Are there bad cars or just badly maintained cars? It's a fact that preventive maintenance is the basic ingredient to a long-lived, reliable vehicle. Never cheat on maintenance. Improper maintenance means prematurely worn parts and high repair bills. Proper maintenance provides reliability, longevity and peace of mind.

The Car Care Council has developed a service interval schedule to provide general guidelines for the regular maintenance of passenger cars, mini vans, pickups and SUVs. Intervals are built around an oil change every 3,000 miles, an accepted recommendation for the majority of motorists. Always consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual for specific recommendations by the car maker.