Posted on 12/19/2025

New cars feel tight, quiet, and trouble-free, so it is easy to assume they will not need much attention for years. Service reminders show long intervals, salespeople talk about “lifetime” fluids, and there are fewer old school items like distributor caps to worry about. That can make it sound like maintenance is optional until something breaks, which is where a lot of owners get into trouble. Brand-New Cars And The “Maintenance-Free” Myth Modern cars are built better than older ones, but they are not maintenance-free. The parts that fail may be different from those of twenty years ago, yet they still wear, age, and get dirty. Fluids still break down, rubber still dries out, and filters still clog. The main change is that many components last longer, so problems show up a bit later and sometimes all at once. Some of the confusion comes from how smooth a new car feels. No noises, no vibrations, no leaks, and a dash that stays dark for a while ... read more