Car maintenance question

[RunningBum]

Agree about the 10 year old tires, with 2 stories to tell about trying to extend the life of my tires.


I put 3000 miles or less on my Miata most years, so going by mileage, I could probably get 10 years out of their tires. But after about 7, I could feel my car riding rough and shuddering. I asked my mechanic about alignment, etc, and he suggested new tires, and after some discussion, talked me into it. The problems went away. The old tires were the problem.


My daily driver, which was a Honda Pilot, was started to lose some tread. I decided to squeeze one more year out of them since they did pass inspection. Made it through most of the winter, then caught a snowstorm on the mountain, and slid off the road and totaled it. I feel sure that the primary cause was the poor traction with the worn tires. It was an older Pilot, probably worth less than $6K by then, but still, worth protecting with new tires, not to mention I was lucky that I didn't slide off somewhere I could've been hurt.


Both lessons taught me not to be cheap about replacing tires.

 

[H2ODude]

I stopped reading Consumer Reports 4 decades ago.

Last time I used it was to select a vacuum cleaner, they were super high on some Hoover model I bought. Total piece of crap that I had to have switch replaced on twice before I said screw this and bought the big Dyson at 3x the price. Yes there are exceptions, but I've concluded in general you get what you pay for.

I think common sense should prevail on maintenance issues. Even the manual wants to protect the manufacturer from any failures one could attribute to them so I believe are conservative. Had a 2003 Acura we finally sold w over 80k miles and original timing belt. Never gave it thought, even though was 13 yo at the time. Probably gone as much as 10k miles on oil because I just forgot. Maybe if your goal is to keep a car to 300k miles it makes sense to change at 3-5, but failures because of aged oil just doesn't seem too common. When was last time you soil oil smoke belching car?

All that said I strongly believe in preventative and predictive maintenance in industrial applications where data supports the application. Just don't see it in personal automotive as cost effective. My truck has 35k miles on it and yeah, haven't had an alignment but tires look OK. Yeah, I have friends who are super dedicated to seeing every box gets checked regularly and are big into doing it themselves. Just not worth it to me. YMMV.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I stopped reading Consumer Reports 4 decades ago.

Im not a tech guy. Mainly because I didnt understand alot of the things, and I didnt have extra money to get them. I had 2 SEVEN year subscriptions back to back to them so for 14 years I used to look forward to it coming every month. I would save them for reference. I would say the last 4 years of the 14 year run it was all about gadgets that i didnt own. I liked the soap, stove, car tire comparisons. I was happy when the subscription ended. What used to take me all afternoon to read and enjoy, became a 10 minute flip thru .

 

[ShokWaveRider]

To answer the OP Question. Nope, if working leave well alone. Inspect yes, only replace when needed.

 

[H2ODude]

Agree on the cautionary on aged tires. DS was overseas and left his Mazda in our driveway. I tried to start it every month or two and give it some exercise and it would develop definite flat spots from parking so long. Have seen dry rot cracks on tires that indicate loss of integrity. Mileage is an issue in maintenance, but age is also, especially with flexible things. Sorta like us people.

 

[Just_Steve]

The only belt I change based on the manual is the timing belt.
Thank goodness only 1 car in a 5 car household has a one.

 

[imoldernu]

Re: tires...
I wouldn't argue the point about old tires, and am well aware about the problems of dry rot. so... its a personal thing.
First, we're down to about 2-3000 miles per year, and rarely at highway speeds.
I check the tire pressure regularly.
The car is almost always garaged... not cold or warm.
No cracks or spider veins.
And, because the tire wear is even on all four tires, don't rotate them..

Guess you could say it's a personal thing, and not advice... Same with the decision to nor change fluids.

I do regularly use the On board Diagnostics of the Cadillac, and the OBDII plug in tool for the Lincoln.

Both cars still look good... and we regularly get compliments. The Lincoln will turn 20 this month, and the Caddy is now legally of drinking age.

 

[Surewhitey]

I've had my Avalon for 14 years and have replaced them once...200k miles in and still running like a champ.

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Is what's going through them corrosive to the rubber or interior lining (if any)? Does the vibration of the engine or general motion of the vehicle cause fatigue at bends or clamped portions? Does radiative heat from the engine or asphalt cause premature wear?

I've only ever seen cracked and failed rubber accents or seals on a car when left out in the sun for a few years; not counting tires, since I've never had them last long enough before wearing through the tread.

I've had cars and motorcycles out in the California and Florida sun for years, some 10+ years old, and never had to replace any rubber hoses.

 

[aaronc879]

I bought my Subaru new in early 2004 and haven't replaced anything in the engine except oil and oil/air filters. Just crossed 99,000 miles. When something breaks, then i'll replace it.

