Thanks, I’ve been pretty lucky. I want long, trouble free as can be life out of my vehicles. However, I'm cheap and very busy and strive to reach my vehicle goals with reasonable cost and labor. I’ve learned, that the manufacturers maintenance intervals are the bare minimum required to get the vehicle through the warranty period, usually 5 years only. If you want to keep your vehicle past 5 years and follow these minimum maintenance periods you will probably have problems. I have learned a great deal from “The car care nut” on YouTube. He gives excellent advice for Toyotas, but I apply it towards my Civics, too. He recommends intervals and what liquids to use without over doing it, either.Its a two-fold issue...
1. A lot of manufacturers are very optimistic with their maintenance intervals. Take the 3.5 as an example... 10k on a twin turbo engine? No. Lifetime fluids? No. 150k transmission fluid? Hard no.
2. A lot of people like to think they're great at maintaining their vehicles, meanwhile they're content with letting their oil go 1k+ past the change interval, or completely neglecting other needed maintenance because its too expensive, they don't know, or they get their buddy/jiffy lube/etc to do it
- I don't know any of you guys. Just a general observation from someone who wrenches for a living.