Protect Your Investment
Dr. Jay’s Notes
By Jay Zembower
A Prescription For Protecting Your Investment
I get the question, “What should I do to keep my vehicle in top shape and keep it running for many miles and years,” quite frequently. I have created a maintenance schedule with service intervals that ought to assist avoid breakdowns and lower the likelihood of expensive unforeseen repairs. Let’s face it: paying a few hundred dollars occasionally is considerably preferable to paying thousands because preventative maintenance was not provided. Some recommendations that apply to 98% of all vehicles driven in Florida are given below.
| SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE | SERVICE INTERVALS |
|---|---|
| Change oil and filter | 3,000-4,000 miles |
| Rotate tires | 5,000 miles |
| General service inspection | Annually |
| Balance tires and alignment | Annually |
| Wiper blades (not refills) | Annually |
| Air conditioning service | Annually |
| Air filter | 15,000 miles |
| Clean and adjust brakes | 15,000 miles or every year |
| Replace pcv valve | 30,000 miles |
| Replace brake fluid | 30,000 miles or 2 years |
| Clean fuel system & replace fuel filter | 30,000 miles or 2 years |
| Change transmission fluid and filter | 30,000 miles |
| Change antifreeze | 30,000 miles |
| Flush power steering system | 30,000 miles |
| Replace belts, hoses & thermostat | 50,000-60,000 miles or 5 years |
| Spark plugs, ignition wires & ignition system | 30,000-60,000 miles- varies with models |
| Change differential grease on rear wheel drive | 60,000 miles |
| Change transfer case fluid(4 wheel drive vehicles) | 30,000-60,000 miles |
| Timing belts (if equipped, varies) | 60,000-125,000 miles or 5 years |
If you follow this advice, you can anticipate putting at least 200,000 miles on the majority of cars, just like many of our clients have done before. Call us at (407) 831-5620 if you have any concerns about this manual or your car. We’d be happy to help you out with any of our automobile needs.
