Do You Go By The Owner's Manual Maintenance Schedule?

[slacktide_bitog]

For OLM cars like GM and Honda, I use the cheapest synthetic on sale to the OCI suggested by the computer. Otherwise, 10k on a premium synthetic, unless a particular car/engine is known for issues (most 1MZ Toyotas, some turbo cars, etc), or if it's been a year and still haven't racked up 10k

Brake fluid flushed when replacing the pads and rotors. Transmission fluid replaced when I first buy the car and then never again (I don't have my cars long enough to need another ATF change, but I'd probably do it after 30-60k). Air filters every few years, cabin filter every year. Spark plugs and coolant only if I think it's necessary. The exception is Honda, where I just follow the minder for everything (except brake fluid, which is done when the pads and rotor

 

[Skippy722]

5k for oil changes, I’ll take ZF’s recommendation of ~60k for the trans, and I’ll follow the manuals recommendation for diffs and T-case for severe service at 48k. I’ll follow the manual for things like coolant and air filters.

 

[NewtonPulsifer]

I do not.

I change the oil and filter every 30k miles on my RX-8.

Every 15k miles oil and filter on the Mercedes.

Just got the Hyundai, but current plan is once per 12k miles.

Manual and diff every 75k miles. AT drain and fill every 30k miles.

I also run Archoil 9100 and/or LiquiMoly Ceratec on all of them.

Yes I have done oil analysis before and yes this has been fine. I’m the opposite of anal retentive (anal expulsive?) and majored in Econ. Also genetically Scottish. It is said copper wire was invented by two Scotsmen fighting over a penny...

 

[JeffKeryk]

What's an owner's manual?

 

[Revving2Redline]

I change oil usually when it barks at me. Oil filter usually goes over 15k or more. Same with the coolant but I use Pentofrost Blue every 60kish or whenever it tells me. Brake fluid gets replaced every 120,000 miles and cvt fluid gets change every oil change interval with Castrol Transmax. Currently at lots of miles on a paid off car that irritates me sometime but not ready to let her go yet!

 

[A_Spruce]

Everybody has their ways and comfort zone. I use the owner's manual as a rough guideline, then adjust to my own comforts as to how the vehicle is used and driven. My '95 Sierra got OCIs every 3500 miles. She was a work truck that towed a lot. The 2nd/reverse bandin the tranny snapped at 75k, so the rebuild took care of that service interval. I sold the truck at 125k.

My current vehicle, an 03 Suburban, was "fully serviced" when I bought it Feb 2019. I used quotes because evidence to the contrary has been profound and I've been slowly going back through and doing things myself or when she's in the shop (new shop) for something unrelated. Because the maintenance history was unknown, I had the full fluid service done to put her on my maintenance schedule.

The manual states 3500 mile OCIs, I began using synthetic oil from the very first service, M1 at first, and my then mechanic was recommending 5k intervals. Many of the fine folks here were recommending 7500 to 10k. I let it go for 7200 miles before I changed it because baby seemed to be using a bit of oil, it was fairly dark, and I was concerned about sludging, so I've decided to dial back and not go beyond 5k. She's back to not burning a lick of oil, so I suspect that she simply didn't like towing a heavy trailer for around 1000 miles last fall.