There once was a time where owning a car was a relatively straightforward process. You had your oil changed every 3,000 miles, and took it to the dealer on a regular basis for tune-ups and major services. Nowadays, things have changed. Car maintenance has become a lot more complex – especially when it comes to how maintenance services can differ based on a variety of factors, like the make, model and year of your car. Here are a few things you should know about maintaining your car.
How Often Should I Have My Oil Changed?
How frequently you should have your oil changed largely depends on the make and model of your car, as well as the type of oil that is used. An older vehicle with 80,000 miles on the engine that is running on conventional oil should be serviced roughly every 3,000 miles, not to exceed 4,000 miles. However, a newer car with only 10,000 miles that is running on full synthetic oil can get away with an oil change only every 5, 000 to 6,000 miles. Oil changes don’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach. Rarely do you have your oil changed too often but more likely, not often enough. Knowing what causes these variations can help you stay on top of your scheduled maintenance.
How Often Should I Have My Car Serviced?
This is another question that really depends on the make and model of the car you drive. Newer cars don’t really need tune-ups, at least not in the sense vehicles did a couple of decades ago. Today, you have scheduled services. For instance, a newer vehicle might have a 15,000-mile service, a 30,000-mile service, and a 60,000-mile service. However, it’s important that you take your vehicle to an auto repair shop capable of keeping an eye on your vehicle in between those services, as well as performing any necessary services while it’s there – which should save you money over taking your car to the dealer.
How Often Should I Replace My Brakes?
Brake services don’t depend so much on the make and model of your vehicle, but instead on your driving habits. Driving in a manner that is harder on the brakes will wear the brake pads out in a shorter time. There’s also the chance that the rotors will heat and warp. Furthermore, brake fluid needs to be monitored and changed when it becomes dark in color. Similar to oil, brake fluid only has a certain use life and breaks down over time.
At Sun Devil Auto, we’re proud to offer these services and many others. Come into one of our 20 auto repair shop locations to learn more.
