I just bought a 2005 Camry. The shop I took it to before I bought it said it needed new tires, transmission flush and tune up. I can tell it needs new tires. Another mechanic was questioning about whether it needed a tune up. The car has 116,000 miles on it. Is there a standard for maintenance that is needed at different high mileages? The manual only speaks about maintenance up to 100,000. Is there also a place on the web where it is says what kind of maintenance is needed from 115,000 miles to 225,000. I want to keep this car for awhile.
A tune-up for this car is new spark plugs and possibly plug wires. If they were never replaced, it makes sense at 116,000 miles. If you don’t know when the transmission fluid was changed last, do that, too. It should be done every 30,000 miles. I would just roll back to 0 miles and add 100,000 (e.eg, 15,000 miles = 115,000 miles).
Is that all a tune up is, new plugs and wires? I saw on other sites these long list of stuff?
Thanks for the tip on rolling back to 0. A good place to start.
“Tune up” doesn’t have much meaning these days.
Follow what the manual says.
If you don’t have a service history of the car assume things (besides oil changes) haven’t been done.
Get all the things mentioned in the manual at all the mileages up to 100,000 done.
Of course things mentioned multiple time need doing only once.
Get the trans fluid changed, not flushed. Avoid flushes in general and things like “induction service”.
I would change all the fluids: coolant, power steering and brake fluid.
Use only (especially transmission) fluids specified by Toyota; no “universal” stuff.
I would also change the thermostat and radiator cap.
Get the wheels aligned when you get tires.
Look at the air filter to see if it needs replacement. Check out the color of the brake fluid, it’s pretty clear when new and pretty dark when old. I like to flush my brake fluid once every 3 years.
I concur with the others here, especially Goldwing! Flushing the brake fluid every 3 years will help prevent some nasty, expensive, corrosion problems inside your brake system. Since you don’t know WHAT the previous owner did to maintain the car, do all of the 100K mile services plus changing every fluid in every hole the car has. I’d even change the windshield washer fluid! Plugs, wires, maybe a fresh set of coolant/heater hoses and belts. All rubber will age, crack and fail eventually and while the coolant is out, check the hoses and change any that are suspect. Check all the brake hoses and replace anything that looks suspect while the fluid is being changed. If you go to these lengths, you should get to 200K without a tow-home for the entire time.
The only thing I have to add is that the owners’ manual recommended schedule should be repeated at multiples of the recommendations, even though it onlly goes to 100,000 miles. For example, if the plugs are scheduled for 60,000 miles, they should be done again at 120,000 miles, 180,000 miles, and soo on.