Let’s say you only drive 1,000 miles a year. You will need to do maintenance by time since it would tak 3-5 years to get to the next oil change by mile. Should I
Change oil at least once a year or twice a year since water builds up in the oil?
Change brake fluid every 2 years since water builds up in the brake fluid?
Change coolant every 5 year or so?
What about items like spark plugs, air filters, and CVT fluid? For example, spark plugs are supposed to be replaced every 105K miles, but that would take 100 years of driving. I assume filters get dirty still and may be change every 2 years. What about CVT fluid?
My dad and I were having this exact conversation last night, and he wanted to convince me the Americans want me to spend unnecessary money on maintenance as a means to build wealth.
He argued that my car does not need the oil changed every year but instead once every 2 years. It is only since moving to the United states he’s hearing that a vehicle needs to have its engine oil changed every 5000k miles and/or every 6 months.
He just can’t accept this because none of his vehicles over the years ever had an engine problem, and the environment back on the island is rough on cars compared to here.
I am more of an American person than an islander as I spend more time in this country than in my former. So I stick to an interval as followed:
Change oil and filter at 5000k mile or every 6 months.
Brake fluid every 30,000 miles or every 3-ish years.
Recently learned about transmission flush at 60,000 miles.
Spark plug between 60,000 to 100,000 miles.
Whether the car is driven a lot or not.
Filters I change when they are visibly dirty. This could be anywhere between 15 to 18 months.
My dad, though, he swears I’m throwing away money.
My warranty requires 1 oil change per year, 27k miles, only other suggestion was cabin air filter. 2017. Bought warranty at end of 3 year lease, $1400, covered till 2027 or 70k.
What make, model and year is your car? It might help to know the engine since some cars offer more than one option. Also, you may have the owner’s manual and maintenance manual. What do they say about this issue?
My papa might not agree with the Americans way of caring for their vehicles but he does take his hat off for how well organized and successful this country is. After all, Jamaica sucks.
I’m Not sure if there is a correlation with what you said here and with papa’s statement. I mostly buy Japanese because everyone recommends them, including the American people.
I mostly concur w/@Tester 's advice above. I’d probably replace the coolant every 2 years.Or at least as frequently as the manufacturer recommends. The coolant experiences chemical reactions with the internal engine parts, and that happens all the time. New coolant contains chemicals that minimize this damage.
Agree with most but completely disagree with the spark plug advice.
With the advent of cleaner running engines the days of the annual / 12,000 mile plug change is long gone but by the time you reach 100,000 miles, tip corrosion and crub buildup is noticeable.
Maybe more important, plug removable has become significantly more difficult.
For maybe $10 a plug, the hassle and possible risk isn’t worth the savings.
I didn’t offer advice about spark plugs. @clueless is the only responder with a spark plug recommendations and he wrote 60,000-100,000 miles, in line with what you wrote. My only advice was to read the owner’s manual and maintenance manual.
I changed mine at 60,000 miles recommended by Lexus. Waiting too long to change spark plugs, as we know, can cause a misfire and you risk damaging your catalytic converter.
No, I am referring to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance/service intervals.
Cluelesses’ father thinks Japanese cars sold in America have shorter maintenance intervals in order for the facilities to make more money.
My suspicion is the maintenance intervals are the same for identical cars sold in Japan, or any other market. Likewise for severe service.
Are not the engineers designing the engines and transmissions for Honda, Toyota, Nissan, in Japan, Japanese?
Granted in the worldwide community I am sure there is much input /cooperation with and from
engineers, designers, marketing, and bean counters from around the world.
The way I read it, he is saying that the service facilities recommend more frequent changes in order for them to make more money.
Not that they have shorter maintenance intervals but that the service centers recommend it because Americans typically have more disposable income and may not even flinch if suggested to do it more often than specified by the manufacturer. Whereas in Jamaica, they have a more skeptical approach to such suggestions and perhaps have less means to do it in the first place.
Which, by and large, I tend to agree with that premise. Fear based selling is an effective technique. Ask someone that profits from more frequent service, how often it needs to be done and I have a prediction for you-
Requoted for reference-
the Americans want me to spend unnecessary money on maintenance as a means to build {their} wealth
