Maintenance cycles?

[12,000 RPM]

Ever since I got my digital tire pump I've been getting more into periodic checks. W/weather changing tire pressure has been dropping regularly. I also figure now with my flat garage floor I can also check oil levels regularly. Gonna set a day to check them every month and obviously change oil as needed.

Is this too much? What do you guys do for preventative maintenance?

[Soup DeVille]

Too much? Naww.

I check it at every fill up.

[shp4man]

My own personal vehicle? Change the oil every 5000 using quality stuff, and fix shit after it breaks. Like many mechanics, not really into working on my own car.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I check my underhood fluids every morning and my tires weekly. Of course, I drive 200 miles/day.

[MX793]

With the bike, I'm really mindful about checking tire pressures and oil and the like.  Check the tires every time I ride; check the oil monthly.  I even check all of my lights every third ride or so.

I used to be better with my car when I owned older vehicles.  Tire pressures on my summer car get checked monthly since I usually end up adjusting them for autocross and generally participate in one of those a month.  Winter car gets checked when I dig it out for the season and maybe once mid-season (or if they look soft).  I have admittedly become very lax with checking oil levels.  I've probably checked the Mustang's twice in the time I've owned it.  I checked the Jetta's once, when I first bought it (and I've only put 3000 miles on it and had an oil change about a month ago).  I'm really bad about frequent checks on my winter cars because fiddling around with tire gauges and dip-sticks in my driveway in the dead of winter is really unpleasant.

[Rupert]

I check all that stuff when I think, gee, maybe I should check all that stuff.

[Cookie Monster]

I pretty much never check the tire pressure on the Miata, and the only time I'll actually check it is when I'm fiddling with pressures during a track/autox day.

I should check the bike more often. I was doing it before every ride but that got tiring so I try and check every weekend when I oil my chain.

I've been good about cleaning and oiling my chain every weekend, though.

[Speed_Racer]

For the car, I alternate checking the oil and checking the tire pressure with every other fuel fillup. Oil/filter every 7500 or once a year (like this year's going to be), and that's about it. Nothing really goes wrong on the Kizashi.

The motorcycle, I do my checks during my weekly wash. Other than that, I wax the chain every 500 miles, oil every 3000, oil filter every 6000. Nothing ever goes wrong on the SV either.

[GoCougs]

I leave virtually all of it to the dealer. I don't do nothin' unless the car tells me there's a problem (low washer fluid or TPMS warming) and that's very rare. I've done so much work on cars in the past I want nothing to do with it these days - YOLO YO!

[Eye of the Tiger]

I leave virtually all of it to the dealer. I don't do nothin' unless the car tells me there's a problem (low washer fluid or TPMS warming) and that's very rare. I've done so much work on cars in the past I want nothing to do with it these days - YOLO YO!

Dealer... LOL. Mosy dealers are worse than Jiffy Lubes. I hope you have a good friend there.

[12,000 RPM]

Too much? Naww.

I check it at every fill up.

Doesn't that give a false low read? Lot of oil will still be up in the head and trickling down the passages.

[Byteme]

Doesn't that give a false low read? Lot of oil will still be up in the head and trickling down the passages.

After about 60 seconds, about the length of time it takes to get out of the car, open the gas filler - swipe the card - push the buttons - start filling the car - open the hood, is long enough for the sump to refill.   Or if one is worried about that, finish filling the tank, clean the windscreen and then check the oil.


I check tire pressure, oil and fluids about every two weeks.  Spare tire not often enough. 

I change oil and filter in the F150 once a year; that's about 1,000 miles tops.
I change oil and filter in the 6 every 5000 miles.
I change oil and filter in the CLK when the oil monitor tells me to.
The E-type is in pieces but when it's back together I'll change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles.   

[Soup DeVille]

Doesn't that give a false low read? Lot of oil will still be up in the head and trickling down the passages.

By the time youre done pumping gas, no.