans
- Valve adjustment
- Inspect drive belts
- Palpate cooling system hoses
- Load test battery
- Inspect wires, cap, & rotor
- Check EGR function
- Inspect ignition timing and adjust
- Inspect idle speed and adjust
- Inspect ball joints
- Inspect rack and tie rod ends
- Inspect suspension bushings
- Check for engine oil leaks
- Check for transmission leaks
- Replace fuel filter
Every 30,000 miles:
- Flush brake fluid
- Flush clutch fluid
- Flush ABS fluid
- Drain and fill manual trans
- Drain and fill rear differential
- Drain and fill front differential
- Drain and fill transfer case
- Replace fuel filter
- Replace Coolant
Every 60,000 miles:
- Replace platinum spark plugs
- Replace fuel filter
- Valve adjustment
- Discuss timing belt
Every 90,000 miles:
- Replace fuel filter
- Discuss timing belt
Every 105,000 miles:
- Replace spark plugs
- Discuss timing belt
- Valve adjustment
What maintenance items are necessary to keep your car running reliably and when should those items be done? This is likely one of the most disagreed about questions in the automotive repair industry.
Unfortunately for you, the consumer, there is not a quick and easy "right" answer.
If you hope to achieve adequate longevity and reliability from your car at the lowest possible cost, you must either educate yourself on the many facets of your car's maintenance requirements and make the decisions for yourself, or you must hope the mechanic you have chosen has not only the requisite knowledge to maintain your particular vehicle, but also a willingness to learn what YOU expect from your car.
The maintenance needs of a person who trades in every few years are far less that a person who wants to drive their car 200,000 miles or beyond. This article is designed to help those of you who are interested in finding out more about automotive maintenance so that you can make informed decisions on your own.
The following tips will make dealing with a mechanic just that much easier.
- Even if you can speak mechanic jargon or even if you are an auto expert, it's a lot easier for us if you describe the symptom rather than the possible cause.
- Don't bring the car in with a laundry list of problems you've been saving up for the last year and a half. It's best to bring the car in for regular service and have things fixed as they break.
The more concerns there are to address on the same visit, the less likely they will all be fixed or even addressed satisfactorily on the day you bring the car in. If you don't need your car back any time soon, this is less of a problem.
- If possible, find out how to duplicate the problem your car is having before bringing it in.This can be hard, but savings can be big.
Most mechanics charge by the hour for time they spend driving and diagnosing the car. Anything you can do to help them find the problem quickly translates into money in your pocket.
If the mechanic knows the problem only happens on the freeway at 60 MPH, then he'll head straight to the freeway for a 60 MPH test drive. If the mechanic knows the problem only happens when the car is cold, he won't waste hours testing a warm car.
- Bring the car in with at least a quarter tank of fuel. No point in paying a mechanic by the hour to fill the tank so he can work on the car.
- Don't bring the car loaded with junk. How important this is depends on what type of work your car needs. If a mechanic needs to replace a brake light, it can be hard to get to when you have your trunk full.
by: Jack Landry
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