For many people, buying a used car is a cost-saving solution but still meets travel needs. However, to keep the car operating stably and limit risks, the first thing car owners should do is not to completely trust the old owner's maintenance history, but to set a new "maintenance milestone" for the car itself.
According to a technician at the Ninety Eight Auto Repair, Maintenance and Care Center (Cat Lai ward, Ho Chi Minh City), creating maintenance milestones immediately after receiving the car helps car owners know exactly when to perform subsequent maintenance sessions, and at the same time avoid the situation of missing important items due to not knowing the previous history of use.
The details that should be replaced first are engine oil and oil filter. Even if the seller states that the car has just been replaced with oil or has only been operating a few thousand kilometers, replacement is still recommended. This helps the car owner to be completely assured of the quality of the lubricant, and at the same time accurately determine the oil replacement cycle in subsequent maintenance sessions.
In addition, types of filters such as engine air filters, air conditioning filters and fuel filters need to be checked according to the manufacturer's recommendations or when the maintenance history is unclear. These are all details with not too high costs but affect the engine's operating capacity, the working efficiency of the air conditioning system and air quality in the cockpit.
For gearbox oil, if the gearbox oil maintenance history is unclear, especially when the car has been operating for about 60,000–80,000 km or more, the car owner should check and consider changing the oil according to the manufacturer's recommendations after buying the car.
If the next gearbox oil replacement cycle has arrived or the most recent replacement cannot be determined, the car owner should replace it to ensure lubrication and protect the gearbox.
In addition to the powertrain, batteries are also items that need to be carefully checked. If the battery is old, shows signs of degradation or is nearing its full lifespan, it should be replaced to avoid the situation where the car is difficult to start or unexpected electrical faults occur.
Spark plugs need to be checked according to manufacturer recommendations. For many car models using conventional spark plugs, the replacement cycle is about 40,000–60,000 km; iridium or platinum spark plugs can reach 80,000–100,000 km or longer. Replacing new spark plugs will help the engine ignite stably, making the car operate more smoothly, while limiting vibration, fuel consumption, or difficulty starting.
According to technicians, the total cost of checking and replacing necessary items is often much lower than the cost of repairing major breakdowns that may arise if initial maintenance is ignored. In return, car owners will have a clear maintenance platform, reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns in the early stages of use and easily building a long-term periodic maintenance plan.
