How Often Should You Service Your Car?
4 Answers
Car service intervals are typically recommended every 5,000 kilometers or every six months, whichever comes first. However, the actual maintenance frequency may vary depending on the owner's driving habits and operating conditions. Vehicles frequently driven in harsh environments may require more frequent servicing. Car maintenance, also known as vehicle servicing, refers to the preventive work involving inspection, cleaning, replenishment, lubrication, adjustment or replacement of certain components. Its purposes are to maintain vehicle cleanliness, ensure proper technical conditions, eliminate potential hazards, prevent malfunctions, and extend the vehicle's service life.
Every time I'm asked about maintenance intervals, I feel it really depends on the specific condition of the car. For my own Japanese car, I change the oil and oil filter every 8,000 kilometers or six months, even though the manual suggests 10,000 kilometers—I prefer to do it a bit earlier. Last time, the technician at the 4S shop mentioned that if you often drive on mountain roads with a lot of dust, it's best to check the air filter every three months. I remember once when I didn’t drive my car for half a year due to a business trip, and when I came back, I found the brake pads had actually gotten damp and started making strange noises. Now, I always do a minor service before leaving the car idle for a long time. The key is not to focus solely on mileage—things like tire wear and battery condition also need attention. A seasoned driver’s advice: don’t exceed 150% of the manufacturer’s standard for maintenance intervals; saving small amounts now might cost you big later.
Maintenance intervals really can't be generalized. My 150,000-km German car now requires full synthetic oil changes every 5,000 km - much more frequent than when it was new. But my neighbor's new energy vehicle only needs servicing once a year or every 10,000 km after the first maintenance. The key factors are the three major components: engines using mineral oil must change every 5,000 km, while full synthetic can last 10,000 km; transmission fluid hits a critical point at 60,000 km; brake fluid should have its moisture content tested every 2 years. Recently learned a money-saving trick: air filters can easily be replaced yourself - a Mann filter from Taobao costs just tens of yuan, saving over 200 compared to 4S shops.
As a mother of two, I've set up a six-month maintenance reminder for all our family cars. My husband's business car, which is driven more frequently, gets serviced every 7,500 kilometers. Although my grocery-getter has lower mileage, I always check the coolant before the summer heat hits. A special reminder: before the rainy season, pay extra attention to the wipers and lighting system—last year during a heavy rainstorm, I almost had an accident because the headlights were leaking. Now, using an app to track maintenance history is a breeze, and it even automatically sends reminders for tire rotation. Note that there are significant differences between brands—my friend's Korean car requires maintenance one-third more often than my Japanese car.
