Auto Maintenance - What Do We Really Need?

[Ready]

The first service on my Tesla Model 3 is after 2 years. I need to replace the cabin air filters for $34.00. Tesla will do it for me for another $35 in labor but they provide video tutorials on their website to show owners how to do it themselves.

I’m also supposed to check the brake fluid after 2 years, but it’s only really necessary if I live in a cold weather climate. They charge another $39 for the fluid inspection.

And that’s the only scheduled maintenance on the car. Ever. It’s much easier to maintain a car that doesn’t have cylinders, engines, timing belts, or oil.

And Tesla goes out of their way to discourage people from bringing their cars in for any service because they are already too busy. So they never suggest performing any unnecessary services to pad their profit margins because there is no incentive for them to do so. And when service is needed, they frequently send out a mobile repair person to your car to keep their service centers available for larger repair jobs.

 

[aboatguy]

Re brake fluid, it does absorb water over time and you may not have a problem with it until you get the brakes really hot like on a mountain descent. Then, the water turns to steam and you lose braking. So, changing it periodically is not bogus maintenance.

Or the ABS system fails..moisture in the brake fluid can cause corrosion in the brake system. Brake fluid is cheap and since I live in a humid swamp I change it every two years on the vehicles that have ABS since ABS components are pricey. The tool/s to cycle the ABS (when required) isn't cheap either, however, IMO its worth owning if you're going to do it your self.

 

[Nick12]

How could you return and continue doing business with this shop when they tried to pull one over on you with the air filter? The technician took the hit but I have little doubt he was following orders to increase business and do whatever it takes. He was following orders. The shop knew.
This is why I will only do business with a dealer unless it is a necessity. I put myself in a defensive posture whenever I set foot in a stealership.

The dealership I go to are all concerned about their ratings and they readily tell you that. Ratings affect the service advisors compensation. They are even books enough to tell you to rate them five stars. They have been honest with me in that and in my service with them regarding my vehicle.

 

[calnomore]

I have always done my own brake work. Since brake fluid is cheap and easy to change out (the hardest part is convincing the young wife to come out and pump the brakes for me), I have done it every three to four years.

I use these. They work great and I don't have to bother the wife.
Speed Bleeder Main Page

 

[kingkarmann]

I didn't read through the entire post so please forgive me if I am repeating what others have already mentioned.
New cars at a minimum need fluids / filters checked and replaced at regular intervals. Check tire for wear and correct pressures. I rotate my tires when I do my oil changes which is every 10k miles. Brake fluid also should changed about every 3-4 years.
Interview shops proactively. Don't wait till you need one.
I'm fortunate to still be able to maintain my own cars. I have most tools and a comfortable space to do the work.
I do have an air conditioning issue with one of my cars. I can't do this repair because I don't have the equipment to evacuate the refrigerant. I could purchase the tools but id doesn't make sense for the rare time this issue may arise again.
The "stealership" wants to replace my compressor at $800 plus refrigerant $ labor for a grand total of $1400.
There is a valve in the A/C compressor that goes bad. It's a $25 part. The dealership procedure is to replace the compressor. My old compressor becomes a "core" that is refurbished with that new switch.
I took it to an reputable independent shop who agreed to just replace the switch I supplied. They did it for $310.
Moral of story, do your homework.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I think people around here are afraid to use their blinkers when changing lanes for a fear of being "cutoff"...

As my Dad used to say, "Why would I use my blinker? I don't want to confuse those bastards!"

 

[Joggernot]

My two newer cars have a Maintenance Minder that tells me when recommended maintenance is due. I follow the MM.

 

[ncbill]

Key is to find an independent mechanic.

I suspect brake fluid is never changed on most vehicles...I have several & don't remember ever paying for a brake fluid change.

No cabin filters on any of my vehicles either.

Oil (synthetic) changed once/year.

I often buy parts myself & have my mechanic install them...e.g. when the air suspension failed on my Suburban I bought a heavy-duty conventional strut/shock kit from strut masters dot com and had my mechanic install it.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I often buy parts myself & have my mechanic install them...e.g. when the air suspension failed on my Suburban I bought a heavy-duty conventional strut/shock kit from strut masters dot com and had my mechanic install it.

