Auto Maintance

[volvoguy87]

Mine.

I have a 2008 Honda Element and my pride and joy, my 1987 Volvo 240. Both are maintained in strict accordance with the maintenance schedules outlined in their owner's manuals.

My mechanic is a Swedish car specialist who will also work on a few other makes and models. He services my Honda and I have had good luck with him. He also takes care of the things on my Volvo which I cannot do myself due to time constraints and lack of specific knowledge and/or tools. This past summer, I took the Volvo on a 1,600 mile road trip without issue. I ran short of time before the trip, so I had my mechanic replace the timing belt and complete the 150,000 mile service in advance of the road trip. He also was able to get the air conditioning system running again (THANK GOODNESS!!!). I take both cars into the shop before winter every year to make sure they are in good shape. The last thing I want is to be stranded without heat when it's below freezing. I tend to keep a sharp eye on the condition of my cars, but I think it's also important to have my mechanic go over them every once in a while as well. I like my cars, especially the Volvo, but he is the professional and I am the shade-tree mechanic. I have done many adventurous things under the hood of my Volvo, but I am not perfect and want someone to occasionally look over my shoulder.

Dave

 

[a440]

Very interesting!

I love to hear the  different views on maintenance.

When I was a kid around 13 my father was transferred to Germany to start a new huge division of the company he worked for. We all stayed in the US and either he would come visit us or we would visit him.

Anyway....they reason for saying this is that this got me on the German kick for cars.  In the USA we heard how German cars lasted forever and ever.  My Dad was delighted to find out that part of this was true.  The biggest part of this information was that Germans kept their cars forever and no matter what needed to be replaced they replaced it, and kept the car running in top shape.  If the seats wore down you got them replaced. 

I always admired this logic.  I guess it ties in with our vintage appliances and keeping them running.

Sad part in the USA with Cars is that parts become no longer available.  I have had many cars that I would love to sill own.  I just could not find the parts for them any longer. One of my most favorite cars was Peugeot.  I just loved them!  I had several.  Had to sell them because of no parts or parts were so expensive it did not make sense.

B

 

[tolivac]

Oil changes-----Last week took my 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid for its routine oil change adn checkup----guess what salesman shows me a 2015 model and takes me for the test drive and ride.New car followed me home.It has oil changes and checkup for as long as I own it.Drather let the dealers do the maintenance on newer cars-so much you can't do yourself anymore.But--dealer oil changes adn checkups--you may change the CAR rather than the oil!

 

[washer111]

@tolivac:

I'll adapt an old joke here:

Fill the dealer's bank account, change the automobile

(From: "Check fuel, Fill Oil.")

 

[tolivac]

I fell for that joke.At first told the salesman I didn't want a new car-then it went from there.

 

[mrb627]

Silent Recalls

Another reason to return to the dealer, recalls get handled without hassle. Had about 7 done on my Lexus in the first 2 years. Sunroof seals, roof rack rails, interior door trim...

Malcolm

 

[tolivac]

One of my cars was a Lexus-very good about the recall-and the dealer lent you a car to use while the recalled one was being fixed.

 

[countryguy]

I had the same experience with my Lexus and a recall. Unfortunately there is not a Lexus dealer here, only a Toyota dealer and although Toyota is authorized to do all regular maintenance, repairs, etc., they cannot do recall work so I had to drive 3.5 hours to Toronto to have the recall work done. They did provide me with a loaner but I still had to pay for a hotel out of my pocket.

Gary

 

[tolivac]

When they recalled my Lexus car-it had to be driven to the dealer in Raleigh to be worked on I bought it used from the greenville Toyota store.Lexus paid to have the car driven to them from the Greenville Toyota place at no charge to me.If I get another luxuary car brand-Lexus will be it.

 

[arbilab]

Always done everything myself. But I'm older and no longer have a house. Just had the oil changed in my 29yo Toyota for the first time by a shop. Changed my own antifreeze while there for $12 when they wanted $80 to hook it to a machine. They loaned me a bucket.

Heavy maint like brakes or cam belt, I've had known mechanics do and I specified exactly what I wanted done. Do all my own troubleshooting. The only operational parts failed on the Toyota were coldstart thermo and highside AC compressor O-ring. Pretty remarkable considering it was made in the first quarter of an entirely new model.

 

[twintubdexter]

When it comes to regular maintenance

I suppose it has a lot to do with how many miles you drive. In my twilight years, I drive my pickup a little over 1,000 miles per year. Costco, Petsmart and the market aren't that far. Fortunately that means a tank of gas every 3 months or so. It doesn't make much sense for me to do scheduled stuff myself. The Ford dealer less than a mile from me does an oil change, tire rotation and a "let's see what we can try and get additional money from" inspection for $39.99. In addition they wash the vehicle too. My HOA says working on your car (except in the garage with the door closed) is taboo. 

 

I don't attempt maintenance on my 96' Corvette. I drive this car up and down my street a couple times a month so it needs very little attention. The fact I can hardly fit in it anymore may have something to do with it. 

 

I really admire people who do work themselves as opposed to hiring someone...car maintenance and house maintenance too.

 

[davetranter]

Auto Maintenance

I do (almost) all my own repair work, sourcing used parts where possible to keep costs down, or where new parts just aren't available any more. I've never been able to afford a new car (and doubt that I ever will), but I like to be sure that everything is right. I trust my life, and that of my passengers, to my car daily, so no 'High School Kid' gets his hands on my pride and joy. Anything which I can no longer do myself is entrusted to a friendly mechanic whose work I know well.

All best

Dave T

(Owner and 'nurse' to a temperamental 20 year old car)

 

[bvf]

oil change

dont be stupid like myself buying a lift to do oil changes….still go to grease monkey…..

 

[cleanteamofny]

Since I've neglected my power steering reservoir to the point where I could not see where the oil level should be, it's was blackened and this is one area that is not cleanable with a scrub brush!

Sooo, I've drained tbe unit again and took the reservoir off the lines and sprayed brake fluid cleaner and got the top half very clean. It's not perfectly clean but I can see the fluid level markings a whole lot better.

In order to clean such a difficult part, the tube that attatches to the can must be bent in a L shape to clean the walls efficiently and when done, replace some ATF or power steering fluid shake and drain before reinstalling.

I'm 7,000 miles shy to do the 30,0000 maintenance and I will be home in a week or so to do this job while out sick because of hand and a$$ surgery.
Ouch!