Maintenance questions?

Maintenance/Repairs
21

The coolant needs to be up to strength as well as having enough additives like rust inhibitors to function properly.

This is why the owner’s manual states a proper interval for it to be changed. At 100,000 miles you are likely st the time for it yo be changed. Toyota’s interval is a lot shorter.

Others have good advice about the other things you asked.

22
  • Coolant (modern fluid) - I’d still replace it at interval spelled out in owners manual.
  • fuel filter - Most vehicles these days don’t have a serviceable fuel filter.
  • thermostat - when needed
  • water pump - If vehicle has a timing belt, then I’d replace at least every other time the belt is replaced.
  • PCV - When needed.
23

Firstly I owe you - thanks
Secondly, I think it is not R22 (its a refrigerant) but FL-22. And FL-22 does not have sticker as far as I know. So I am due at 120k/10yrs. Besides Dealer told me in 2018 and last month I do not need anything on the Coolant. Incidentally, they also didn’t say anything about PS fluid either - notably nothing about Auto Tranny, PS fluid & Brake Fluid - my 20yr old Acura wants Brake flushed every 3 yrs - but brake fluid has not changed but this manual does not recommend flush. Then I also hear people damaging the Auto Tranny by not changing the fluid.

24

I replaced transmission fluid on my Mazda3 at 68k miles and shifting is definitely crispier, idle is smoother.
By Mazda, it is a lifetime fluid, I only have a disagreement on the definition of lifetime.

My desired lifetime is much longer than Mazda’s :wink:

25

When I bought mine with 85k, Tranny fluid was black - dealer flushed it twice to get the color right. In terms of driving quality, I am unsure if I noticed any difference. M3’s are popular cars - there is ongoing innovation than the M5s.

26

I liked M5, but not to point where I would buy one

good luck with your maintenance catchup project!

27

Sorry, I assumed that he meant in addition to using a hydrometer.

28

I bought that exact item on Amazon - the brake fluid tester - it came in a package with no brand name

Second day of use, the plastic associated with the two needle collapsed into the brake fluid filter.

29

What sort of routine maintenance the manufacture recommends varies car to car. That’s where to start looking for this sort of information for your car. On all the cars I’ve owned & maintained, I replace the coolant every 2-3 years, and the fuel filter every 75K miles (for big fuel filters like the Corolla uses). I’ve never proactively replaced a thermostat, water pump, or anything in the pcv system. But I have replaced all those items, multiple occurrences, at various times on various cars; but only when testing shows they are faulty. Remember that the manufacturer has multiple conflicts of interest on their recommended scheduled maintenance data, so it is usually better for the car owner wanting to drive it a long time to follow a maintenance schedule with shorter intervals.