Cars–like teeth–require regular maintenance

DEAR CAR TALK:

I have a 2010 Chevy Tahoe approaching 125,000 miles. It runs great. Doesn’t even rattle.

I had it checked out and serviced at 100,000 miles. Does it need a 125,000-mile service? Thanks. –Steve, D.D.S.

Well, since you’re a dentist, Steve, let me ask you a similar professional question: If I get my teeth cleaned every six months up until the age of 60, do I need to keep going to the dentist after that? Even if my teeth are in good shape? And don’t rattle?

I think you’d say yes, right? Because at some point, I’d develop a cavity, and if I didn’t treat it, the tooth would rot, and then I’d get an infection, it’d spread to my jaw, and pretty soon, they’d have to remove half my face to save me. Which would probably improve my looks, actually.

Well, the results aren’t quite as dire with your car. Because unlike your face, you can just have the car towed to the junkyard and get on with your life.

But, if you’re concerned about cost, or want to keep your car running for years to come, then you should absolutely keep up with the regular service and maintenance.

The reason is simple: You can catch something when it’s a small problem and keep it from becoming catastrophic. Let’s say you have a small oil leak. At 125,000 miles, your mechanic might find it and fix it by tightening some bolts or replacing a gasket for a few hundred bucks. But, if you keep driving, and the oil leak gets worse, you might run out of oil and cook your bearings, which will cost you at least $5,000 for a used replacement engine.

So, even though most owner’s manuals only list service intervals up to 100,000 or 120,000, the idea is that you will continue to follow the maintenance pattern as long as you’re committed to keeping the car.

If you read the details of the scheduled services, you’ll see there are some things that come up every 30,000 miles. Some things are called for every 60,000 miles. So, do the math and follow the patterns.