Transitioning from service centres to workshops

[anonymouse]

My 4 year old car has always been serviced by service centres whenever it's due. Before this, it has never crossed my mind to have my car serviced at other workshops. But lately, after doing my major service, I felt that perhaps it is time that I consider other alternatives as servicing in service centres is getting quite costly.

I have a question here though. I'm quite sure that workshops out there don't keep a tab on your car and advise you what should be changed once you hit a certain mileage.

So, how do you keep track on that? Would you guys simply wait till you hear or feel some weird anomalies in your car and then get the workshop to check on it? Or would you keep track of the parts that needs to be replaced and then get the workshops to replace it during the service?

How do you guys do it?

 

[deroll]

I'm don't know how the others do it, but I tend to follow the manufacturers guidelines listed in the drivers manual with a little bit of common sense. You should change the fluids regularly according to schedule, oil changes can be lengthened as 5000km is really short, the current Camry/Accord oil change schedule is 7.5k/10k miles (12k-16k km) so 5k changes are excessive.

 

[stupidcar]

Follow what deroll says. Try asking your friends to some recommended workshops then follow your maintenance manual.
But also need to note that the mechanic must know how to do your car.
Labour is damn cheap outside. I ciao after the first 3 service of my Persona. Bloody RM60/hour.
Now DIY. Boo yah!

Btw, nice name haha.

 

[jerrysiow]

Dude, if your ride is still under warranty then just go back SC. Else, like others mentioned, follow the schedule written by your manufacturer manual.

There is a useful software, Ms excel or spreadsheet. You can make a sheet for yourself such as reminder and note down the mileage and date you service your car. This is able to make yourself have a better planning and free of doubt on last services such as power steering fluid, brake fluid and so on. We do not service them that frequent like engine oil and transmission fluid.