New Car/SUV Maintainance Questions.

[TopCatGr58]

Okay folks, auto mechanics as well as the other well experienced owners,

I hadn't owned a new car in quite some time. Actually never until we got our first Chevy Corsica in '95. Then 3 years ago the SWMBO got a Hyundai SanteFe with small 2.7L V-6, AWD. WE went ahead and did the "Dealer" recommended 30K miles service of Coolant Flush/Exchange, and other stuff.

Now I have my Nissan Xterra with 3.2L V-6, RWD only. Swmbo actually got the SUV for me while I was at an XS Rally a couple of years ago, so she got a service package with it. I've been doing the standard 3K mile oil changes/tire rotations. It now has 30K miles....I drive 250+ miles a week just commuting to work and back.

The Dealer again is recommending a fancy 30Kmile service along with several "extras":
Tranny Flush; Coolant Flush; Power Steering Flush; Engine Flush;
Fuel Injection service; Brake Bleed service.

I checked the Tranny fluid, it's nice and red, no smell of burning, no grit. My understanding was that it was BAD to change tranny fluid too often due to it's HIGH DETERGENT properties, fresh fluid I've been told can excessively dissolve/damage the friction plates?

Power Steering also same red clean.
I use Fuel Injector cleaner every few tankfuls.
The engine oil gets changed every 3K miles, so I don't think there's much chance for SLUDGE to build up?
IT appears to have some BLUE coolant, it's a touch low in the overflow/expansion chamber.
Brake Bleeding I can understand, and perform myself!

Finally my question. IS any or all of these Extras really necessary?

With regards to the coolant, I realize that it has anticorrosion properties in the coolant, and that I guess it could break down in a couple of years, but it was a brand new engine!?!?

I'll be dropping it off Friday Night for a Saturday appointment, but I think it only needs the 3K oil/filter change!?

Any unbiased professional HONEST opinions, as well as just regular ones??
T.C.

[Hobbit]

Service

Okay T.C.,
The following is only my opinion, but since I'm been ASE master cerified for ~30 years and work for a major manufacturer as a technical trainer, I at least feel qualified to give an opinion.
Oil - with today's oils and clean running fuels - 3K changes may be considered overkill. BUT, I still do them on the bikes - not the cars. Cars go 5 - 6K between changes.
Transmissions - with light duty and no towing 60K.
Coolant - about every 2 years. There are a lot of additives that can break down over time.
Power steering and engine flush? Not without a good reason.
Fuel - with your use of cleaner, I would consider a filter change at 30 to 60K. (A restricted fuel filter increases amperage on the fuel pump relay circuit.)
Don't forget the often overlooked stuff, like hinges and linkage, etc.

[Parr8hed]

TC it seems like we had talked about transmission fluid changes in auto trannys on this site before. Maybe it was another site, can't honestly remember now. Alot of valuable info for pros and cons. Let me do some research and see if I can find it. Seems like the majority was don't change tranny fluid.

[Parr8hed]

I think that I stand corrected. Everything that I found said to change every 30 to 60 depending on your towing/driving habits. I was unable to find the forum that I was thinking of. Sorry.

[xswilly]

i bought a chevy full size pickup brand new
drove it 155,000 miles in 11 years
never did a tranny or raditor flush or a brake flush

never had a problem with any or the above 3

i did the oil changes every 4 to 6 thousand miles

[BLUEJEEPLAB]

My two cents, I'd wait until around 60 for the Tranny flush and fuel injector flush, two years on the coolant flush and only as required for the rest of the stuff.

While service is important for the long life of your car, you can do most of the preventive stuff in your driveway. Dealers are more and more turning to their Service Centers as Profit Centers and selling routine services at upscale prices to cover what they give away at the sale.

[prometheus578]

"Synch the carbs, first...."

Then follow the sage advice previously written.
I, too have heard both stories concerning the tranny fluid debate. I've always had 'sticks' so have never paid it no never-mind. I would keep the same stuff in it.. but certainly wouldn't worry about changing it, either.
(after a few moments thought... I belive the story was thus: "With use, some of the friction material comes offa the friction plates and floats around in the fluid. If you change the fluid, then these particles are lost, and are no longer there to help the friction plates grab". Obviously, this is about as backward thinking as one can get. )

[HobbyMan]

On newer transmissions, I think it is OK to change the fluid every 60k. I don't have much of an opinion on that. On older transmissions, like my 86sub, I don't think it is OK to do it at all unless absolutely necessary. Then again, it leaks so much after it was rebuilt the last time that it pretty much gets changed all the time. My suburban has well over 200k right now and is still running strong minus the bad job the last tranny guy did. I will never go to him again. Since you can obviously turn a wrench, I think you could save a few dollars doing it yourself. On our excursion, we had the dealer do everything at first so we did not have to bother with it. Since it is a few years old now, we do everything ourselves. Or at least we hope to once it gets fixed.

