Benecar mechanics help – Car inspection and maintenance

Car servicing and the necessary maintenance are always topics of much doubt. We spoke to Francisco Silva, a mechanic at Benecar - Cidade do Automóvel for 24 years and with more than 36 years' experience in the field, to find out what we should take into account when servicing and maintaining our car and its parts.

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The most important question to answer is: when should the car be serviced? The answer is straightforward: every year. For the most part, car servicing does not depend on wear and tear and is therefore not dependent on the kilometers traveled.

Checking the oil level can be done at home, just put the car in an upright position and, with the engine cold and switched off, remove the dipstick the first time to clean it and the second time to check the level. Ideally, it should be between the minimum and maximum marks on the dipstick. If it's lower, this leads to inefficient lubrication and consequently to the engine overheating.

As well as keeping the amount of oil at the correct level, it must be changed every year when the car is serviced. According to Francisco, "car oil has an expiration date, just like yogurt", which is why it should be changed every year.

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What interventions should be carried out during the annual service?

This will depend on the make and model of the car. In the car's instruction manual you can find the maintenance plan which indicates the appropriate interventions and their frequency. Francisco highlights a few in particular:

• Oil change;

• Filters;

• Tire pressure;

• Changing the brake fluid;

• Others.

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Servicing is important because of the interventions that take place and also because there is the possibility of diagnosing other needs of the car, which if ignored can lead to greater expenses.

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When should I change the brake pads and disks?

There is no set time to do this, neither by kilometers nor by time. Both brake pads and brake discs are parts that depend on wear and tear to be changed. Certain factors can cause them to wear out more quickly, such as the type of route or the way you drive. More aggressive driving leads to faster wear, as do routes in the city and with lots of ups and downs. Francisco's experience as a driver has shown him that in his hometown in the north of the country, due to the climbs and descents, his car's brake pads last significantly longer than in central Portugal.

Annual servicing gives the mechanic the opportunity to check the condition of the brake pads and disks and replace them if necessary.

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When should you change the timing belt?

This is another intervention that is specified in the maintenance plan. Brand guidelines vary between 120,000 km and 220,000 km, depending on the make and model of the car. Our mechanic points out that, in addition to the kilometers traveled, the time factor also weighs in. If the belt is 10 years old on your car, it should be changed, regardless of the distance traveled.

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Car maintenance has costs associated with it, but it ensures safety and prevents damage that can be very expensive. Visit Benecar to have your car serviced and clarify your doubts with the experienced mechanics who are part of our team.

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Translated with DeepL.com