Should Vehicle Maintenance Be Based on Mileage or Time?
4 Answers
Whether to perform maintenance based on time or mileage generally follows the principle of whichever comes first. There is no fixed answer, as car owners need to analyze their vehicle's specific conditions to determine the optimal approach. Here is a brief introduction to vehicle maintenance: (1) Routine Maintenance: Typically performed every 5,000KM (or 7,500KM for some models), it mainly involves changing the engine oil and oil filter, inspecting the fuel filter (many modern vehicles no longer have one), and checking the air filter—replacing them if excessively dirty. Additionally, each maintenance session must include an inspection of the brake discs and pads for potential replacement, checking the brake fluid level, and assessing tire conditions to ensure safety. (2) Periodic Maintenance: Usually conducted every 3 years or every 40,000KM. Beyond routine maintenance, it includes cleaning the fuel injectors, throttle body, and the vehicle's intake system. Furthermore, it requires replacing transmission fluid, front and rear axle oil, coolant, and brake fluid. Tire wear should also be inspected, with replacements made if necessary. (3) Major Maintenance: Typically occurs after the vehicle has traveled 100,000KM, involving a comprehensive inspection and replacement of parts as needed. Special attention should be paid to the wiring (electrical circuits) and transmission mechanisms during this phase.
As a veteran driver with over 20 years of experience, I believe vehicle maintenance shouldn't rigidly follow either mileage or time intervals alone. Take my old workhorse for example - it racks up 3,000-4,000 km monthly on long hauls, so I strictly follow mileage-based maintenance, typically requiring oil changes every 7,000-8,000 km. But for my neighbor's grocery-getter that barely clocks 10,000 km in three years shuttling kids, I advised annual bi-yearly maintenance regardless of low mileage. Engine oil begins oxidizing six months after opening, and filters accumulate contaminants. Brake fluid particularly absorbs moisture - unchanged for two years, braking performance noticeably declines. The safest approach is adopting the manual's "whichever comes first" principle, then adjusting for actual driving intensity. After all, engine condition directly impacts your wallet's thickness - never skip essential maintenance.
Having worked in the 4S shop for so many years, the most common question from car owners I receive daily is about maintenance intervals. The manufacturer's maintenance standards are actually quite scientific: mineral oil every 5,000 kilometers or six months, semi-synthetic every 7,500 kilometers or nine months, and full synthetic every 10,000 kilometers or one year—whichever comes first. Why is this necessary? For example, in humid southern regions, brake fluid's water content may exceed standards within a year; in the cold winters of the north, the anti-rust performance of coolant can degrade after two years. Last week, I encountered a car owner who drove only 8,000 kilometers in two years without maintenance, and upon opening the engine, it was full of sludge. Besides regular maintenance, always pay attention to dashboard warning lights, and frequently check consumables like tire pressure and the battery. Remember, car maintenance is like a health check-up—prevention is always more cost-effective than repairs.
Our family of five across three generations uses this seven-seater, and just shuttling the kids to extracurricular activities racks up over 600 kilometers every month. The salesperson's advice of 'service every 5,000 km or six months' at purchase simply doesn't cut it—I change the oil around every 4,000 km. Weekend drives ferrying the kids often get stuck in traffic, with constant engine start-stop cycles guzzling fuel. A veteran mechanic once told me urban driving causes more wear than highways, and short trips preventing moisture evaporation can lead to oil emulsification. Now I've made it routine to check tire pressure monthly, replace the cabin air filter quarterly, and test antifreeze concentration before winter. Though the elders grumble about maintenance costs, my calculations show timely servicing saves at least three times what engine repairs would cost.
