How often should a car undergo maintenance?
4 Answers
For minor maintenance, it is generally recommended every 5,000 kilometers or 6 months, while major maintenance is typically required every 20,000 to 30,000 kilometers or every 2 years. During engine operation, various frictions occur, generating debris that mixes with the engine oil. Failure to regularly filter the oil can directly affect the engine's lubrication. Minor car maintenance includes: replacing the engine oil and oil filter. Engine oil serves as the lubricant for engine operation, providing lubrication, cleaning, cooling, sealing, and wear reduction. It helps reduce wear on engine components and extends their service life. The oil filter is a component that filters the engine oil, removing substances such as gum, impurities, moisture, and additives. During engine operation, it filters out metal shavings from component friction, airborne impurities, and oil oxides.
As someone who mainly drives to and from work, my experience is to maintain the car based on both mileage and time for double insurance. Nowadays, most 4S shops recommend mineral oil every 5,000 km/six months, semi-synthetic every 7,500 km/eight months, and full synthetic every 10,000 km/one year, but don’t just rely on this! Last time, my colleague’s car hadn’t reached the mileage, but after ten months without an oil change, the engine was full of sludge when opened. Especially for those often stuck in traffic, shorten the interval—I commute three hours daily and insist on changing full synthetic oil every 8,000 km. Finally, a reminder: modified cars, old cars, or those parked long-term should be checked in advance.
After driving a taxi for over 20 years, I've summarized the three-check principle. First, check the dipstick - if it's black, it's time to change; second, monitor the dashboard as modern cars have maintenance reminders; third, consulting the manual is most reliable - German cars generally have stricter requirements while Japanese models are more lenient. A fellow driver delayed maintenance until 20,000 km to save money and ended up spending over 8,000 yuan on an engine overhaul. Special models require extra attention - for instance, turbocharged Mercedes-Benz shouldn't exceed one year between services, and hybrids need battery checks too. Make it a habit to glance over your car's condition at red lights - unusual smells or noises are all warning signs.
Listen up, first-time car buyers! Don't just rely on the reminder stickers at the dealership. While full synthetic oil may claim a one-year validity, if you're stuck in city traffic daily, consider changing it two months early. Last week when I took my brother's Civic for maintenance at just eight months, the oil was already thin as water. Newbies often overlook two things: air filters must be replaced every 20,000 km, and brake fluid absorbs moisture over three years. Remember, maintenance isn't just about oil changes - the dealership's basic package is sufficient, and over-maintenance is simply wasting money.
