When was the last time you checked your car? My son, who works in an oil-change shop, says most people just put gas in their vehicles and go. Now you might think my car is serviced by my son and you would be right; but long before he came into this world, I kept to a maintenance schedule for all my cars. I even took a Powder Puff mechanics course. Granted back then cars were not as complex as they are today, but the checklist of services that need to be performed routinely are the same. While I did learn to change a tire, check and change my oil and a few other simple things, I was mainly taught to care for my vehicle and that maintenance routine continues to pay off to this day. I hope the following information will help you develope your own maintainence checklist that will keep your car on the road.

Maintenance Routine

1. Read through the owners manual, this booklet is the first and best source of information on your car and its maintenance schedule. One of the most over-looked replacement parts is the timing-belt. If this item is not replaced at the suggested milage by the manufacturer, your warranty will not cover it's replacement and/or the damage this item causes when it breaks. Based on personal experience, it's a lot cheaper to replace the timing belt, then replace the engine.
2. Label a new file folder with the following information: the car's year, make, model, mileage and the date the vehicle was purchased. This folder will hold every single bill, invoice, dealer warranty work invoice, or receipt that pertains to your car. On each statement make sure you have the date AND the mileage at the time of service. When my car was totaled in an accident I was able to get a little more from the insurance company because I could prove, for example, that I had just purchased tires prior to the crash.
3. Put your registration, proof of insurance and a little notebook in the glove box. The reasons for the first two items are obvious; but the little notebook is not for phone numbers! This notebook will help you track your "miles per gallon." Recording the mileage and number of gallons every time you buy gas will, at a glance, give you an idea of how well your vehicle is performing.
4. Develop a consistent routine for visual and under-the-hood checks. You are looking for liquid puddles under the the car; low tire pressure and wear patterns; broken head, tail, brake, signal and emergency lights; bad windshield wiper blades; acid build-up on the battery; cracks or splits on the belts and hoses; or cleanliness of the air filter. You want to check liquid levels and color clarity for oil; transmission, power steering and brake fluids; coolant(antifreeze) and windshield washer solvent.
5. Keep your car clean inside and out.

The frequency of your checklist will depend on your lifestyle and driving habits. As my son pointed out one day "oil changes are recommended every so many miles, but those are odometer miles. Your oil still travels through the engine even when the car is stopped at a light, held up by traffic, or sitting there idling."