Just FYI: Many mechanics HATE this. For one good reason and one dubitable reason. The not-so-good reason: They often make a profit on parts. But the good reason: They need to stand behind the repair. What happens if the customer brings a crap part to be installed? They install it, and charge you for the labor. Then the crap part fails, and you go back to them in an unhappy state of mind. Who should eat the labor cost?

 

[MRG]

Just FYI: Many mechanics HATE this. For one good reason and one dubitable reason. The not-so-good reason: They often make a profit on parts. But the good reason: They need to stand behind the repair. What happens if the customer brings a crap part to be installed? They install it, and charge you for the labor. Then the crap part fails, and you go back to them in an unhappy state of mind. Who should eat the labor cost?

Don't know if this is true today but I delivered auto parts in 1977. At that time the price generally doubled when someone touched it.

 

[ncbill]

Just FYI: Many mechanics HATE this. For one good reason and one dubitable reason. The not-so-good reason: They often make a profit on parts. But the good reason: They need to stand behind the repair. What happens if the customer brings a crap part to be installed? They install it, and charge you for the labor. Then the crap part fails, and you go back to them in an unhappy state of mind. Who should eat the labor cost?

That's why I named the company...they're not exactly known for "crap" parts.

On another occasion, I bought the $400 Bosch (OEM) MAF assembly for dad's old Mercedes from a (Mercedes forums recommended) European parts importer instead of a clone off eBay drop-shipped from China for $40.

 

[Wille]

I read recently that dealerships are making most of their money from the service department. I have had the same issue as you have and it infuriates me. As others have mentioned, I need to take my care to a trusted local mechanic.

 

[Time2]

Yes, the brake fluid should be flushed every 2 to 3 years and the entire system must have the old fluid flushed out without introducing air into the system.

Looks like I have a job to do, I'm 20 years late on changing the brake fluid in my 1998 Toyota T-100!
BTW, I have had to change the contacts in the starter 3 times, the air conditioning compressor once, brake pads and shoes twice and the alternator just recently.

 

[Rummy]

I was recently charged $6.48 for a 1\2" "O" ring by a stealership. It was pinched and leaking oil from a previous repair at this same stealer. They won't catch me again....

 

[pb4uski]

I remember when I brought my Outback into the dealer for its 36,000 mile oil change... the service writer pitched their 36k mile "package" where they did a whole bunch of stuff, including changing the brake fluid... for a total of $400! I pointed out to him that the owner's manual only called for an oil and filter change and rotating the tires... but he insisted that the other stuff was "recommended".

Anyway, by the end of the discussion, I concluded that the extras were not recommended by the manufacturer, but were recommended by the [-]dealer[/-] stealer.

Needless to say, I insisted that they only do the oil and filter change and tire rotation. When I got home I wrote a very nasty email to the service manager... never got a response.

 

[JoeWras]

I remember when I brought my Outback into the dealer for its 36,000 mile oil change... the service writer pitched their 36k mile "package" where they did a whole bunch of stuff, including changing the brake fluid... for a total of $400! I pointed out to him that the owner's manual only called for an oil and filter change and rotating the tires... but he insisted that the other stuff was "recommended".

Anyway, by the end of the discussion, I concluded that the extras were not recommended by the manufacturer, but were recommended by the [-]dealer[/-] stealer.

Needless to say, I insisted that they only do the oil and filter change and tire rotation. When I got home I wrote a very nasty email to the service manager... never got a response.

And how would you know they changed the brake fluid? At 36k, it is nearly brand new. A tech would be very tempted to skip it.

 

[pb4uski]

I dunno... you would need to trust their integrity and professionalism I guess... NFW!

 

[Car-Guy]

I dunno... you would need to trust their integrity and professionalism I guess... NFW!

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Looks like I have a job to do, I'm 20 years late on changing the brake fluid in my 1998 Toyota T-100!
BTW, I have had to change the contacts in the starter 3 times, the air conditioning compressor once, brake pads and shoes twice and the alternator just recently.

