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How Often Should I Have my Car Serviced?

Many people are asking themselves, how often should I have my car serviced? However, this is slightly tricky to answer. Because there are so many different types of vehicles and they all perform at different levels, this is going to be specific to the type of car you actually own. An example of this would be a race car that drives at 200 miles an hour for four hours during a NASCAR race and the Honda Civic who transports its owner from home to work three days a week. Obviously, the use and the performance levels of these engines are going to be different. The race car is going to need servicing a lot sooner than that Honda Civic will. When you look at this subject on a personalized level like this, you'll be able to see how combining the manufacturer recommendation and common sense with your driving habits makes more sense. Obviously, there are some general rules to follow and these can be found just about anywhere.

Following Manufacturer Recommendations

Most of the time, people say that you should take your car to be serviced approximately every 3000 miles. However, this also has a lot to do with how long your oil lasts and the quality of your timing belt. You may be purchasing a type of oil with a longer life and it does not need to be changed that often. In fact, some oil companies are producing products that will last almost 100,000 miles. Depending on how and why you're driving, you may choose to invest in a product like this. Of course, the average consumer will not need that sort of product and will be able to purchase a more cost-effective option. You can decide this once you have talked to a professional about what they recommend for a particular driving situation.

Service Checklist Options

With that in mind, oil is not the only thing that is checked when you take your car into a mechanic. No matter whether you take it into a dealer or a local shop that is privately owned, they usually have a check list to follow from the front to the back of the card. This may be known as 26 point service or whatever term is commonly used in your area. It usually involves air filters, hose checks, fluid checks and basic operations of some of the key components of your vehicle. When you have this checked regularly, you have a better chance of catching a small problem before it develops into something bigger and more expensive to repair. While a small tear in a hose can be easily fixed, a blown engine on the side of the road because that hose ripped apart completely is going to be much more difficult.

In other words, make sure that you follow the professional recommendations on how often should I have my car serviced that you have received. There is a reason they include them on both the manual and the documentation you received with your car. While it might seem like an unnecessary expense, especially when they don't find any problems, it is saving you a lot of down time and potential difficulties getting to where you need to be every day. Prevention is much more effective than finding price quotes that fit into your budget for repairs. It also makes sure that you can have the service done on your own schedule instead of having to find a mechanic that can handle a major repair situation right away. They can do this much faster but it should be up to you when you decide to have it done.