Abstract:
This article presents a case study on estimating the real service inspection intervals for
German-brand passenger cars in Kazakhstan and Poland. This study aimed to identify disparities
between the official recommendations of manufacturers for car maintenance and the real data
collected in these two countries. The following passenger cars were examined: Audi A6, Q5, and
Q8; Porsche Cayenne and Cayenne coupe; and Volkswagen Passat, Polo, Teramont, Tiguan, Touareg,
Arteon, Golf, T-Cross, Tiguan all space, Touran, T-Roc, and Up. To assess the difference between
real and recommended values, the manufacturer criteria of a recommended mileage of 15,000 and
30,000 km or a time frame of 365 and 730 days to the first service inspection were applied. The data
analysis showed that in Kazakhstan, 31.4% of cars did not meet the warranty conditions, while in
Poland, it was 21.0%. The dominant criterion that was not met was the time criterion. The assessment
of these factors emphasizes the importance of customizing vehicle maintenance schedules to the
specific conditions and driving behaviors prevalent in each country. The practical contribution of
the article lies in uncovering the discrepancies between official manufacturer recommendations for
car maintenance and the actual data collected in Kazakhstan and Poland. By identifying specific
models, Volkswagen Touareg and Tiguan in Kazakhstan and Volkswagen Up in Poland, for which
the maintenance intervals deviated significantly from those recommended, this study offers valuable
insights for optimizing service schedules and improving the efficiency of maintenance practices in
these countries. From a scientific perspective, this article contributes by providing empirical evidence
of real-world maintenance behaviors for German-brand passenger cars.
