How to plan maintenance?

**William75** · 12-19-2012, 12:03 PM

Hi people,

It`s my first post so please, be gentle!

I`m looking for some instructions on how to plan the times I need to check in my car to the mechanic shop to keep it going, is there any resource I can use that you know of?

Hope this is the proper place to ask... :/

TY in advance!

**C. Charles Hahn** · 12-19-2012, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by William75

Hi people,

It`s my first post so please, be gentle!

Wish I could figure out what people expect is going to happen that elicits this statement.

I`m looking for some instructions on how to plan the times I need to check in my car to the mechanic shop to keep it going, is there any resource I can use that you know of?

Hope this is the proper place to ask... :/

TY in advance!

Typically speaking, that would be in the owner`s manual....

**David Fermani** · 12-19-2012, 05:36 PM

Are you looking for labor times for repair processes?

**Nth Degree** · 12-19-2012, 07:36 PM

Find a mechanic you trust and take the car in for oil changes religiously as per the mechanic`s advice. The mechanic will track your miles and services and be able to recommend to you when maintenance is necessary. A good mechanic will know when things are "recommended" as per the manufacturer and what is "necessary" to prevent bigger problems.

**William75** · 12-20-2012, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by David Fermani

Are you looking for labor times for repair processes?

Yes! that kind of things

Originally Posted by Nth Degree

Find a mechanic you trust and take the car in for oil changes religiously as per the mechanic`s advice. The mechanic will track your miles and services and be able to recommend to you when maintenance is necessary. A good mechanic will know when things are "recommended" as per the manufacturer and what is "necessary" to prevent bigger problems.

Actually I don`t exactly trust the mechanic that much... I mean, ok sure he`ll know more than me, but if he just makes it up I`ll never know. I`ll just go there, check in my car and hand him over lots of money for a tire change I don`t really need.

I would prefer to have this kind of information from a third party, that`s it.

**POPPAJ** · 12-20-2012, 07:18 AM

Use a full synthetic oil and a quality oil filter and change every 5000 miles. Change the air filter every year or 12000 miles. Flush the cooling system as recommended by the manufacturer. Flush the automatic trans every 30000 miles. Change the rear axle (if you have one) lube every 50000 miles. Flush the brake fluid every 2 years along with the power steering fluid. Keep your tires properly inflated.

These items will go a long way to preserve your vehicle.

**dh3857** · 12-20-2012, 08:04 AM

Another thing is to use quality parts. They`re better for your vehicle and cheaper in the long run!!

**Brad B** · 12-20-2012, 10:16 AM

The most accurate way is to look at your vehicles maintenance schedule outlined in the owners manual, available as a print out from the dealer or online-just Google it.

Once you know what is needed you can further search a forum that is specific to your make and model of car where other owners have likely outlined the easy DIY stuff and advised on all the rest. Armed with this info you will get respect, and honesty from your mechanic.

**Nth Degree** · 12-20-2012, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by William75

Actually I don`t exactly trust the mechanic that much... I mean, ok sure he`ll know more than me, but if he just makes it up I`ll never know.

Go find one you can trust. Ask friends for referrals, etc. I recommend finding a private garage. Sometimes more expensive than the chain shops, but they are more likely to have real, experienced mechanics rather than the person willing to do the work for the least amount of money. If you are loyal to a mechanic they are less likely to take advantage of you. Why? Because they don`t have to get your money now. They know when you do need the service you will have them do it. Also, there are some items, like CV boots, just don`t have a maintenance recommendation but a good mechanic will be able to tell when they might be at risk or starting to crack. Not an emergency fix, but something to budget for. A timing belt, however, should be changed immediately if it appears to be worn or cracking. A busted timing belt in modern cars can go from being $600-$1000 for a maintenance repair to $3000+ if it breaks and takes out the valves, head, rods, etc.

**Accumulator** · 12-20-2012, 01:57 PM

The one thing I`ll add to the above is to *keep an eye on things*. You should be the person who notices when something`s amiss, not the mechanic.

Besides doing a "pre-flight" inspection *every day you use a vehicle*, keep stuff clean enough that you can see when a fluid is getting low, or when something`s leaking, torn, or wearing out. If the engine compartment is dirty you might not notice when you`re losing some fluid. Ditto for the undercarriage, you oughta spot stuff that`s "not right" even if you`re not expert and it`ll be easier if you get acquainted with everything *before* there are any problems (e.g., "hey..that rubber bushing never looked like *that* before, and why`s there an oily mess around my transmission all of a sudden?").

With today`s vehicles being so reliable and generally low-maintenance, I fear people are getting out of the habit of making sure everything`s OK on a regular basis. Many cars now have *VERY* long "sheduled maintenance" intervals, and a lot can go wrong in 5, 7, or 10K miles.

**Accumulator** · 12-20-2012, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Nth Degree

.. A busted timing belt in modern cars can go from being $600-$1000 for a maintenance repair to $3000+ if it breaks and takes out the valves, head, rods, etc.

A friend of mine drives me *nuts* be refusing to change the belt in her Lexus

After I read her the riot act she asked her mechanic and found out that it`s *not* an interference-engine. So now she`s simply not gonna change it until it breaks and leaves her somewhere. There is simply no reasoning with her about it :sadpace:

**C. Charles Hahn** · 12-20-2012, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

A friend of mine drives me *nuts* be refusing to change the belt in her Lexus

After I read her the riot act she asked her mechanic and found out that it`s *not* an interference-engine. So now she`s simply not gonna change it until it breaks and leaves her somewhere. There is simply no reasoning with her about it :sadpace:

Sounds like the mechanic is the real idiot there.... he is probably fully aware that deferred maintenance will lead to him getting a bigger payday when the belt fails.

**Accumulator** · 12-20-2012, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by C. Charles Hahn

Sounds like the mechanic is the real idiot there.... he is probably fully aware that deferred maintenance will lead to him getting a bigger payday when the belt fails.

Actually, as best I can tell he wanted her to change it per the schedule, but she`d asked a specific Q, and he answered honestly. Best I can tell, it won`t be any bigger job for him if it does fail on that vehicle.

Heh heh, I almost wish he`d fibbed and told her it was an interference situation and gotten her to have it done; we`re not talking just a few thousand miles over the usual 90K. Yeah, it`d have been "wrong" but getting stranded somewhere can be life-or-death serious ("stranded woman in Lexus..." just sounds like the lead-in to some horrific news story to me).

**shagydeep** · 01-05-2013, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by William75

Hi people,

It`s my first post so please, be gentle!

I`m looking for some instructions on how to plan the times I need to check in my car to the mechanic shop to keep it going, is there any resource I can use that you know of?

Hope this is the proper place to ask... :

TY in advance!

Hello,

Welcome dude,

You can go at weekend...