Good Stewards, Long Miles: Why I’m Ignoring the Dealership’s Advice

Internet family! Learn from me. Do not follow the oil change schedule:

Recommended By Dealerships.

They are wanting to get you back in to get a new car as soon as possible.

In talking to a mechanic (non-dealership) today, I was told to get oil changes at the 5k mile mark. They showed me the filter and how it’s just fiber paper. So waiting til 10k miles is beyond the point of the filter being able to filter the oil properly.

Get yourself and families on a:

Severe Service Schedule.

This means going above what’s recommended by car manufacturers due to the way your car is driven and extreme temperatures. A quick Gemini inquiry revealed that 80% of vehicles in the US are in the “severe” category! Wow!

Let’s be good stewards about our vehicle maintenance, even if it seems more costly on the “front end” – better than doing basics and being hit with a big repair later.

The normal, recommended oil change schedule if followed lean towards neglect; unknowingly to many.

Pass the message: oil changes at the 4k mark (5k at latest).

It’s great if you find a mechanic that invites you to look under your car during oil changes and show you quickly it’s health. I got under my car today and was so amazed. I’ve never seen oil leave a vehicle – it was brown and dirty! So amazing! Being invited to look under my car – while they held a flashlight to the dark spaces was a transparent experience – I’ve never had.

Ahead of my oil change – I typed in an AI tool my car and mileage to get a list of things to ask the mechanic to check. I wrote it down and passed it to the team. They went through it, I’m sure they would do it anyway. I was empowered and able to find an issue from that list.

***This is the list of questions I had for the mechanic based on an AI prompt.***

I’m not an expert, but I’m not a “dummy” either.

It just takes a moment to become knowledgeable enough to navigate proper questioning with experts – to find gaps. I don’t know a foolakie about the ins and outs of coolant – but I asked a question that made it seem I know. & what did they identify? See below.

Ladies – do not just be relying on the men in your life to be read in for you. Your brain and phone works too! Have an expert like a mechanic give you an undercarriage walkthrough!

I am so thankful for this adventure and learning. I do have a repair, but I am at peace. I’m God’s daughter and am under his care. As are you. Let’s rest in his presence continually as we go through life.

As a gift for you – here is the prompt you can drop into your favorite AI tool to prepare for your upcoming oil change:

The “Empowered Driver” AI Prompt

“Copy the text below, fill in your specific car details, and paste it into Gemini or your favorite AI tool. Then, write down the top 3-5 things it tells you and hand that list to your mechanic!”

The Prompt: “I am taking my [Year/Make/Model] with [Current Mileage] miles in for an oil change. I want to be a good steward of my vehicle and ensure it lasts as long as possible. Based on common issues for this specific car and mileage, give me a list of 5 specific questions I should ask the mechanic to check while the car is on the lift. Please explain why I should ask each question so I understand the answer they give me.”

Keep this in mind: When the mechanic answers, don’t be afraid to say, ‘Can you show me what you mean by that?’ Inquire about looking under the car. Most honest mechanics love it when a customer actually cares enough to look!

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