Without proper maintenance your cars life may be short lived. Sure, if you are just going to trade it back in at the end of your 36,000 mile warranty you can just put gas in it and drive it. But with today's economy there isn't to many people buying new cars. So I guess we are going to need to be able to rely on that car for a good while yet and that's where proper car repairs and maintenance can help insure reliability for a long time.
The basics are simple: change the oil regularly, rotate your tires, check your fluids and filters. How often should you do this? Mary says her dad told her that he heard from a friend that you only need to change your oil every 7,000 miles. Well, Lets refer to the above question, How long do you want to be able to drive your car? You can change the oil every 7,000 miles but the engine probably won't last much longer than 120,000 miles before the sludge costs you an engine ($5000.00). You should change your oil every 3,000 miles to insure proper engine lubrication and not worry about the engine for up to 500,000 miles. But, Mary said he owners manual said she could wait longer.... That may be true, but lets think for a minute. The owners manual comes from the manufacturer who is only going to warranty the engine for a short period of time. After that your on your own and the manufacturer only makes money if you have to buy another car..... I think you get the idea. When you have your oil change is perfect time to rotate the tires and check your fluids. Car Maintenance can and will save you money in the long run and help your car deliver many years of reliable driving.
