As a concerned, responsible car owner, you’ve probably made it a point to look through the owners manual and check the maintenance recommendations. (If not, now would be a good time to do it!)

And you probably worked out when you’re going to have to have the car tuned up, the coolant replaced, and, of course, have the transmission serviced, based on your driving habits. It just makes sense to do that if you’re planning to keep your car for any length of time and help avoid costly repairs.

One of the things you may have noticed is that the manufacturer doesn’t recommend servicing the transmission very often. The usual recommendation is as much as 80,000 or even 100,000 miles.

Remember, maintenance has one purpose: to keep your car running longer without needing a much larger, more expensive repair. And, as most transmission technicians will tell you, having your transmission serviced regularly could prevent you from ever needing to have it rebuilt.

How does a service improve your transmission’s life? Transmission Fluid oil wears out over time. How soon depends on how you drive; particularly the temperatures you subject it to. And, if the transmission fluid wears out, it can let your transmission begin to slip and that is just one of many things that can cause problems for your transmission. From there, it won’t be long before the transmission needs to be completely rebuilt.

That’s why the technical experts at your nearby Cottman center recommend you bring your car in at least every couple years to have the fluid checked. And, if everything else looks okay, in most cases they’ll suggest servicing the transmission by the time the odometer hits 50,000 miles.

It’s a simple and inexpensive way to make sure your transmission keeps working properly for many years to come.