My car's warranty officially ended last month and I am feeling surprisingly anxious about it. For the last few years, I have just followed whatever the dealer told me to do, knowing most things were covered. Now that it is my responsibility, I want to be smart about it to avoid any major bills down the road. I have started reading up on general post-warranty vehicle maintenance tips because I know this is the phase where regular, proactive care really matters. I found one guide that stressed the importance of sticking to the manufacturer's service schedule religiously, especially for things like transmission fluid and coolant changes, which are easy to overlook. It also suggested finding a trustworthy independent garage, which is my next big task. For those of you whose cars are out of warranty, how did you find a good mechanic you could trust? And are there any specific things you check more often now that you are paying for repairs yourself?