Maintenance
Building a PM schedule that actually gets followed
Preventive maintenance only works if it is written down and tied to a number you already track — miles or engine hours.
The answer
What to track per unit
- Engine oil and filters by miles or hours, whichever comes first.
- Fuel filters, air filter restriction, coolant test strips and DEF filter.
- Chassis lube, wheel-end inspection, brake measurements.
- Transmission and differential fluid on their own longer interval.
- Annual inspection, registration, insurance and permit dates.
Why intervals get missed
Because they live in someone's head. Log the odometer at every service, set the next-due number the same day, and let the maintenance tracker warn you before it goes overdue instead of after.
Cheap habits that pay
- Oil sample at every drain — it catches fuel dilution and coolant intrusion months early.
- Weekly tire pressure with a real gauge, not a thumper.
- Photograph the DVIR defects so the shop sees what you saw.