First became aware of the BITOG forums a couple of years ago and couldnt get enough of them. When I first started reading it I was amazed at how much I didnt know about automotive fluids, even though I am an ASE Master Certified tech. Learned alot by just looking around and reading. I was checking the site daily and reading all I could.
But then I came to a point where I just stopped. No more BITOG. Why? Obsession over automotive fluids became overload to me. The way I see it, if you change the fluids often with quality products, wax it once in awhile, and dont beat the bejesus out of it, you're pretty much golden. Maintain it well and its going to last a long time.
But really how long do you want it to last anyway? Do you want to drive the same old sedan for the next twenty years? Unless its a classic, I don't see the point in trying to keep it perfect forever. Besides, who doesn't like new stuff once in awhile? Newer cars have more gadgets inside, get better gas mileage, are safer, etc etc. Always something newer and better that you wish you could be driving instead. On top of that, trying to keep a car perfect is a battle you will ultimately lose. Rust, mechanical wear and tear, dents, scrapes, heat, sun, rocks, salt, are all conspiring to defeat your car. And they always win.
So to me, spending 5 hours on a Saturday dinking around looking for some obscure fluid at 10 parts stores is a waste of my time. My car will die or break or rust eventually, synthetic fluid changes at 5K irregardless. Not saying maintaining it is a lost venture, just that there has to be a line somewhere. I came to the realization that longevity of cars is more dependent on the way the car was engineered than micro managing the maintenance routine. Some people only change oil and brake pads and still get em to run forever. Some do all the services and they end up as junk. Doing something like putting Mobil 1 ATF in your Acura TL transmission, that is prone to failure anyway, is not going to help anything. GOOD FLUIDS WILL NOT MAKE UP FOR POOR ENGINEERING. Repeat that mantra often.
Okay, enough ranting. Not trying to rip on any of you for your love of BITOG and the subjects that are within, was just thinking out loud about my personal thoughts on car maintenance.
But then I came to a point where I just stopped. No more BITOG. Why? Obsession over automotive fluids became overload to me. The way I see it, if you change the fluids often with quality products, wax it once in awhile, and dont beat the bejesus out of it, you're pretty much golden. Maintain it well and its going to last a long time.
But really how long do you want it to last anyway? Do you want to drive the same old sedan for the next twenty years? Unless its a classic, I don't see the point in trying to keep it perfect forever. Besides, who doesn't like new stuff once in awhile? Newer cars have more gadgets inside, get better gas mileage, are safer, etc etc. Always something newer and better that you wish you could be driving instead. On top of that, trying to keep a car perfect is a battle you will ultimately lose. Rust, mechanical wear and tear, dents, scrapes, heat, sun, rocks, salt, are all conspiring to defeat your car. And they always win.
So to me, spending 5 hours on a Saturday dinking around looking for some obscure fluid at 10 parts stores is a waste of my time. My car will die or break or rust eventually, synthetic fluid changes at 5K irregardless. Not saying maintaining it is a lost venture, just that there has to be a line somewhere. I came to the realization that longevity of cars is more dependent on the way the car was engineered than micro managing the maintenance routine. Some people only change oil and brake pads and still get em to run forever. Some do all the services and they end up as junk. Doing something like putting Mobil 1 ATF in your Acura TL transmission, that is prone to failure anyway, is not going to help anything. GOOD FLUIDS WILL NOT MAKE UP FOR POOR ENGINEERING. Repeat that mantra often.
Okay, enough ranting. Not trying to rip on any of you for your love of BITOG and the subjects that are within, was just thinking out loud about my personal thoughts on car maintenance.
