You know how important periodic physicals and dental check-ups are for your own health, so you go at the intervals recommended by your medical professionals. Many people, however, find it difficult to maintain steady maintenance intervals for their vehicles. What you do for yourself, you should do for your car, but why is it so hard to find the time? In your head, you may question whether those maintenance intervals recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer are really necessary. They are. Think of them as a health check-up for your car. Here’s why.

You’ll Save Money

Anyone who has ever dealt with a high car repair bill will tell you that it is unwise to neglect regular repairs. Those 30,000-, 60,000-, 90,000- and 120,000-mile intervals are there for a reason. Parts wear out and need to be replaced. Getting scheduled inspections and replacing parts before they become dangerous gives your mechanics at chance to spot potentially serious problems before they happen. That means you’ll spend less money.

Read Your Owner’s Manual

Even if you change your oil, rotate tires and do other common preventive maintenance work at regular intervals, your timing may not be quite right. For example, the rule of thumb used to be you had to change your oil every 3,000 miles. Some of today’s newer models don’t need such frequent changes depending on the type of recommended oil. In fact, some high performance cars can go as long as 10,000 miles between changes. Your owner’s manual will tell you much more too, including what type of oil to use. Putting the wrong type of oil into your car’s engine can actually hurt it in the long run. What’s more, if you’re using the wrong oil or filling your gas tank with a lower octane fuel when your vehicle needs high octane, you can run the risk of voiding your warranty.

Your manual will also provide recommendations for changing components that may not cross your mind, such as your engine’s air filter, the air filter for the cabin, tire rotation intervals, coolant and much more. Manufacturer vehicle maintenance guidelines are quite realistic and hassle-free, so it is in your best interests to follow them.

Don’t just take our word for it as all the essential information about your car’s care is in the manual. Even if you have a pre-owned vehicle, the owner’s manual should have come with the car. If not, or if you have somehow misplaced yours, you should be able to find the manual for your make, model and year on the manufacturer’s website.

Types of Maintenance

Recommended maintenance is also based on the type of driving you do. Basically, there are two types of maintenance: normal and severe.

Normal Maintenance is what most vehicles will undergo. It is all about getting your car services per your manufacturer’s guidelines. This type of maintenance is for drivers who only have a short commute to work, drive their vehicles for less than 12,000 miles annually and don’t experience a lot of stop and go driving.

Severe Maintenance isn’t as bad as it sounds. Your vehicle will need this type of maintenance if your drive in extreme temperature, drive frequently on bumpy terrain or drive in off-road conditions. Severe maintenance should be performed every month to check vehicle conditions and has an increased frequency for changing fluids.

Bottom Line Benefits

If you are still wondering if the bother of taking your vehicle in for recommended maintenance at Carolina Mobile Auto Service is worth the effort, think about this reason. Regularly maintained cars have better gas mileage. With summer on the horizon and higher gas prices due to summer fuel formulations, you’ll save money at the pump. What’s more, manufacturer’s recommendations are all about maintaining your vehicle’s safety. Even though manuals may not specify certain items such as tie rods, many safety-related parts will eventually wear out. Recommended maintenance inspections will catch those problems before an accident occurs. You, your family and your friends are precious cargo. Aren’t you worth the effort?