Q: I haven’t done a great job of keeping up with maintenance on my car. I know I need to, but afraid I’ll need a ton of stuff all at once. Where should I start?

A: Maintenance shouldn’t be scary and it can be done all at once or separated into multiple visits.  Maintenance is like getting a physical.  If you miss a check up, just catch up on the next visit.  With that being said, cars are not built to last forever so the better you maintain it the longer it will provide you with reliable service.  Making sure fluids are changed and mechanical parts are lubricated or replaced due to wear is essential to maintaining the integrity of a vehicle.  Some vehicles will require services to be performed at different mileages.  Please refer to your manufacturer’s schedule and plan an attack.  Use the 30,000- and 60,000-mile services as catch up if you missed some needed maintenance.  Remember, you can do what you want and save some services for another visit if it doesn’t fit in your budget.