What are the essential maintenance items for a two-year period?
2 Answers
For a car that has been used for about two years, the mileage is typically around 20,000 kilometers, which is equivalent to a medium-level maintenance. First and foremost, the engine oil and oil filter must be replaced. During the initial period of a car's use, it goes through a break-in phase where internal mechanical components rub against each other, generating a significant amount of metal shavings. The engine oil serves to reduce wear during this break-in period and carries away these metal shavings. The oil filter's role is to promptly filter out the metal shavings brought by the oil, preventing them from re-entering the engine. Both of these maintenance tasks directly protect the engine.  The three filters: the air filter ensures the quality of the air entering the engine; the cabin air filter (or AC filter) filters out dust and debris from external air, ensuring clean air enters the cabin through the AC system; the fuel filter removes impurities from the gasoline, preventing these impurities from clogging the fuel injectors and fuel supply system. Fuel filters come in two types: internal and external. It is recommended to replace the external fuel filter along with the air filter and cabin air filter every 20,000 kilometers. Spark plugs are the medium that ignites the mixture between the engine and fuel. If a spark plug fails, the engine may experience a misfire (missing cylinder). The replacement intervals vary for different types of spark plugs: iridium, platinum, and nickel. If your car uses nickel spark plugs, they should be inspected and replaced every 20,000 kilometers.
I've been driving for over a decade and remember the key maintenance items for biennial service clearly. Engine oil and filter must be changed - full synthetic oil deteriorates after one year or 10,000 km, don't push it. AC and air filters need replacement, especially during pollen season - last year I skipped it and couldn't stop sneezing. Tire rotation is absolutely essential, otherwise the front tires can become dangerously bald. Have mechanics thoroughly check brake pad thickness and brake fluid condition - replace immediately if water content exceeds 3%. Keep spare wiper blades ready as poor visibility affects rainy day safety. Tighten all chassis screws one by one - vehicles that frequently drive over potholes tend to loosen. Finally, test the battery health - ones that have been drained before likely won't last past the third year.