As a test, try braking hard to a stop a few times from highway speed along a quiet stretch of road to see if your brakes go soft. That'll tell you quickly whether the brake fluid is due for a change.

 

[Car-Guy]

As a test, try braking hard to a stop a few times from highway speed along a quiet stretch of road to see if your brakes go soft. That'll tell you quickly whether the brake fluid is due for a change.

I've always felt that a hard or soft pedal "at any time" is a good indicator of brake related problems of some sort. Everything from low fluid levels, air in the lines, glazed or worn pads/shoes, etc... In my experaince to many higher speed braking situations in a short period of time can lead to brake fade (due to hot pads/shoes) and not because of brake fluid needing a change... Of course your experaince may differ.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I've always felt that a hard or soft pedal "at any time" is a good indicator of brake related problems of some sort. Everything from low fluid levels, air in the lines, glazed or worn pads/shoes, etc... In my experaince to many higher speed braking situations in a short period of time can lead to brake fade (due to hot pads/shoes) and not because of brake fluid needing a change... Of course your experaince may differ.

If there's excessive moisture in brake fluid, it will boil off when the brakes get hot enough. Since water vapor is a gas, it is compressible, unlike liquid water.

Of course, brake fluid has its own boiling point, but it's really high, approaching 500F for DOT4.

A leisurely driver may never see his brakes hit 212F. But if I was coming down, say, the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee, I'd want fresh fluid in my braking system to be on the safe side. Likewise, if I were driving a pickup towing a heavy load, I'd want to ensure that my brakes were in top shape, and that includes fresh fluid.

I've been in some stop-and-go freeway traffic where the flow gets quickly up to 50 mph and then abruptly slows to a crawl. That can warm up the brakes. And as a pastime I used to enjoy ice autocrossing on frozen lakes, where left-foot braking is a common technique. At the end of the run I could smell the brake pad compound cooking.

Hey, if you live in an arid climate, you probably don't have to worry much about brake fluid absorbing moisture. I live in a fairly humid region and have experienced brake fade due to moisture in the fluid. It didn't take that much hard braking to bring it on.

 

[Venturer]

I've always felt that a hard or soft pedal "at any time" is a good indicator of brake related problems of some sort. Everything from low fluid levels, air in the lines, glazed or worn pads/shoes, etc... In my experaince to many higher speed braking situations in a short period of time can lead to brake fade (due to hot pads/shoes) and not because of brake fluid needing a change... Of course your experaince may differ.

This is very true, which is why they have the "runaway truck lanes" on the long downgrades of many. The pads or rotors/shoes get a glaze and are then very ineffective. but believe me that pea gravel/ sand is very effective as well as costly to be pulled out of!

 

[Venturer]

If there's excessive moisture in brake fluid, it will boil off when the brakes get hot enough. Since water vapor is a gas, it is compressible, unlike liquid water.

Of course, brake fluid has its own boiling point, but it's really high, approaching 500F for DOT4.

A leisurely driver may never see his brakes hit 212F. But if I was coming down, say, the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee, I'd want fresh fluid in my braking system to be on the safe side.

I was leading some friends on a motorcycle ride a few years back. We were in the mountains near Helen Ga. Going down one of the mountains when the tailgunner radioed me that he was stopping to check on a rider. Turned out this guy wasn't accustomed to riding in the mountains and had heated up his fluid. I luckily had a bottle in my saddle bag so we bled his brakes and were on our way. You don't have to be in a big truck or have a big load to heat them up like this.

 

[JoeWras]

Does anyone driving a car downshift anymore?

Does anyone with an automatic know how to use low gear?

Hell, can the newest automatics even go low gear? What about EVs?

We drive the mountains usually once or twice a year, including the tail of the dragon. I scrub most of my speed using my paddle shifter on my CVT equipped Subaru. Now I may have to worry about overheating my tranny. It is smart and won't let you over-rev. It does have a temperature warning which I've never seen engaged.

 

[Car-Guy]

Does anyone driving a car downshift anymore?

Yes... Not a lot, but at times

Does anyone with an automatic know how to use low gear?

Of course...

Hell, can the newest automatics even go low gear? What about EVs?

On my vehicles, yes... And I don't know or care what EV's can do.