by Joe Kirkpatrick

I have worked in the automotive parts and service industry over 25 years, so I thought I would share some of my observations with you.

First off, let me say the cars of today are very complex - even the inexpensive ones.  Back in 1995, I read an article in an automotive trade magazine that stated the computer electronics on the average 1995 car sold in the U.S. has more advanced computer electronics than the first Apollo space rocket.  Besides electronics, today's cars are complex in other ways as well:  heated seats and mirrors, overdrive transmissions, and complex double or four cam engines.  The best possible way to avoid expensive problems is to follow the recommended service schedules in your owners manual.  When you take your car into a car dealership for a scheduled maintenance, they should automatically follow the manufactures guidelines.  It is okay to have the maintenance done at a non-dealer repair shop, but it is a good idea to sit down with them and go over the items that are supposed to be covered.

I would like to point out a few of the biggest blunders people have made by not following the manufacturers maintenance schedule.

The most expensive maintenance blunder is not changing the timing belt (not all cars have them).  On many cars, if the timing belt breaks, not only does your car immediately quit, the valves in the cylinder head collide with the

pistons in the block.  To put this into easier terminology, it means on a 1990 Honda Civic, you are going to be out about $1000.  On a 1990 BMW, you are going to be out about $2500.  Clear enough?  I though so!  Now see - you don't have to have a technical bone in your body to understand what happens when the timing belt breaks on your car!

The second biggest maintained blunder is not changing your transmission fluid and filter at the recommended interval.  Do you know when people usually call me wanting to buy a transmission filter kit?  When their transmission starts giving them trouble!  99% of the time, guess what?  It's too late!  Many of today's transmissions can cost $2500 or more to repair, and I'm not just talking high-end cars.  It can easily cost that much on a Toyota Camry, or Nissan Sentra.

The third biggest maintenance blunder is not changing your fuel filter.  As with the transmission filters, too many people call me wanting a fuel filter after their car starts having problems.  In a few cases, replacing it at this point will help, but usually it does not, and expensive repairs will be needed.

Of course, there are many other ways to neglect your car, and I have touched on only a few.  The bottom line is, if you want the most efficiency with the least trouble out of your car, follow your maintenance schedule!