A windshield sticker serves as a reminder to you to get your car serviced while you're stuck in traffic. You discover, however, that your vehicle was serviced three months ago and that the latest oil change was just roughly 3,000 miles ago. You contact the dealership for a servicing appointment because this could result in a breakdown or destroyed engine. Although these stickers work well for sales, they are not reliable reminders to have your car serviced.

Go Through the User’s Guide

Take a moment to approach a potentially sensitive topic: the owner's guide collecting dust in your glove box. We don't intend to humiliate you by making you read it from beginning to end. The maintenance schedule for your vehicle is one of its most important sections, though.

A chart known as the maintenance schedule outlines the necessary repairs and the frequency of your vehicle's servicing. Not the guys at the dealership trying to sell you a 0 transmission flush, but the fine people at the manufacturer who planned and built your car made the timetable.

An Outline of Service

Oil changes and tire rotations are typically the only maintenance required to keep your car running well when it has fewer than 36,000 miles on it. Your car needs more upkeep as it gets older. Keep in mind that this is "scheduled maintenance," not repairs.

Newer cars are typically serviced at the dealership where they were purchased. However, as the vehicle ages, customers may turn to chain repair shops or independent mechanics. Independent mechanics and the service department of a new car dealership are very different.

'Advised' Upkeep

You can save a lot of money by knowing this hidden tiny secret: There may be a major difference between what the dealership's service experts advise and what your vehicle truly needs to stay running. The service advisor at the dealership might provide you with a list of "dealer-recommended" services; be aware that he is more of a salesperson than a technician.

You will notice that the dealer is suggesting a lot of extra items if you compare this to the information contained in your owner's guide. A deeper look at the dealer's list will reveal that fluid replacements, adjustments, and inspections make up the majority of the suggested items.

Reading and understanding your maintenance schedule is crucial for this reason.

The Practical Approach to Your Car Service

To schedule an appointment at a dealership's service department, simply follow these steps:

•  Look up the service timetable. You can find this online by searching for "2014 Toyota RAV4 owner's handbook" or by consulting your owner's handbook. A list of all service guides is provided here.
• Print out or photocopy the schedule. In only a few seconds, you'll realize why.
•  Get a service appointment scheduled. Inform the service department of the precise requirements. Saying, "I'm prepared for my 15,000-mile servicing visit," is not appropriate. Simply read them what is said in the owner's handbook.
• Be prepared for an upsell. The service adviser will most likely tell you, "Your car has 15,000 miles on it," when you arrive at the dealership. They give you a page of services and say, "Here is what we advise." Say, "But my handbook says I just require this work done," as you take out your copy of the upkeep timetable and give it to the service advisor.
• Dealing with further suggestions. After a while, you're enjoying some complimentary doughnuts in the customer lounge when your service consultant finally shows up and says, "We inspected your vehicle over and it seems like you also require..." — blah blah blah. The technician might suggest a brake repair, a fluid change, or the replacement of an unfamiliar part. You might just forward with getting the job done if you get along well with and trust the service consultant. Saying, "I'd like to put it back until my next visit," is harmless if it has nothing to do with safety.

Remember Your Service Reminder

Car manufacturers have developed an indicator light, sometimes known as an "idiot light," that shows on the gauge cluster (near the speedometer) to serve as a maintenance reminder because the majority of people ignore the owner's handbook. In order to allow you time to make the appointment, it frequently appears much before the service is truly needed. Now that you have the handbook open or have discovered it online, review the paragraph or two that describes the meaning of the light.

Two categories of systems exist:

• Create a system for mileage. After a certain number of kilometers and when an oil change is required, the light turns on. While this varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, it is approximately every 5,000 miles. The time period can be manually set in certain systems.
• The oil sensor system. The indicator turns on when an oil change is necessary after an inbuilt computer evaluates the vehicle's driving. Highway driving allows you to travel a greater distance between service visits, but short journeys will cause the signal to turn on earlier.

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Bottom Line

Just keep in mind that having your automobile serviced too often or having your oil changed more frequently than necessary is pointless. It is harmful to both your car and your car budget.