good info

 

i agree on not changing auto tranny fluid on old cars. however, i also believe that it's a good habit to get when you get a new car.

 

Another big waste of money is the 50 point (or whatever it is) inspection. They inspect:
1. hoses for cracks
2. signal lights
3. check brake fluids,
4. check pw steering fluids, and all other fluids which will bring the list down to 10 now.
11. Check tire pressure...blah blah blah.

TOTAL WASTE of MONEY.

 

those 50-100 point safetychecks are free in australia..... as for brake/ps fluid.. maybe not on regular basis but once a year at least.

 

why are they wastes of money? for someone who can't (or doesn't want to) do it themselves? at the ford place, the inspection was free while they pumped oil in...(or drained it er whatever)

 

yea, these fancy inspections generally come free from many nearby dealers if you have any service done to your car. it takes a while for it to happen but if its free, mind as well do it.

 

Inspections are mostly free so the buisnesses can make more money out of your own pocket by notifying things that would need to be done soon/ or things you slacked on paying attention to that got even worse. Same thing with a Free Tire Rotation while getting your oil changed. Notifying struts/shocks/Brake Pads/Rotors that are going bad that would need to be replaced soon. More of your money in their pockets. Im not saying, they are just doing this just to get your money, but they are protecting you and everyone alse from potentially getting into hazards on the road from these things disfunctioning.

 

opps..

i am guilty of
-oil change (will still go though cos walmart messed up my oil pan for my gen3).
-bulbs. that was sometime ago

 

i pretty much agree with everything on the list except your cancellation of the tire rotate and balance. if you want to keep the tread on your tires evenly worn, it is a very good thing to do at least every two oil changes. with unbalanced and out of round tires, you're going to get that 'all over the road bouncing.'

 

good list. Although i have to disagree with the tranny flush. Perhaps our family didnt get transmission oil changes at proper intervals? All i know is for two times they changed it and it became dirty really fast. After the horribly expensive flush the fluid was finally like new, and has been ever since. The car shifts better and even idles with a little less vibration. WE had 75K on the car at the time.

As for the rest of the stuff..it all depends on your abilities, time and patience. As well as the way you drive or where you drive. I'd say for most americans they aren't able to change their own oil properly etc....but of course if you have time, money, patience, why the heck dont you do it yourself...it really saves a ton of money in the long run.
So good post.

 

I think that your intention is good, but some there is some really bad information in here?

Not everyone is a DIY customer. Some people are DIFM (do it for me) customers and do not want the hassle of disposal and mess in your driveway.

All the things you mention have very little fact or basic knowledge of routine maintenance.

I will only agree on the power steering flush advise you speak of. No known bennifit other than a cure for morning sickness typically associated with GM. However, MAP (motorist assurance program) will back this service very soon in 2006.

There is plenty of Fuel system services out there that will provide a substancial bennifit, but B&G is not one of them. Hydrostatic lock up will only occur, if too much chemical is introduced into the combustion chamber and a pooling begins - this is more typical of DIY er's that do not atomize the liquid properly (its all in the delivery system used) or do not increase the RPM high enough during the service.

As for quick lubes, you must have had a bad eperience somewhere. But there is just as many complaints from dealerships. So you blanket statement does not speak for the entire industry.

If you do not think that changing your transmission fluid is vital, then you better do some serious research. In particular, in most Toyota vehcles, the filter is not changed as it is a perminent filter media. This is not to say you can't change it, but no interval or replacement recommedation is required by Toyota, unless it has a specific problem (ie..sludging or blockage). But you better be sure that you are changing the ATF routinely based on your local temperature and driving conditions. ATF is just like engine oil and the additive pack will wear out over time and mileage- Heat is the number one killer of transmissions in North America and is brought on by the 2000 moving parts inside, and excessive engine temperatures brought on by fiction. As well antifoaming, viscosity, and the fluids ability to suspend dirt, debris - remember "cleans, cools, and lubricates".
Transmisson fluid changes will only wreak havoc on a neglected, or higher mileage transmission ie...sudden cleaning effect of the new ATF.

Brake fluid is hydroscopic - means it absorbs water. This will cause boil over of the entire system. Just by nature the Brake fluid will absorb uo to 5% of water every year.



I will assume you are trying to help people, and save them money. But not all have the same point of reference you do.

