Is a Major Maintenance Necessary at 60,000 Kilometers?
3 Answers
At 60,000 kilometers, a major maintenance service is required for most vehicle models, marking their first major maintenance milestone. Neglecting timely maintenance can lead to severe wear and tear on the engine and transmission, negatively impacting the car's driving quality and handling. Below are details on major maintenance tasks: Engine Oil Replacement: Frequency depends on road conditions. Under normal circumstances, change every 5,000 kilometers; in dusty environments, change every 3,000 kilometers. Filter Replacement: The cabin air filter ensures fresh interior air for passengers, while the fuel filter removes water and impurities from gasoline, providing clean fuel to the engine and maintaining optimal performance. Brake Pad Inspection/Replacement: Typically, brake pads last 4-5 years or 40,000 kilometers, though wear varies based on driving habits, environment, and speed. Spark Plug Inspection/Replacement: Spark plugs generally last 2-3 years or 20,000-30,000 kilometers. Signs like power loss or acceleration shuddering indicate potential issues.
Having driven for over a decade, I've found that a major service at 60,000 km is indeed recommended, but not absolutely mandatory. From my experience, this is a critical time to inspect the engine, transmission, and braking system, including tasks like changing the engine oil, oil filter, and spark plugs. If you primarily drive in urban areas with frequent stops and starts, parts wear out faster, so consider doing it earlier. For those who often drive on highways with better vehicle conditions, you might delay it by a few months or kilometers. Refer to your owner's manual for the maintenance schedule, as it varies by brand - Japanese cars may require transmission fluid changes at 60,000 km, while German cars might not. Don't skip maintenance to save money; preventing minor issues from turning into costly major repairs is key. Many accidents each year are caused by neglected maintenance. Safety comes first - regular maintenance ensures peace of mind and is more economical in the long run.
I've always maintained my vehicle by myself. The 60,000 km major service sounds intimidating, but it's actually not as difficult as imagined. The key points are cleaning carbon deposits, checking coolant and brake fluid, and replacing the air filter, etc. Last time at 60,000 km, I only did a simple inspection and skipped some items after finding minimal brake pad wear. It mainly depends on usage habits: if the car is older, frequently carries heavy loads or climbs hills, do a full service; for newer cars or gentle daily driving, just focus on key items like oil and filter changes. Remember not to fall for the repair shop's full package upsell to avoid wasting money. Do what you can afford, maintain on schedule to extend the car's lifespan, saving both money and hassle.
