Any car dealer in the world would love for you to believe that you have to take your car back to them for maintenance. On the contrary, many independent repair shops can take care of the same repair needs that your dealer can. More often than not, you'll actually find more talented technicians at independent shops.

For most new cars, scheduled maintenance should be done at 15k, 30k, 45k, 60k, and 90k miles. Be sure to check the owners manual for your car's specific requirements.