how often should you take your car in for maintenance and what do they check?

Todd Stogner: The owner's manual will tell you. More inspections are like 30,000/60,000 mile intervals.

Ester Bryand: Usually when you get your oil changed (around every three months) they check everything in your car that is necessary for a smooth and working drive. Don't be afraid to ask them if everything looks okay either because sometimes they think you don't care. If you express interest and ask the mechanic who checks/changes your oil if everything looks good, he will tell you his concerns. Be wary though because most of the time they will tell you that you need to change this/get a new that to make $$, so always ask them how necessary it is (usually they will be honest and tell you how important it is but not always) so it's always best to find a mechanic you trust, or a guy friend that knows his stuff:)...Show more

Corrinne Ruozzo: You should do an oil change about every 3 months or 3,000 Miles and a tune-up about twice a year. In a tune up if yo! u get a good one. They do things like replace spark plugs, check fluid and change fluid if needed, check the cars computer to see if there are any problems with your car.