MAINTENANCE
Maintenance plays a very important part to keeping your vehicle on the road. Your vehicle has a mileage service interval (5,000 mile service : 30,000 mile service : 60,000 mile service Etc..) which is critical to perform to ensue the safety, reliability, driveability, comfort and longevity of your vehicle. The way vehicles are designed today it's possible you can hit the 200,000 or even 300,000 mile mark if properly maintained.
Timing Belts
Timing belts are usually part of your vehicle's major service. This is the belt that keeps your camshaft and crankshaft "in time" with each other to ensure proper engine operation. Among the timing belt are other components that should be considered for replacement as well, (tensioner, idler pulleys, and also the water pump). These items are also driven by the timing belt and may fail later on if not replaced at the time of the belt. Neglecting this service could mean devastating consequences. (Bent valves, piston damage, and also engine failure)
Fluid Services
Servicing your vehicle fluids at the intervals recommended by the manufacturer is another important part to keeping your vehicle maintained properly. Fluids over time start to deteriorate and loose their lubricating & cleaning properties and may cause more harm then good. Example: A breakdown in power steering fluid could cause blockage in a high pressure line or in the steering rack. This is true for every type of fluid. Engine oil, transmission fluid, engine coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transfer cases, and even front and rear differentials.
Engine Tune-up
Tune-up's play an important role in engine performance, engine reliability, and fuel economy. An engine misfire may cause problems that are easy to notice or may cause failures down the road, even if the misfire was for a short amount of time. A Flashing check engine light is not something you want to ignore, this indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel into the exhaust system, where damage to the catalytic converter is possible. (Which could be an expensive repair.) Performing an engine tune-up at your vehicles mileage interval could save you large amount of money in the long run.