[Czekus21]

My 2 pennies.
Depending on how you drive should determin what service needs done as well as when. I'm not a profesional mechanic, but I did turn wrenches for a few years and did a little bit of homework concerning oils and whatnot. Ya gotta remember though, This was also about 20 years ago. I know oil and stuff has changed for the better, but I still use this general rule.
Never use Penzoil and then change to another oil. Sludge will develope and then you'll have to do an engine oil flush.
If your driving in town, Start, stop, hardXSeleration, Pretty tough on a vehicle. Reg. oil, Change about every 2000-2500 miles. That's pretty much big city traffic.
Big city with light duty out of town, About every 2500-3500.
Highway with light in town, Easiest on a vehicle, 5000-7000 miles.
Now, The transmission and axle oils are usually the most neglected service point on a vehicle. These should be checked every service and changed every 30,000-40,000 miles or if the oils smell burnt. Fuel filter changed every three oil changes.
Air filter changed when you can't see daylight through it.
Injector cleaner ( sea foam: techron etc.) every service.
tire condition and pessure at least once a week.
Coolant, At least once every 30,000 miles.
Brake fluid, Flush every 2 years, Needed or not.
Power stearing fluid, Flush when you flush the trans.
Brakes, Check pad/shoes every service.
Wiper fluid, Top it off regularly
Wiper blades, Change every other spring.
Headlamp aim, once a year or when needed.
I can elaborate more but my reply would be XStreamlly long. The stuff I mentioned is the general rule that I've used for years and has served me well. I figure that it's more cost effective to spend more on the service ( doing it myself ) then to replace the vehicle. I've put this theary to the test when I bought a brand new car, Practiced what I preached, Sold the car with almost 98,000 mile on it. ( car is still in the family ) the car was still LIKE NEW. I pulled the rocker cover off to check how the inside looks, Clean as the day I bought it. My brother in law says he's got about 150,000 miles on the car and it still is reliable and starts first crank. I've serviced all my vehicles similar and have have great gas milage and reliablity. Your situation may be different and I may be overkilling but one thing that I do believe is that the life of a vehilce depends on how the original owner had taken car of it as well as drove it.
OK....... I'm done now, I'll go crawl back in the corner and watch the sparks fly. You all don't beat me up to bad for rattlin on....

[prometheus578]

"Dadgummit!"

You all don't beat me up to bad for rattlin on....

Sad to say, CZEKUS, I found nothing in your last post to beat you up about.

(well, maybe... about starting a sentance with "You all...")

Like I tell customers... These are machines... and machines need maintenence. Maintenence now, or repair later. Your choice.

[John]

Re: "Dadgummit!"

Originally posted by prometheus578



(well, maybe... about starting a sentance with "You all...")

yeah, it should be "Y'all"

[ccogswel]

T.C. I'm a day late and a dollar short.

I had to say something about the tranny fluid. I know you said you drive about 250 miles a week. Is that on highways or small back roads or alot of hills to climb? You need to take that into consideration as well. Also with these new tranny's having overdrive units built in. They create alot of heat. I'd say change the fliud every 2-3 years. Make sure either you or whom ever changes it use's the correct fluid. I can't say that enough. You don't want the troubles with comtamanated fluid. Been there done that don't want no one else to go through it.

Now as far as the tranny flush all I have to say is NO! If you do have it done make d@mn double sure there system is clean. I mean CLEAN! You get alot of lazy mechanic's, or they get mad at one point or another and do a bad cleaning after they use it on a car that may have had some metel left over. And then it gets into your tranny. It is getting really hard to get shops to own up to there mistake or mistakes. Trust me we had been there with our Durango. I could go on and on about this subject but not enough time.

T.C. all I can say is, I'd keep a close eye on the work that is being done.

Good Luck!

[dale_1]

opinion professional type one each

Originally posted by Parr8hed
I think that I stand corrected. Everything that I found said to change every 30 to 60 depending on your towing/driving habits. I was unable to find the forum that I was thinking of. Sorry.

The post you may be thinking of may have been in regards to an older vehicle without positive assurance of when the last trans service was if any. If that were the case "DON'T" but, this case is like all others different.....

T.C.
If you know, and it seems to me like your driving habits are good, then 60K on the trans service should be fine.

If it were a Ford ///// 30K max.
trust me... that's the Ford Technician talking.

The Nissan guy (never a Tech but an avid Skyline driving freak while in Japan) in me says on the steering fluid.... do it yourself only when you need to, doubt that'll be anytime soon. If you are at any meeting I am at, I'll show you how to do it and show you the signs of needing it. Very simple and I have a bad distrust of dealer mechs. having been one.

I had to tease somebody....

There's bound to be an XSive that's a Dealer type closer to you than me.

My two pennies are in.

[TopCatGr58]

Thanks for all the comments!

Thanks everyone for your input,

It pretty much confirmed what I was thinking! My mileage is 95% highway, just a couple of miles from home till hwy! Mostly flat terrain with just a few little hills running up and down tunnels/bridges.

I only have towed my little 300lb MC trailer running 12" tires with Godzilla on it, only lost 1mpg, just to W.Va. and back, then to NY and back, then to Suches, Ga. and back spread over a couple of years, so I don't really think it put much stress on it doing nice easy accelerations, cruised at 70mph in overdrive. I'll watch the fluid, and change it possibly around 45K since it is slightly stressed with rare towing events.

I'll just get the standard oil/filter change, only doing it every 3K miles since have service plan that covers it. Did same with Swmbo's Hyundai, but it's now past the service plan life, and so I get it changed at 5Kmiles. I'll perform the Coolant Flush/swap myself, keeping all receipts for proof for warranty! I'll get SWMBO to help me bleed the brakes. I'll look for the fuel filter?

Again, appreciate the wonderful feedback!
T.C.