I have a Ford. I love Ford cars and have driven them most of my life. Growing up, there was always the argument about Ford vs. Holden (in Australia) and Ford vs. Chevy (in the USA). I was always subjected to FORD: Found on Rubbish Dumps and while that may be the case, it was always funny to me that there was such a strong allegiance to a brand
My most recent Ford (a 2019 Ford Expedition Max) was purchased during the pandemic (I cannot remember when exactly because it was all a blur) but it just reached 130k miles and I went for my regular oil change as I do.
The check engine light was on when I drove to the shop and I figured it was just because it needed its regular service. Turns out, it was much more than that - and requires a partial engine re-build.
When the check engine light would come on in the past, it was always an indicator to me that something simple might be wrong - and taking it to the shop always confirmed that - a simple fix and out the door I was in my beautiful Ford.
However, now that it is reaching 150k in miles, the Ford is showing its age and it made me realize something in myself, the older I get, the more servicing I will need. My check engine light will come on more frequently and I will need to take more frequent trips to the shop (my doctor) to make sure that I prevent a complete engine rebuild.
The moral of the story is that as you get older, do not ignore the check engine light and if you are young, preventative maintenance (diet, exercise, eating less, moving more etc.) will go a long way to preventing a complete overhaul when you reach your version of 150k.