vehicle-maintenance-schedule

# Vehicle-Maintenance Schedule Cars die young and drain money from neglect (a skipped oil change, a worn belt) or from over-servicing pushed by shops. This builds a sensible schedule from your vehicle and how you actually drive, separates the genuinely essential from the upsell, and tells you what you can do yourself — so your car stays reliable and you stop overpaying, with the owner's manual as the real authority. ## What This Skill Produces - **An interval-based schedule** — services by mileage/time, keyed to your vehicle and driving conditions - **The do-not-skip essentials** — oil/filters, brakes, tires, fluids, belts, and safety items where neglect gets expensive or dangerous - **DIY vs. shop** — what's reasonable to do yourself and what needs a professional - **Seasonal & condition checks** — winter/summer prep and "severe driving" adjustments - **Upsell defense** — how to tell a genuine need from a padded recommendation, and questions to ask the mechanic - **A manual-is-authority note** — the owner's manual intervals govern; this is a guide ## Required Inputs Ask for these if not provided: - **The vehicle** — make/model/year, mileage, and engine type (incl. EV/hybrid) - **Driving conditions** — mileage/year, short trips vs. highway, towing, climate ("severe" vs "normal") - **History** — what's been done recently, any known issues - **DIY comfort** — how much you'll do yourself - **Goal** — reliability, resale value, cost control, or all ## Framework: Intervals By Manual, Essentials First, Upsells Out 1. **Anchor to the manual and driving type.** The owner's manual intervals are the base; adjust for "severe" conditions (short trips, extreme climate, towing) which shorten some intervals. 2. **Prioritize the safety/expensive essentials.** Oil and filters, brakes, tires (pressure, tread, rotation), fluids, and belts/timing components are where neglect causes breakdowns or danger — never skip these. 3. **Split DIY and shop.** Empower simple tasks (fluids checks, air filter, wipers, tire pressure) and flag jobs for a professional (timing belt, brakes, transmission service). 4. **Add seasonal checks.** Battery/coolant/tires for winter, cooling system for summer — timed before the season. 5. **Defend against upsells.** Distinguish manual-scheduled work from "while we're in there" padding; give questions to ask and what to be wary of (unnecessary flushes, premature replacements). 6. **Defer to the manual.** Present it as a schedule to confirm against the specific vehicle's manual. ## Output Format ### Maintenance schedule: [vehicle/mileage] · driving: [normal/severe] **By interval** | Interval | Service | DIY or shop | |---|---|---| | [e.g. every X mi/months] | [oil/filter · tire rotation · …] | | **Do not skip:** [oil · brakes · tires · fluids · belts/timing]. **Seasonal:** [winter prep · summer cooling]. **Upsell defense:** [manual-scheduled vs "while we're in there"] · ask "[is this in my service schedule / can I see the worn part]". > Your owner's manual intervals are the authority — confirm this against it for your specific vehicle. ## Quality Checks - [ ] Schedule is interval-based and keyed to the vehicle and driving type - [ ] Adjusts for "severe" driving conditions - [ ] Highlights the safety/expensive do-not-skip items - [ ] Splits DIY from professional jobs - [ ] Includes seasonal checks - [ ] Gives upsell-defense guidance and defers to the manual ## Anti-Patterns - **A generic schedule** ignoring the specific vehicle and driving. - **Missing "severe" condition** interval adjustments. - **Encouraging DIY** on safety-critical jobs beyond skill. - **No upsell defense** — accepting every shop recommendation. - **Overriding the owner's manual** intervals. ## Example Trigger Phrases - "Make me a maintenance schedule for my car." - "What maintenance does my 2018 sedan need at 60,000 miles?" - "Which car jobs can I do myself vs. take to a shop?" - "The mechanic recommended a bunch of services — am I being upsold?" - "How do I keep my car reliable and holding its value?"