For those who over maintain their cars, just wanted to offer another viewpoint.

[Bill7]

I just wanted to share this with the forum, in the event it might pursuade others from "over maintaining" their cars.

I bought a 2006 Honda Odyssey used from the original owner back in 2013 with 50k miles on it.
The car was in Mint condition. I decided I wanted to pamper the car. I went to the Honda dealer for everything.
I did every possible preventative maintenance on it. Periodic brake fluid changes. Periodic power steering fluid changes.
I changed the transmission fluid every 15,000 miles. I changed the oil every 4,000 miles with premium full synthetic (mainly Pennzoil Ultra Platinum), and either Honda OEM or Fram Ultra filters. About 2 years ago I transitioned to lower priced full synthetic oil and filters.
I only used the expensive OEM Honda replacement parts for everything.

I spent so much money on maintenance and repairs.

The remorse I am feeling now is that I sold the vehicle last month with 185k miles on it. I no longer own the van.
All the money I wasted on all that over maintenance is gone forever.

If I could go back and do it over again, I would just do adequate but sufficient maintenance with low cost fluid's, filters, parts.

For all those who over maintain their vehicles (like I did), you may want to think about how you will feel on the day you eventually sell that vehicle.

 

[DougR]

I agree with you. I sold a 24-year old Nissan Maxima last year for a very good price. I only did the essential repairs, bought aftermarket parts if the quality was good enough and did the work myself. It was very cheap to maintain, and it needed a lot of little stuff when I decided to let it go. It's somewhere in Mexico now. I hope the new owner gets at least 10 more years out of it. I have no regrets selling it. My 4Runner gets OEM parts only except for shocks, engine oil, transfer case, differential and transmission fluid.

 

[benjamming]

I decided I wanted to pamper the car. I went to the Honda dealer for everything.

These are not congruent. I understand the sentiment, but it's spending a lot of resources attempting to climb a mountain the hardest way.

 

[supton]

Agreed, although I don’t plan on owning a car past ten years, as our winters are hard on cars, and my needs do change with time.

 

[hrv]

On my current Honda and past I will always use Honda OEM fluid for the tranny...coolant and rear Dif....Otherwise I use Mobil 1 and a Fram Oil..cabin and air filter...07 accord had 386000 on it doing that and still ran great...

 

[Tdbo]

As a 2x Odyssey owner (including an '06,) I'd agree with much of what you said.
The best strategy I've found, with this and any other vehicle, is to do the homework on the platform in question, determine the weaknesses, and tailor your maintenance strategy to countering those.
Pay attention to everything else, but you can still be well served with a more moderate approach to the other areas.
By all means, stay away from the Honda dealer "For everything." Find a good Honda specialist and take your work there.
A good one is worth his/her weight in gold. The tips that mine has given me over the years has saved me much money.

 

[zfasts03]

But maybe, if you didn’t do all that maintenance…

1. It would not have made it to 185,000
2. It would not have been running as good as it was for the later years
3. You wouldn’t get as much money for it when you sold it or maybe it wouldn’t sell at all

Yes so many factors to consider

 

[Kira]

The OP's situation is extreme given what's portrayed as pricy, constant maintenance.
9 trannie services, 33 premium oil changes and all the brake + PS services equaled ...how much in US$?
You did overdo the oil changes and the trannie services, for sure. A 30K ATF interval would've sufficed.

Still, The TOTAL $ over 11 years ownership would be interesting to see.
I suppose you didn't ask much for an '06 w/185K. I bet it sold quickly.

Had you just retired and over-maintained due to boredom?
Did word of the period's bad Honda transmissions push you to 9 services?

All this from a BITOGer who lists $21.14 oil changes using Walmart oil in his signature.
Doesn't jibe fully.....a SuperTech customer lavishing dealership services upon this vehicle...hmmmm???

GOT IT! He had a crush on the service writer.

 

[midnightlaundry]

I learned at 16 years old that the DEALER rapes you the most. Unless you have a specific repair that would need a brand certified Wrench, I avoid Dealers..
Doing things mostly yourself is where the savings are..
BTW, most people never change their Tranny Fluid.. My 2002 Ford recommends every 30K.

The bright side is you can now totally neglect it and get that money back.. LOL

 

[ripcord]

I would tend to agree with Bill7 if I lived in the Rust Belt. There's kinda no point in using top tier oils in Massachusetts or New York or even doing any maintenance beyond extended oil changes with budget oil. The cars rust to pieces before the engine has time to wear out.

 

[wavinwayne]

For good or ill, I do minimal necessary maintenance on my vehicles and always have. I don't abuse my vehicles, and I repair/replace things when they need it. 35 years of doing this in Alabama has worked for me.

 

[brandon9715]

I would tend to agree with Bill7 if I lived in the Rust Belt. There's kinda no point in using top tier oils in Massachusetts or New York or even doing any maintenance beyond extended oil changes with budget oil. The cars rust to pieces before the engine has time to wear out.

I live in the rust belt. I drive a 2015 F150. Body is aluminum, so no rust. Frame only has light surface rust. The key is keeping your car clean. Undercoatings are a step up from that even.

 

[Fitter30]

Enjoy working on things as long as I'm not pushed into a corner for time. Use quality parts but not from a dealer. Spending money on your vehicles is really for the next person if you don't drive the wheels off them. Bed liner, laser fit car mats, premium oil- filters and wax makes them
nice.

 

[JustN89]

I also over-maintain my cars, but I don't spend extra money by taking it to the dealer. Instead of $75-100 dollar oil changes, $100+ brake services, $200 transmission services, etc, it costs a fraction of that. I also like knowing that whoever gets my car when it's time for me to move on is getting a car with a lot of life left, whether that's realized or not.

 

[JeffKeryk]

2006 TSX bought new in Dec 2006. This car has 220K and is perfect. I never check the oil. Just put on a fresh set of Michelin Pilot All Season rubber. 5K OCIs with M1.
I would drive it to New York right now. It is going to a good friend soon because I have too many vehicles.
Kept clean and waxed, renewed fluids regularly, etc.
Is this over servicing? Some would say so but I think it was just about right.

 

[CKN]

But maybe, if you didn’t do all that maintenance…

1. It would not have made it to 185,000
2. It would not have been running as good as it was for the later years
3. You wouldn’t get as much money for it when you sold it or maybe it wouldn’t sell at all

Yes so many factors to consider

1) It's a Honda. Too many beat to heck Honda Accords on the road that are not taken care of (probably) with high miles
2) See #1
3) Most people at a maximum maintain their car to the owners manual. Over maintaining don't impress most.

We already know Dealers place zero value on a maintenance folder.

 

[cptbarkey]

How many failures did you have as a result of over maintaining your van?

 

[Highlander 1459]

I

For all those who over maintain their vehicles (like I did), you may want to think about how you will feel on the day you eventually sell that vehicle.

I sort of overmaintain them while doing the work myself.. so it doesn't really cost all that much.. and since I am generally the last owner of most of my vehicles, at the point where I either sell it for a few bucks or give it away, what was spent over the years really doesn't doesn't matter. It is a vehicle, not an investment.

 

[vavavroom]

I don't overmaintain but I do more prophylactic maintenance than most people because I don't like problems sneaking up on me - I prefer them to hit me out of nowhere. Nothing worse than having regrets later. Coulda, shoulda, woulda don't jive with me.

 

[ripcord]

I don't overmaintain but I do more prophylactic maintenance than most people because I don't like problems sneaking up on me - I prefer them to hit me out of nowhere. Nothing worse than having regrets later. Coulda, shoulda, woulda don't jive with me.

Please! This is a family forum.