The Prizm was a Toyota masquerading as American.
For those who over maintain their cars, just wanted to offer another viewpoint.
- Thread starter Bill7
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Yes I went to a Chevy dealership with my GM credit card points told him I want cheap car with AC and auto transmission. He showed me a Caviler then I saw the Prism in the corner looked at it popped the hood saw it was a Toyota Corolla engine I bought it cheap with GM points. Bullet proof no issues minus the guide valve seals but nothing straight weight 30 summer 10/40 in the winter slowed the consumptionThe Prizm was a Toyota masquerading as American.
True. I think it was more about getting a really nice vehicle, with the idea of keeping it 10+ years, and pampering it, as the eventual sale 10+ years was was 10+ years away. When the 10+ years became current day, all that money I spent on it really seems like it was a bad idea.
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look on the bright side, you could have some seriously bad habits like smoking, drinking and gambling, so your habit of overmaintaining is not only relatively cheap in comparison but it is also healthy.
Made right up the road at NUMMI. Corollas and Prizms rolled off the assembly lines like hotcakes.The Prizm was a Toyota masquerading as American.
I toured NUMMI twice and Tesla once.
I'm glad the partnership existed. Get myself a a AcDelco OEM fit fuel pump assembly for about 40 dollars more compared to the Denso strainer and pump kit just a few days ago; cost about $165. The key difference is getting a new fuel filter, which isn't the strainer. The OEM Toyota runs in the 600 dollar range. The paperwork literally says it's a Toyota component lol. Home Depot is dumping inventory of Denso and apparently some other car parts. For a 2007 Matrix.
Our ‘21 Sienna was totaled last month in an accident with only 85K miles. Had just got new tires and did a transmission service less than 10K miles ago. All oil changes were at 5K miles with full synthetic. I guess you could say I wasted my money over maintaining it. However it is not like I had a crystal ball to tell me exactly how long I was going to keep it. Life is too unpredictable to pretend you can actually foresee such things.
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Right. Outliers are gonna happen. Gotta play the odds.
I probably over maintain on oil changes (but got burned by Hyundai, so kinda justified.) I never go more than 5K. Hyudndai/Kia no more than 4K.
I do transmission drain/fill every 30K (after initial 60K.) Other than that, I pretty much go by the book.
Served me well so far anyway.
I do transmission drain/fill every 30K (after initial 60K.) Other than that, I pretty much go by the book.
Served me well so far anyway.
Point taken. But I don't buy cars with the intention to sell. So preventive and pre-emptive maintenance it will remain. The most recent is one I purchased new in 2005. Another I have owned for 43 years.
This is a sickness though, so....a whole different slant on maintenance.
Yes, my over maintenance remorse after I sold the vehicle has caused me to change my maintenance strategy on my remaining vehicles to: "Low cost adequate maintenance".
I think using the lowest priced Dexos 1 Gen 3 Full Synthetic oil will give you identical results as the more expensive oils.
Only difference will be after 200k miles, you're wallet will be heavier.
^^^This. 25 years since my last drink and 24 since quitting smoking. All my 'vice" money goes to my cars.
There are no "throw away" cars to me. When you think of what it costs to replace one....No shame in an older, maintained and clean car, econo box or BMW.
That's a good perspective. There's an argument to make that all the money you spent keeping current ride has to be compared to the cost of going to something newer or paying for a replacement.
And since the over-maintainers among us would bring our maintenance practices to the newer ride as well, it's hard to see how "overmaintaining" really has a net cost.
True, yes. And that makes sense.
I don't think you wasted money. No regrets. You got enjoyment, safe travels, your family will remember that van fondly and they weren't left stranded anywhere because of your lack of attention.
Nothing wrong with dialing it back some. I don't think you can be taken to task for any of it.
My first brand new car was a 99 Cavalier two door. I maintained that thing like it was a Cadillac. Wiped out at 5 am in a rear-ender at an intersection while waiting for the left turn arrow. Two months after it was paid off and after a weekend detailing: clay bar, wax. I still grieve.
That put it into perspective. I don't go crazy and don't use dealer service, have a good local garage but am obsessive about catching things before something goes wrong.
I am such a contrarian I may join the Havana Motor Club just to make a point and never buy another car. These will do.
Yes. I have priced an equivalent replacement. I would get 1 less cylinder, stuff I do not want, more weight, more complexity, only marginally better gas mileage and the pleasure of paying $25-30,000 for it.
As it is the 05 has 84,000 miles on it. I'm set for life. It operates as new. No touch screens, stop start, turbos, intrusive driver assists and obnoxious oversized consoles. Lots of headroom, tall windows and great visibility. A couple of air bags. I'm calling it good.
If it's any encouragement, I've owned our 05 Odyssey since apr of 06. It just rolled 205k. Trans is getting weak and may not last too long and there's an odd "chuff" sound in the steering column area.
But my wife just took it on a 5-hour-each-way trip. We still trust it completely and it's not yet done serving our family.
We strapped our eldest into it just after her first birthday. Last fall, it dropped her off at College.
I think I will keep over maintaining. My current daily driver is old enough to drink and drives like it is only a couple of years old.
My uncle bought it the year I graduated high school, and I have a lot of fond memories maintaining it with him. When he passed, he left it to me. It has been with me on a move from northern Ohio to Southern Ohio, Southern Ohio to Seacoast New Hampshire, and very shortly a move to Memphis. Not only that, my son is just about at the age where he will begin helping me maintain it.
Overall, I think I got my money and times’ worth many times over. That and not having a car payment in over 15 years makes me pretty pleased with the choices I made.
My uncle bought it the year I graduated high school, and I have a lot of fond memories maintaining it with him. When he passed, he left it to me. It has been with me on a move from northern Ohio to Southern Ohio, Southern Ohio to Seacoast New Hampshire, and very shortly a move to Memphis. Not only that, my son is just about at the age where he will begin helping me maintain it.
Overall, I think I got my money and times’ worth many times over. That and not having a car payment in over 15 years makes me pretty pleased with the choices I made.
Patman
Staff member
I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to maintenance on my cars but it’s worked out well for me just the same. Case in point, I’m still on the original spark plugs in both of my cars and original coolant. Still have the original air filter on my Corvette. Original brake fluid in both. I have 243,000 km on my Civic but have only done two CVT fluid changes. I just have never really been the type of person to do everything according to the schedule in the owner’s manual. But in my 38 years of car ownership I’ve really not had to spend a crazy amount of money in repairs either. I have had a lot of very reliable cars despite my doing the bare minimum maintenance wise. I have not spent any money at all on repairs yet on either of my current cars by the way.
