you don't really need any of those yet.. cept a routine oil change
well the car gets driven about 3000 miles a month, i dont really take good care of it either since its beater, i only do routine maintence, like oil changes, tire rotation, and a few other things every now and then when toyota suggests it (whatever it is, its always been under $100)
so you say not to change the other fluids now? then at what mileage should i change it at?
and to the other guy, i live in Los Angeles, CA. im just looking for a website that sells stuff for cheap, dont care to pick up stuff from a store.. online with shipping is gold.
should we follow the recommended maintenance from a dealership? besides from what is written in the manual. thanks
In general, you shouldn't need to perform any "maintenance" that's not recommended in the manual. The dealership will try to sell you all sorts of nonsense, like transmission flushes, power steering flushes, undercoating, etc. It's all above and beyond what's required for your car. Nothing they sell you is bad to do, but it's also not required to do.
The original poster's list, and my personal comments in green.
1) engine air filter
Maybe, but it all depends on when it was last changed. If the air filter is still original, and it looks dirty, sure, go ahead and replace it.
2) fuel filter
The fuel filter is not serviceable on these cars. If your Toyota dealership is offering to change the filter, I'd find that highly questionable. The filter is an integral part with the fuel pump. They can't be changed separately. Definitely pass on this, and probably find another dealer.
3) in-cabin filter
I think the owner's manual recommends annual changes, or every 15,000 miles or so. If yours is original, it's actually probably past time for a change.
4) engine oil change
See #1 above. If it's been more than 3-5k miles, go ahead and have it changed.
5) tranny oil change
Most likely something you can do without. Closing in on 40k miles, some people will recommend changing it, some people not. For the record, the owner's manual doesn't recommend an interval for the transaxle fluid (automatic OR manual). Personally, I'd probably change it by 50k miles, especially if all you ever do is city driving.
6) rear diff oil change
These cars don't have rear differentials. And the front differential is lubricated by the transaxle fluid.
7) coolant change
Not necessary this soon. Toyota's coolant is good for 100k miles.
8) brake fluid change
Not necessary this soon. If your car were 10+ years old with 100k+ miles, a brake fluid exchange wouldn't be a bad idea. But not this soon.
9) spark plugs
Totally unnecessary. You'll see from your owner's manual that the plugs are good for 100k miles.
10) clean MAF and TB
Not necessary, unless you are having specific symptoms that would warrant these services.
Specifically regarding items #2 and #6, these aren't even relevant to your car. And many of the items on the list look like items from a 100k mile service visit. Your dealer is either giving you a generic 100k mile service check list that is applicable to a Sequoia as it is to a Corolla, or they're knowingly trying to sell you services that they can't even perform on your car. Either way, I'd recommend finding a different dealer, and possibly reporting yours to Toyota. It's pretty dishonest (or at best, it shows sloppy QA/QC) to try to sell a rear differential fluid change to a Corolla owner.
i havent stepped into the dealer for the list i made.. the list i made is what i would do to my other cars (e46 M3, C5 Corvette)..with those 2 cars, i NEVER go by the reccomended schedule. Im always ahead (ie: oil change on the M3 is 15k miles, I do it at 7500.. spark plugs on the Corvette at 100k, I changed them at 50k and they looked like sheit)..
I suppose an oil change and a tranny fluid change is enough. My tanny fluid is brownish, I believe it should be redish..
Oh okay. Sorry, I had blended two previous posts; I didn't realize (read) that your list was one that you typically did to your other cars, and not one a dealer provided. My apologies for the dealer comments.
I previously had a '97 Cadillac with the Northstar. I finally changed the OE plugs at 148k miles, and they looks fine. A little worn, but still very serviceable. New plugs didn't make a lick of difference in driveability or economy, not that there was an issue with either prior. I just changed them out "just cuz".
The transaxle fluid is still original in that car also (my brother now owns it). With 160k+ miles on it, it shifts great still. As you probably know, the color of a lubricant doesn't indicate its condition at all.
With the Corolla, the factory plugs are NGK or Denso iridium plugs, very high quality pieces. Changing them now would absolutely be a waste (unless there's a mechanical problem with the car that caused them to go bad). I'd probably do the transaxle fluid "just cuz", though I doubt you'll see any difference. If the car runs fine now, it probably will for another 50-60k easy, not changing anything out.
