Maintenance costs - your tolerance

[Nick1994]

Well, it all depends.

The VW needed too much work, sold it for another Camry which I still have. It’s been great, I drive it to the grocery store once a week. The Sonata was great also. Not really much repairs at all for either.

The Jeep has been pretty **** expensive. But I’m gonna keep it forever so that’s ok. I also don’t drive it much so it shouldn’t break too much.

However, here we come to the Genesis. Yikes. It’s spent 3-1/2 weeks at the dealer so far this year. I get it back tomorrow. But that’s what the extended warranty is for

 

[miden851]

to me maintenance is OK as long as it is reasonable and with common sense; I enjoy working on my cars but I would not work on someone else car because I don't consider myself to be an expert; at the same time, I consider myself mechanically inclined; I have a garage and it helps with maintenance and keep cars in great condition far longer than for cars to be outside affected by weather elements;
Also i drive Japanese vehicles because I drive lots of miles and they are consider to by Best Buy option; if I don't drive lots of miles I may consider driving something of European manufactures; so in my opinion, as long as you can replace or fix majority things on your car and you keep it in the long run, you'll get ahead generally no matter of your maintenance costs

 

[OVERKILL]

People who think their cars make them more interesting tend to not be the most interesting people in the first place.

Was one of my favourite things about my M5, it was wholly unassuming, just looked like a regular 5'er.

 

[OVERKILL]

you could do it for $100-250 depending on normal aftermarket vs premium products

labor is everything and some people don’t care, they just want to know when their car will be ready

May depend on the package, my sister's 330i is the "performance" variant and has a factory big brake upgrade. The parts are more money through:
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-centric-parts/premium-oe-design-drilled-brake-rotor/128.34169~crc/

That's each, and the only option shown.

 

[ls1mike]

Of the 5 cars I own and maintain it doesn't cost a lot to keep them going. The 2017 Truck, Trans Am and Caprice require very little maintenance. Big pushrod V8s with large brakes and thick pads. 100,000 miles plugs, DEX cool. I don't do much to them. Biggest thing is transmission fluid changes every 45,000 for the Caprice and the Truck. Oil changes every 5000 to 6000 miles for them. The Malibu? I have not done anything to it yet at 64,000 except oil changes (every 4000 miles) and 1 transmission drain and fill. It will need spark plugs at 65,000. The boys 1997 Silverado? So far so good little things here and there to make it perfect. Does not cost a lot to own any of these. The trailer? Well at 8 years old and being towed over 46,000 miles required some maintenance this past year, but worth it.

 

[OVERKILL]

I hate stupid stuff where the manufacturer cheaped out on part quality or choose a poor design where regular part quality won't last. Brakes lasting 35k in road use would be annoying to me for sure, I'm not on the autobahn daily scrubbing down from 130mph to 70 so what's wrong with them? I guess in our rural highway usage miles should go pretty easy and so far we haven't had a car wearing parts out but we are buying low performance regular cars. Even running autocross I don't find the brakes really wear prematurely. Tires are a wear item but that's not from street mileage.

My M5 ate pads/rotors too, seems to be a materials selection thing. They bite like crazy but wear fast. I changed out to a ceramic pad on the M5 and the brakes didn't feel anywhere near as good but they wore a lot slower, so it's a trade-off.

 

[2EHA]

May depend on the package, my sister's 330i is the "performance" variant and has a factory big brake upgrade. The parts are more money through:
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-centric-parts/premium-oe-design-drilled-brake-rotor/128.34169~crc/

That's each, and the only option shown.
those aren’t big brakes,

i’ve seen those on one of the cars i parted out, those aren’t “big” brakes. the genuine part at least is a drilled “lightweight” rotor with an aluminum hat, basically a poor man’s two piece.

the normal 325x25mm rotors for the 330i drop right in, blanks starting at 30 bucks.

 

[OVERKILL]

i’ve seen those on one of the cars i parted out, those aren’t “big” brakes, the genuine part at least is a drilled “lightweight” rotor with an aluminum hat. the normal 325x25mm rotors for the 330i drop right in, blanks starting at 30 bucks.

Then those aren't the right ones, hers are larger than what one finds on a regular 330i, it's an order code IIRC, and a royal PITA whenever she gets the brakes done. It also produces some other "oddities" with scanning the car too, "Performance" is actually a separate car from 330i, and if you select 330i, it doesn't work in AutoEnginuity. Her car has been a bit of an experience. I assume it's a ZHP, but the ZHP has regular 330i brakes, so it's like hers has the larger M3 competition brakes or something, they appear to be an OEM offering of some sort, because the dealer can always get them, they are just expensive.