 

[Car-Guy]

My rules of thumb for basic car mtce

Oil and oil filter every 5k miles (or once a year for cars I don't drive that much)

And when I keep a vehicle long enough, the following rules apply for me.

Transmission fluid and filters every 50k or every 3 years
Radiator fluid every 100k or 5 years
Serpentine belts and all hoses every 100k or 5 years (no matter if they need it or not)
Brakes every 40k (unless I see/hear that they need it sooner)
Tires are replaced well before the wear indicators bars show up
Other stuff gets replaced when it breaks.

 

[T-Minus]

What about brake fluid? My Porsche required a full brake fluid flush every two years (per the manual), but my new Toyota does not even mention this in the maintenance guide. Granted, I'm not tracking the Toyota, but brake fluid is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture from the atmosphere at up to 4% per year.

 

[W2R]

I changed all four tires in October of 2015 because they were almost 6 years old. The treads were fine since I don't drive much (26,500 so far in 7 years), but it would be a nightmare to me if I got a flat tire and had to change it. I'm 69 years old and have never changed a tire in my life, which in itself is pretty pitiful but it is what it is.

BTW, tires are expensive on these SUV's with the huge oversized wheels! Yikes. The extra big wheels look sharp but with tax, four new tires installed came to over $800.

As for the belts and hoses, the guys at the oil change place are very nice about checking them and I just change them when they tell me to do that. So, I probably change them a little more frequently than necessary, but hey, it works for me and I haven't had any problems with belts and hoses.

 

[aja8888]

I changed all four tires in October of 2015 because they were almost 6 years old. The treads were fine since I don't drive much (26,500 so far in 7 years), but it would be a nightmare to me if I got a flat tire and had to change it. I'm 69 years old and have never changed a tire in my life, which in itself is pretty pitiful but it is what it is.

.

You can get a flat with a new tire as easily as with one that's a few years old. Usually, road debris is not selective as to what tire it punctures.

On another subject, I just replaced the Michelin tires on my 1971 VW. The date code was 7/1999 and they were worn, and dry BTW. I believe they have not seen much freeway miles from the previous owners, but I did not trust them any longer.

 

[Koolau]

I changed all four tires in October of 2015 because they were almost 6 years old. The treads were fine since I don't drive much (26,500 so far in 7 years), but it would be a nightmare to me if I got a flat tire and had to change it. I'm 69 years old and have never changed a tire in my life, which in itself is pretty pitiful but it is what it is.

BTW, tires are expensive on these SUV's with the huge oversized wheels! Yikes. The extra big wheels look sharp but with tax, four new tires installed came to over $800.

As for the belts and hoses, the guys at the oil change place are very nice about checking them and I just change them when they tell me to do that. So, I probably change them a little more frequently than necessary, but hey, it works for me and I haven't had any problems with belts and hoses.

The oil change place I used to use would always bring me the air filter and show me how "dirty" it was. I'd always say "Looks like it's working - put it back." They would bring me a "dirty" air filter even if I'd just changed it the last oil change. In their defense, they never said "It needs to be changed." They would only imply it since there was visible dirt.

My main mechanic tells me when something needs changed and then I do it. Big difference in trust and experience. Recently had one of the coils fail on the Buick. Mechanic changed it out but it still ran a little rough though the "check engine light" went out. Took it back and mechanic sheepishly admitted he must have nicked the plug wire when working on it. Replaced for free (as he should). That's why I go there for as much as I can (but not 'cause it's cheep!) YMMV

 

[Texas Proud]

This causes alarm bells for me.

Unless you drive only in residential neighborhoods at speeds of 40 mph or less, you are in serious risk of tire failure with 10 year old tires - regardless of the tread depth. I consider any tire over 6 or 7 years old to be rolling bombs...

From what I have read it is 8 years... but I guess 6 is a safe number...


It does make a difference if they are stored in the sun or in a garage... when I was young I had a tire blow out just sitting on the driveway!!! The neighbor across the street came over and said he thought he heard a gunshot but then saw the flat tire... glad I was not driving when it happened...

 

[Beldar]

I follow the schedule in each vehicle's service manual. However, here in the desert, rubber & plastic (and the clear coat!) deteriorate much quicker due to the extreme heat. So I frequently check belts, hoses, clamps, etc each time I'm under the hood, say for periodic checks & services. Dashboards and other cabin parts do warp and crack.

The manufacturer does recommend different service schedules based on severe service, temperature and so forth.

I suspect the frequency of replacement may vary from the manufacturer's recommendations depending on the local climate (and vehicle usage).

