How to Maintain Your Vehicle | Important about maintaining

A car is a complex machine that tends to wear down over time. To maintain its condition and extend its lifespan, regular maintenance is essential. Here’s what every driver should know about maintaining their car.

Types of Maintenance

1. Daily Maintenance – This should be done by the car owner before each drive. It involves a visual inspection of the car, checking tire pressure, and ensuring the headlights are working properly. However, many drivers tend to skip this step.
2. TO-0 (Zero Maintenance) – Conducted after the first 1,500 kilometers (during the break-in period). This involves changing the engine oil, gearbox oil, and oil filter.
3. MOT-1 (First Scheduled Maintenance) – Performed after 15,000 kilometers or 1 year of use. It includes tightening the suspension, checking the condition of key components, and changing the engine oil, as well as oil and air filters.
4. Subsequent Maintenance (MOT-2, 3, 4, etc.) – These are scheduled at every 15,000 kilometers and involve regular checks and replacements as needed.
5. Seasonal Maintenance – Conducted before the start of the winter or summer seasons to prepare the car for upcoming weather conditions.
6. Emergency Maintenance – Performed when there is a malfunction to identify and fix the issue.

Maintenance Schedule

Scheduled maintenance should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations as listed in the service book. If you don’t have this book, such as when dealing with a used car, it’s generally advised to service the car every 15,000 kilometers. The minimum tasks during scheduled maintenance include oil changes, replacing oil, air, and cabin filters, and changing spark plugs.

Additionally, the suspension parts should be inspected, and the engine control unit checked for errors. Every 60,000 kilometers, it’s essential to inspect the timing belt, replace the coolant, and check the power steering fluid. Specific intervals for replacements will be detailed in the service book.

Important Considerations

At large, branded service stations, some services may be added unnecessarily just to increase the bill. To avoid overpaying, carefully review the list of procedures and eliminate unnecessary ones. Some examples of unnecessary services include:

• Radiator Cleaning – This often means simply washing the radiator externally, which has minimal benefit but adds to the cost.
• Replacement of Dust Covers – The function of dust covers (anthers) is to protect components from dirt and dust. As long as the cover is intact, it will function properly, even if it appears dirty.
• In-depth Suspension Diagnosis – This may sound important, but a standard suspension inspection should be sufficient and is typically part of the routine service. Offering an “in-depth” diagnosis may just be a way to charge extra.

The key takeaway: carefully review the services being offered during maintenance and don’t hesitate to reject unnecessary items.

How to Save on Maintenance

While the car is under warranty, maintenance must be done at branded service centers, which often use their own (usually more expensive) parts.

If the warranty is no longer a concern (or has expired), a great way to save money is to purchase parts yourself. This ensures you avoid markups and guarantees the quality of the parts used. It’s not uncommon for some service centers to present old, cleaned parts as new, so buying your own parts ensures transparency.