 

[IndyIan]

My M5 ate pads/rotors too, seems to be a materials selection thing. They bite like crazy but wear fast. I changed out to a ceramic pad on the M5 and the brakes didn't feel anywhere near as good but they wore a lot slower, so it's a trade-off.

I guess its part of the sports car experience. I think I'm not really a brake feel guy? As long as they can almost lock the wheels for threshold braking and don't fade out for what I'm doing I guess they are good enough for street and autocross use. If I was tickling the brakes coming into turn 8 at Mosport at 140mph then I probably would be more interested in brake feel! Nose wheelies on the mountain bike are another time I'd like more brake feel, otherwise I find my old V brakes are good enough.

 

[MCompact]

I used to use dealers and independent shops for most maintenance work. Then I decided to invest in more tools and do it myself.

I usually shop around for parts to see what my options are. It pays to do your homework most of the time.

A guy I know had an old 3 series BMW. When he went to his mechanic for a 4 wheel brake job the cost was $2000. I dont know what parts would cost but I'm guessing you could do it for $1000 in parts of you didn't shop around and DIY the repair.

FCP Euro sells a four wheel brake kit for the E36 325i(including new pad sensors) for the budget-busting sum of $286.11.
I hope the shop that did the job for "the guy you know" kissed him goodbye and sent flowers the next morning.
I have no sympathy for someone who doesn't do their homework and simply hands over their credit card, drops their pants, and grabs their ankles.
They deserve-as the Brits put it-"A jolly good rogering."

 

[dishdude]

If your tolerance is low, you can always pick up a Crown Vic at Copart, buy brakes off the clearance page of Rock Auto and run a frankenbrew of whatever clearance oil they have at Walmart.

 

[MCompact]

I currently budget $325/month to maintain all five of my vehicles; they are all owned free and clear so that number doesn't bother me in the slightest.

 

[Nick1994]

If your tolerance is low, you can always pick up a Crown Vic at Copart, buy brakes off the clearance page of Rock Auto and run a frankenbrew of whatever clearance oil they have at Walmart.

That’s what I just did with my Camry!

I haven’t put them on yet but I got a pad/rotor kit on Rock Auto for $51 and some rear quick struts for $39 each. Oil is 15w40 diesel oil I got on clearance and the Fram Ultra I’m running for 2 OCI’s!

 

[OVERKILL]

I guess its part of the sports car experience. I think I'm not really a brake feel guy? As long as they can almost lock the wheels for threshold braking and don't fade out for what I'm doing I guess they are good enough for street and autocross use. If I was tickling the brakes coming into turn 8 at Mosport at 140mph then I probably would be more interested in brake feel! Nose wheelies on the mountain bike are another time I'd like more brake feel, otherwise I find my old V brakes are good enough.

The brakes on the Jeep have some serious bite, it's quite the adaptation going from something with "normal" brakes to it, because you pretty much almost put yourself through the windshield the first time you push them normally. However, once you get used to it, everything else feels like it has no brakes, lol.

I'm interested to see if the two-piece ones last longer than the non two-piece I had on the '16. I am hoping they do, given the price of them.

 

[2EHA]

I guess its part of the sports car experience. I think I'm not really a brake feel guy? As long as they can almost lock the wheels for threshold braking and don't fade out for what I'm doing I guess they are good enough for street and autocross use. If I was tickling the brakes coming into turn 8 at Mosport at 140mph then I probably would be more interested in brake feel! Nose wheelies on the mountain bike are another time I'd like more brake feel, otherwise I find my old V brakes are good enough.

i put akebono ceramics on my old E55 with 8 piston brembo brakes, the feel is already not there with the aggressive factory pads, but those ceramics took it to the dumpster

“good brake feel” translates to rock hard pedal that fights you and instant bite. it isn’t a good indicator of performance, i don’t care unless you have to put your foot to the floor to get any kind of bite out of it

 

[JHZR2]

A car is worth what it costs to replace it... or something like that. I don’t mind dropping good money on the right parts.

Theres a practical side too though. $671/rotor on a daily driver? No thanks. I’m not looking for rock bottom cost of ownership, but I’m not looking for excessive either.

 

[mattd]

I’ll keep fixing the vehicle, whatever the repair may be, especially if it’s paid off, until the chassis or body has serious rust.

 

[bdcardinal]

I have a high tolerance now that the cars are paid off. I will look for a deal on parts, but the employee price at work is pretty good most of the time. I also do most of my own work so that helps too.

 

[01rangerxl]

I don't have a lot of money in the pot regardless, but I would spend more on a transmission for my Explorer than I spent on the Explorer.

 

[Pew]

The faster the car, the more I'm willing to pay for maintenance lol.