1) engine air filter - replaced first one at 40k
2) fuel filter - non serviceable
3) in-cabin filter - hadn't touched it yet
4) engine oil change - every 3k
5) tranny oil change - every 30k(drain and refill)
6) rear diff oil change - not applicable
7) coolant change - factory fill coolant has a 10 year or 100k life.
8) brake fluid change - dealer's love this to line their wallets
9) spark plugs - every 100k
10) clean MAF and TB - hadn't touched mine yet. If it aint broke don't fix it.
__________________ 2005 Corolla LE - Impulse Red - Auto Trans - 1ZZFE - 86,000mi 2003 Echo - Auto Trans - 96,000mi. - slow as dog-dirt - I'd rather put my money in the bank than in the tank!!!!!
1) engine air filter - replaced first one at 40k
2) fuel filter - non serviceable
3) in-cabin filter - hadn't touched it yet
4) engine oil change - every 3k
5) tranny oil change - every 30k(drain and refill)
6) rear diff oil change - not applicable
7) coolant change - factory fill coolant has a 10 year or 100k life.
8) brake fluid change - dealer's love this to line their wallets
9) spark plugs - every 100k
10) clean MAF and TB - hadn't touched mine yet. If it aint broke don't fix it.
yeah those are great intervals
you can swap out a fuel filter every liek 12 or 24k miles...
and iknow the engine filter is recommended every 12k.
and plugs are all dependent on what kind are in there.. coppers go for 20-30k
plaitnums go for liek 50 or somethign and then iridiums go like 100 or so.
what are the stock plugs in these corollas? i have a thread asking...
you can swap out a fuel filter every liek 12 or 24k miles...
and iknow the engine filter is recommended every 12k.
and plugs are all dependent on what kind are in there.. coppers go for 20-30k
plaitnums go for liek 50 or somethign and then iridiums go like 100 or so.
what are the stock plugs in these corollas? i have a thread asking...
The fuel filters are not changeable on our cars.
The stock plugs are iridium and are good for 100k miles. A good dual platinum plug will for for at least 100k miles also.
oh wow. i didnt know the fuel filters arent changeable... how does that make any sense... where are they located?
and im surprised theyre iridium plugs.. i had no idea... or did not expect that.
i just drive a corolla aroudn when im home.. i have a 97 subaru otherwise..
good info here guys.. thanks a lot. looks like i wont be needing to waste all my money.. just a $30 oil and filter change (im assuming i should stay with the factory weight...which is...uhh someone help me out here) and a tranny fluid drain/refill (can i get a part number and cheapest online retailer to order from?) thanks
If it were me and I drove 3K a month, *I* would:
change dino oil every 5-6K, or run a synthetic (val synpower, M1) minimum 10-12K with a uoa to confirm all is well with a M1 filter changed every oci.
-amsoil i would do minimum 15K with a uoa to confirm you can and maybe even further with amsoil filter or M1 filter.
tranny oil changes every 30K is what I have seen most recommended for a safe interval, but most people dont put on the amount of miles you do, so if *I* were putting on the miles you do, *I* would go minimum 50K intervals with amsoil tranny fluid
*I* would drain/refill the radiator every 2 years max. It is just cheap preventive maintenance to always have fresh fluid/fresh additives in there. For $20-40 a year or every two years, again for me, cheap preventive maintenenace and will never have coolant related issues.
*I* would siphon /refill PS fluid resevoir once a year. Same thing, cheap preventive maintenance. $9 bottle of good tranny fluid(amsoil is what I use) will last a long time and seriously, takes less than 5 minutes to do. Again fresh fluid/fresh additives. No PS problems.
That is what *I* would do and that is what *I* do.
Now that I have a 3 mile round trip commute instead of 62 miles round trip, I am going to stick with 5K/6 month intervals on oil changes (although i do have amsoil 0W20 in there with just over 3K in 6 months (gonna take a sample and send it in to see if I can go longer) and drain/refill my Amsoil manual transmission and transaxle gear lube every 3years/30K
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