_B

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I changed all four tires in October of 2015 because they were almost 6 years old. The treads were fine since I don't drive much (26,500 so far in 7 years), but it would be a nightmare to me if I got a flat tire and had to change it. I'm 69 years old and have never changed a tire in my life, which in itself is pretty pitiful but it is what it is.

BTW, tires are expensive on these SUV's with the huge oversized wheels! Yikes. The extra big wheels look sharp but with tax, four new tires installed came to over $800.

As for the belts and hoses, the guys at the oil change place are very nice about checking them and I just change them when they tell me to do that. So, I probably change them a little more frequently than necessary, but hey, it works for me and I haven't had any problems with belts and hoses.

FWIW, on these new cars, changing a tire is a job and a half. The jacks are these tiny scissor widgets that look weak, you need to put this other contraption together to jack up the car. You need to lay on the ground to see where it fits, The kid that put the old tire on, put it on with an air wrench with the torque set to max. Gone are the days of taking out the jack, putting it into the slot in the bumper, lighting a cigarette, taking the tire iron and jacking the car. I changed a ton of tires, not anymore, roadside does it now. The last time the guy needed a 4 foot pipe to loosen the lugs they were on so tight. I buy used tires for replacement, they always tell me the same story. "oh big man i just got these in, some kid wanted 22" rims on his car they are brand new."

 

[Car-Guy]

What about brake fluid? My Porsche required a full brake fluid flush every two years (per the manual), but my new Toyota does not even mention this in the maintenance guide. Granted, I'm not tracking the Toyota, but brake fluid is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture from the atmosphere at up to 4% per year.

I've never found a real need to change the brake fluid but I do bleed the brakes (especially drum brakes) on my older cars and refill the reservoir whenever I do a brake job. I usually don't keep my newer cars long enough to worry about it but I do pull out about half the reservoirs fluid and replace it before a disk brake job. (Otherwise the reservoir tends to overflow when you compress the piston(s) back into the caliper cylinders) .

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I guess my one point of disagreement would be on tires. I've had tires, not quite that old, with good tread simply disintegrate at highway speed. Bought the car used and assumed the old rubber was good because it looked good - it wasn't. In most cases, such a situation simply means a tire change (or for us old codgers, maybe a tow job.) But, losing a tire at 65 to 70 mph could be more serious. Naturally, you must triangulate this for yourself as YMMV.

All 3 of my cars are a bit "newer" than yours. In the 2000 range. I haven't checked carefully but I think my per car expenses are similar. Between the 3 of them I typically have one "expensive" repair (just had to put a coil in the Buick.) Tags and insurance may be a bit higher in Paradise but cheap on the mainland for me. Again, YMMV.

This. A few years back, my Mom and Dad were coming back from WDW on Xmas day. At highway speeds, a rear tire let go and it took out one of the suspension bags (was a 1999 Town Car) and resulted in flipping the end over end and a hospital trip for both of them (and surgery for both). A trip to the junkyard showed that the tires had rotted although were only 6 years old and garaged. So, old, dry tires can have disastrous results.

 

[aja8888]

Some of the newer cars don't come with spare tires, especially the hybrids. (to keep weight down). They come with a can of Flat Fix!

 

[Gumby]

The young wife's Mini Cooper does not have a spare. It does have (expensive) run-flat tires. It is only practical in a small, densely populated area like Connecticut.

 

[Koolau]

Some of the newer cars don't come with spare tires, especially the hybrids. (to keep weight down). They come with a can of Flat Fix!

That or run flats. I suppose it's ultimately worth it for the smaller/lighter package. Still, I would like the option of changing my own flat if I choose to. YMMV

 

[Car-Guy]

That or run flats. I suppose it's ultimately worth it for the smaller/lighter package. Still, I would like the option of changing my own flat if I choose to. YMMV

And you can have both. My latest comes standard with run flats but it also has a full size spare.

 

[CRLLS]

Even IF 6 or 8 year old tires don't necessarily get more flats, or will not disintegrate at speed, they DO loose traction. This could lead to much longer stopping distances or possibly loss of steering control as one end slides out in a corner. Certainly the rain or snow handling capability decreases noticeably at 1/2 tread life regardless of age. Replacing tires at 1/2 tread life or 8 yrs is a safe thing to do IMO.

I did purchase a car about 5 yrs ago that had no spare tire, just a can of goo and an electric tire pump. I quickly purchased a full sized spare (not the mini spare), and the jack and lug wrench to go with it. Now if DW or I have a flat, I can change the tire or call for road service. Once changed, I can safely travel at highway speeds for as far as I need to, not limited to 50MPH/50Miles as the mini spares are usually rated.