The service light illuminates on your car’s dashboard—it’s time for routine maintenance.
If you’ve seen this notification pop up and wondered why your car says “maintenance required,” it’s because most car manufacturers have schedules for basic repairs and tune-ups. Regular maintenance like rotating tires, replacing spark plugs and filters, and changing brake fluid can keep your car running well and prevent bigger repairs down the road.
But you might be asking: Do I really need to do all the maintenance they recommend? Should I follow the schedule exactly?
The short answer is “yes.” Here are three surprising things you might not know about factory-scheduled maintenance.
1. A ton of research goes into the recommendations.
Most manufacturers have spent millions of dollars to figure out what items need to be serviced or inspected for each year, make, and model of their cars. Some items are due by mileage, some by time, and some by whatever comes first.
These recommendations are developed by the engineers and techs who designed and built your vehicle (not by the sales team at the dealership), and they are customized to your car. In other words, they’re legitimate.
2. They vary by make, year, and model—so make sure you know what your car requires.
Not every manufacturer is the same when it comes to when and what services are due at specific mileages. The manufacturer’s maintenance schedule not only varies by make but often by year and model as well. For instance, spark plugs are due every 40,000 miles on most Volkswagen and Audi models; some, however, on some, they’re due every 50,000 miles. On Mercedes, spark plugs are due every 60,000 miles or 5 years—whichever comes first.
3. It’s important to pay attention to them.
We promise: The manufacturer’s recommendations aren’t part of a secret marketing deal between car makers and repair shops. These really are essential repairs that will keep your car driving longer.
These routine tune-ups prevent damage to bigger, more expensive parts of your car. And if you have a specialty car like a BMW or Mercedes, these recommendations become even more important—high-performance vehicles require high-end care.
If you want to get high mileage out of your car—and peak performance while you own it—it’s time to stop ignoring the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule and build a relationship with an auto repair shop that understands European and Asian vehicles.
At Import Specialty Service, we know the routine maintenance requirements of European and Asian imports like the backs of our hands. Our expert technicians will not only keep your car in top shape, but they will also advise you on what maintenance is necessary for your specific make and model.
Schedule a routine maintenance appointment today, and let us help you stay on top of your car’s service needs—at a fraction of the dealership prices.
