My friends maintenance schedule

[PT1]

Ok, I have my best friend who lives in TN and keeps tellin me I am crazy with all this "synthetic oil change nonsense. It seems like every car he buys lasts him 250,000 miles on the original drivetrain and all he does is have the oil changed at Walmart with Super Tech oil & filter every 4-6000 miles and flushes the trans once maybe at 150k. Never touches the differentials and flushes the coolant after 5 or 6 years. Never flushes brake fluid.

His theory: The more you mess with the car the more problems you are going to have. He has driven several different vehicles this way successfully 250k and it works. So? AM I CRAZY OR WHAT?

 

[Slick 55]

Didn't you know we are all crazy here?

 

[Fester]

I agree less tinkering is better, but not dirty fluids, rear end grease goes a long time but removing the metal suspended and cleaning the magnets is a good thing, maybe then he can go to 500k miles.

 

[newtoncd8]

The guys at work thought I was crazy for replacing the transmission fluid and filter on my 2001 Audi A4. I had just turned 100K and figured I had better get the fluid/filter replaced.

 

[Turk]

Yea, all that unrealized potential.....

 

[Steve S]

The engine oil changes are fine, I would do the trans more often.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted By: Brett Miller
Didn't you know we are all crazy here?


No kidding!

Some cars can take that kind of "abuse" and some can't. What kind of cars does he drive?

 

[rpn453]

I'd probably do long intervals too on the transmission, diffs, and coolant if I had to pay someone to do it. It would be like a nightmare to me to have to put my car's life in the hands of someone I don't even know or trust!

 

[MrCritical]

I think it's like the stories of the folks that live to be 105 years old, and drink whiskey and smoke 3 packs a day. The exception rather than the rule.

 

[The Critic]

Am I the only one who doesn't see anything wrong with this maintenance schedule, [censored] he also changes out the spark plugs and air filter once in a while as well?

 

[2006_Charger_R/T]

Yeah... we are all a little touched here.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I thought Wal-Mart used Valvoline oil at their Lube Express? At least all the ones around here do, unless you ask for something else and you have to pay extra.

 

[Cutehumor]

nothing wrong with his maintenance plan if you ask me. coolant is spec'd to 5 years. oil change schedule is fine. yep, your crazy especially if you change synthetic at 3k oci.

 

[rjundi]

Sounds like my wife's maintenance program on her previous 96 Civic she drove for 200k miles over 8 years and sold running decently. She did a the timing belt with all belts at 105k, wires, plugs and otherwise changed the air filter herself every so often.

We never encountered any issues related to what maintenance would have prevented. The next owner has 230k currently has not done anything but change timing belt. They have had no mechanical problems.

 

[My442]

I drove a 1968 Mustang strait six/3 speed stick over 300,000 miles with oil changes per year, using the cheapest oil and fliter I could buy.

 

[The_Jeff]

WM makes money off their tire/lube operation by having the customer stuck in the store buying stuff for the hour they have your car.

Jiffy lube disassembles the PCV, air filter, all that stuff every time someone is in. Creates a scenario for failure. If one gets one of their cheap PCVs that doesn't have the proper flow rate that's the beginning of the end for oil sludging, gasket sealing, etc.

If one gets a trans flush they cut the cooler lines and stuff a barbed fitting in. This could restrict flow or leak a slow leak that will burn the trans up.

Platinum plugs are good for the long emissions warranty.

One really can get by with a "hands off" approach; I have seen it personally with a coworker's sunfire. Tough little car.