Nothing is a waste of money, if it saves you time and convienence.



Digger08

 

Brake fluid is hydroscopic - means it absorbs water. This will cause boil over of the entire system. Just by nature the Brake fluid will absorb uo to 5% of water every year.

Nothing is a waste of money, if it saves you time and convienence.
Digger08

The brake system is not 100% sealed. All rubber/nylon parts (hoses, seals, and reservoir cover) allow moisture to migrate in, and the fluid will soak it up.

Colour is not an indicator.
Darker colour does not mean the fluid is more saturated with water!!

Fluid Change is recomended when moisture content is about 2 to 3%. This can hapen in about 2 years.
In dry cliamtes, the time may be longer, and sooner for humid climates, and if you are always opening up the reservoir to check the fluid:clap:

 

10. drain and refill coolant for cars with the Pink (100k mile) coolant.
9. any toyota fuel injector service (doesn't work), also it has been known to cause hydralock. if you insist on cleaning them use a BG product
8. a tire balance ever 6000 miles, tire balances are not nessisary unless your car vibrates as it goes down the road.
7. an ac refresher sevice, use lysol in your fresh air vents with the blower running
6. Light bulbs, you can get the same sylvania bulbs for like 25% less at autozone
5. an oil change, but don't go to the local quik lube either, bad things happen when the idiots that they hire to change your oil work on your car.
4. a brake flush. this is just an easy way for the tech to bleed your brakes it does nothing other wise.
3. a power steering flush, no real function whatsoever. you will have clean ps fluid.
2. a coolant flush, you can do this your self, and if you change your coolant at the normal service intervals you will never need this.
1. a trans flush, this is the biggest waste of money, drain and refill your trans and replace the pan gasket this will let all the fluid drain out for the most part. A trans flush can also wreak havok on an old transmission.

you sound very bitter my friend! lol

ill agree with 10, 7,6,3, 4.

-ive actually FIXED a car that had a clogged injector with a fuel injector service and BG

makes the kit in use for almost everything.

-a tire balance is good for when you rotate tires.

- a toyota oil change is comparable to any other, so theres no reason to not go there for that. and you get the genuine filter too you get shitty oil tho.

-coolant flush. beleive it or not, ive seen cars get fixed with this also. I dotn think the intervals that its sold at make sense. I think that you can go much further. if you are draining the radiator, not even a gallon of fluid usually comes out. a flush does MUCH more.

- a trans flush is not meant to restore performance to a transmission, its sole purpose is for maintenance. if you drain and fill your trans often enough, its not needed. but people dont do that. oh, toyota trans drain plugs ALL have 10mm hex serive plugs. you dont need to replace the gasket :ugh3:

 

5. an oil change, but don't go to the local quik lube either, bad things happen when the idiots that they hire to change your oil work on your car.
1. a trans flush, this is the biggest waste of money, drain and refill your trans and replace the pan gasket this will let all the fluid drain out for the most part. A trans flush can also wreak havok on an old transmission.

5. Most Toyota dealers have a 29 minute "Express Lube", use a Toyota filter and have "Toyota" (Mobil) oil for just a little more than a quick lube joint. If you can't do it yourself, then, yes, the dealer is a good place to get this service done.
1. Anyone that is a tech or knows anything about automatic trans knows this statement has only a little truth. If the trans is old and neglected, than I agree to leave it alone. I will die anyway. But, to service the way you suggest gets out less than 1/2 of the fluid. The torque converter and the cooler in the radiator usually hold more fluid than the trans itself and that does NOT drain when you drop the pan. How do you get that fluid out? Flushing is one of the only ways to do a complete fluid exchange.

 

The number one thing you shouldn't buy at a dealership ... a used car!

...Oh and light bulbs. :thumbup:

 

I agree on 5). but disagree on 8).

5), Changing your own oil takes less time than it does to drive to the lube place and wait. Unless you're a chick and don't want to get dirty. Drain the oil, wait 10 minutes. Replace the drain nut. Add about a quart less oil than your Owners Manual recommends. Run the car for a bit, then check the oil. Put in enough oil to be at the middle of the hash marks. If you fill it to the Full line, you could blow some seals. 20 minutes and you're done. Big deal.

8). I disagree. A tire rotation and balance is wise to do every other oil change. Your tires will thank you.

