Car ownership is much more than just putting gas in the tank and running it until it dies. There are many more responsibilities that you need to be aware of when you start to shop around for cars; including the recommended maintenance that should be done on the car.

Typical Car Maintenance

The typical maintenance schedule for most used cars occur every 3 months or 3,000 miles. This scheduled maintenance includes an oil change, check fluids and air pressure. The purpose is to make sure that everything is running smoothly and that there is nothing that will leave you broke down in the middle of nowhere.

There will also be additional maintenance that will occur every other oil change or even between oil changes. This will include things like changing the air filter and again, all of the fluids including brake fluid, transmission fluid and if equipped, the power steering fluid.

Cost of Auto Maintenance

Many people will argue that they cannot get the scheduled maintenance done on the car because of the added cost. This is typically not the case when you maintain the car on its recommended schedule. There are some things that will add to the overall cost including if your vehicle has high mileage, which may require a high mileage oil, or if you own a newer car that will benefit from synthetic oil, this will add to the cost of each oil change, but you can also go up to 5,000 miles between oil changes.

For the most part, if you have a newer, small car, you should be able to get your basic services, including the oil change, topped off fluids and inspection of belts, hoses and brakes for about $40 while the larger trucks can cost up to $60. This may look expensive, but when you look at the consequences of not performing the basic maintenance, it is actually the less expensive alternative.

Where to Get Your Car Maintained

There are many options when it comes to where you get your car maintained. You can typically choose from dealerships, large mechanic shops and small oil change shops. It can become confusing as to where is the best place for your car but it comes down to who will meet your needs as well as the needs of your vehicle.

Some newer vehicles need a little more attention when getting the scheduled maintenance which is where the dealership is usually the best choice. The dealership knows everything about the service your car requires. While the dealerships tend to be a little more expensive, many now offer discount cards for those who use their services for all oil changes.

The smaller oil change shops are typically much less expensive than the dealerships and often advertise walk-in services in 10 minutes. This option is great for the car owner who only wants an oil change. Some do offer basic inspection services but since most do not require their oil change technicians to be actual mechanics, they can typically only complete oil changes with no mechanic services offered.

It does not matter how old or new your car is, or whether it is a car or truck, diesel or gasoline; all vehicles need to be serviced as recommended by the manufacturer. This promotes your vehicle to last to its full potential with little to no mechanical problems. It is like preventative care for your car.

Jim Taylor has been penning articles on car deals for over a decade now. His articles have proved to be really useful. He gets information for such articles from Usedcars.net.