Mazda 3 Maintenance: How Often Should I Have It Serviced?

For most people, buying their first car is a great experience. No one can deny that there’s something special about having a car under your care, ready for use any time you need it. Unfortunately, what most people forget is that these cars need to be maintained to make sure they run as well as they did when you drove them off the lot.

While some people assume that the worst that can happen is that your car just uses up more gas, the reality is that inconsistent maintenance can often cause long-term, expensive damage to your vehicle. That said, it stands to reason that anyone who’s spent money on their Mazda 3 will want to make sure that it lasts as long as it can. 

What to Keep An Eye On

To help you achieve that goal, we’ve created a short summary of the things you’ll want to be keeping an eye on to keep your car healthy. Your mileage may vary with some of these as your use case will affect how frequently you’ll need to have your Mazda serviced. 

Engine Oil & Filter

Keep an eye on your oil pressure to make sure your car has enough oil. The engine needs oil like humans need blood—in the engine’s case, though, it’s more about cooling and lubrication than transporting oxygen. Engine oil will start to collect particulates from inside your engine and, over time, this can cause problems. Cars also use oil filters that extend the life of your oil, collecting the contaminants inside this canister-shaped filter for later disposal. Both your oil and filter should be replaced during service. 

Air Filter

For a car to work, the engine needs a balanced mix of fuel and oxygen to ignite and combust properly. Car manufacturers install air filters in your air intake to make sure that your engine doesn’t suck up anything that could damage it internally.  Because of that, the air filter is another thing to replace during service. Forgetting to do so can cause your car to run less efficiently as unreplaced air filters often restrict the amount of air a car intakes. 

Brake Pad & Rotor

Brake pads and rotors are other important parts to keep an eye on during service as they’re more about your safety than anything else. As your car speeds up, you also want to be sure it can stop when it has to. It should be easy to understand how brake pads can be used up. Unfortunately, people often forget to take a look at the state of their pads, a mistake that can lead to terrible accidents. 

Brake & Clutch Fluids

Building off the previous point, make sure to check on your brake fluids as well as the clutch. It’s easy to forget how these two will still need their own fluids, but they are necessary for keeping your car working.  Your brakes and your clutch work on hydraulic systems, with the brake and clutch fluids filling the systems, respectively. Over time, the fluids can get old and gunky, sometimes even leaking out in small amounts. This can lead to a malfunctioning vehicle, especially dangerous when it comes to your brake line. These should be replaced whenever you get your car serviced. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day, it’s all about keeping you safe and your car running longer. It might seem like a hassle to stay on top of all these things, but it’s worth it. After all, the consequences of forgetting these things can result in a deadly or expensive accident—an accident that could easily be avoided. 

Having your car serviced regularly is the key to ensuring that your Mazda is well maintained and will have a longer lifespan. If you’re looking for Mazda service in Danvers, MA, North Shore Mazda is the place for you! We offer a wide range of brand-new and pre-owned vehicles, and we also provide repair services and OEM parts to ensure your car stays in peak condition. Simply stop by our lot or give us a call to learn more!