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How Often Do Cars Need Service?
Maintenance Reminder Systems
If you drive a newer car, it probably has an in-vehicle maintenance reminder system that makes mileage-based schedules obsolete. In-vehicle maintenance reminder systems take a number of vehicle operating conditions into account and provide an alert on the dash when it is time for an engine oil change, fluid level checks, component inspections and other Car Maintenance services. If your vehicle has one of these systems, trust it to guide your maintenance visits. However, if you don’t put many miles on your car, most automakers recommend an oil change service every 12 months, even if the maintenance reminder hasn’t come on.
Mileage-Based Service
Older cars have service intervals based on mileage. There are usually two different maintenance schedules, one for cars driven in “normal” service and another for those used in “severe” operating conditions. The exact definition of severe service varies with the automaker, but it usually involves operating your car under one or more of the following conditions:
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Primarily short trips (5 miles or less)
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Extremely hot, cold, or dusty climates
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Sustained stop-and-go driving
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Carrying heavy loads or towing a trailer.
A common example of unnecessary Car Maintenance is changing the engine oil too often. It used to be normal to recommend an oil change every 3,000 miles. However, with modern lubricants, most newer engines have recommended oil change intervals of 5,000 to 7,500 miles. If your engine requires full-synthetic motor oil, it might go as far as 15,000 miles between services!