 

But, to service the way you suggest gets out less than 1/2 of the fluid. The torque converter and the cooler in the radiator usually hold more fluid than the trans itself and that does NOT drain when you drop the pan. How do you get that fluid out? Flushing is one of the only ways to do a complete fluid exchange.

Definate truth in this one. The torque converter holds masses and masses of fluid.

I have also heard that the tranny fluid flush is a bit of an old wive's tale. Coming from the world of the GM 4T60/4T65 transmissions, I know that flushing and proper maintainence is absolutely key. I think some of this theory would stem from people who flush out their transmission after they notice symptoms. Shit, the transmission was on its way anyway because you didn't change the fluid, don't point the finger.

 

So would it be a bad idea to change my tranny fluid on my ge3 camry w/ 153,000 miles on it?

 

There's a huge debate on the flush itself, but I think you should be okay with a complete drain and refill.

 

The number one thing you shouldn't buy at a dealership ... a used car!

...Oh and light bulbs. :thumbup:

i bought my camry at a small dealership. i got a good deal and its is as reliable as the sun.

 

There's a huge debate on the flush itself, but I think you should be okay with a complete drain and refill.

Rule of thumb - 7 years/ 150,000 km's proceed with caution if its never been serviced before.

Definately don't flush. Just a fluid exchange - 100% type service. Stay away from delution, as mentioned above 60% in the torque convertor. Make sure they use equipment, that will virually exchange all of the fluid. Stay away from a drain and refill type service through the drain plug.

Digger08

 

#3 is actually really good and really helps your steering out. I think it's something left to people who know what they are doing. That is just my $.02

 

I take my car to the Toyota dealer for the oil change. They actually look for things that might need attention. One Toyota dealer I used to goto would let me walk under the car while it was up on the rack. I would look for anything unusual. One of the techs actually owned a Paseo, so he would look for the "common" Paseo problems. I have never had a quick lube place suggest anything mechanical, but rather the usual wipers, belts, tires, etc.

Quick lubes around here are getting way overpriced. It is cheaper for me to goto the Toyota dealer. Yes, they do not vacuum the floors or do the windows, but my floors stay clean, and the quick lube places usually do a horrible job on the windows.

 

Ok lets clear some things up, I was a tech at a toyota dealership, all of my comments come from experiance with multiple, and I mean multiple cars. So that being said let me explain my reasoning with the trans flush, on low milage transmissions, say 30k-90k a trans flush will do no harm but, if you drain your trans at 30k intervals you will more than likely never have trouble out of your trans. On higher milage cars that have never had their fluid changed at all stay away from the flush machine, although your car may come out fine I would not try it, at say 90k if you have never had your trans drained there is lots of clutch material floating around in your trans this old clutch material on old transmissions has been thought to help retain friction between the clutch packs, flushing the trans will remove all or most of that old material thus causing your trans to slip. And if you have been draining your trans regularly it is ok to flush it even if it has high miles.

And on to the tire balance, yes rotate your tires every 6k, then balance I'd say every 18k or every 3rd rotation, unless you feel vibration. keep 32psi in your tires and don't rub curbs and you should be ok to go that long.

 

you sound very bitter my friend! lol

ill agree with 10, 7,6,3, 4.

-ive actually FIXED a car that had a clogged injector with a fuel injector service and BG

makes the kit in use for almost everything.

-a tire balance is good for when you rotate tires.

- a toyota oil change is comparable to any other, so theres no reason to not go there for that. and you get the genuine filter too you get shitty oil tho.

-coolant flush. beleive it or not, ive seen cars get fixed with this also. I dotn think the intervals that its sold at make sense. I think that you can go much further. if you are draining the radiator, not even a gallon of fluid usually comes out. a flush does MUCH more.

- a trans flush is not meant to restore performance to a transmission, its sole purpose is for maintenance. if you drain and fill your trans often enough, its not needed. but people dont do that. oh, toyota trans drain plugs ALL have 10mm hex serive plugs. you dont need to replace the gasket :ugh3:

Actually you do need to replace the plug gasket, as they will leak, they are aluminum and become scored over time. Toyota trucks use a 14 instead of the hex and the new 4runner has no true drain plug. although I was speaking of the form in place gasket, or the cork gasket that goes inbetween the pan and the trans.