Cost of maintenance.

[KitaCam]

I've had the Kitacam for 2 years/26k miles...bought 8-yrs old/97k miles....car came with new clutch/battery
(costs noted incl. labor by indie mechanic)

Repair/replacements:
front stabilizer links-$100
top engine mount, $75.

Maintenance:
all fluids changed (trans/PS/brake/coolant), $100
PCV valve/hose: $15
New spark plugs (+valve cover gasket) $75
Oil changes (4 @ 30/per after rebates at dealer) $120
2 sets wipers: $20

non-mechanical:
repaint roof @ 10-yr anniversary: $400
tint: $125
door sound-proofing: $60
carpet mats: $20

upgraded wheels/tires (15 to 17"ers): $450

TOTAL after 2 years....$1560---$.06/mile

upcoming projected maintenance:
front discs...new pads/parts and rotors ("turned"): $100

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Donald

I will not get another vehicle with a timing belt if I can help it.


I have to agree. I had a '95 Neon, it was a great car until the bearing on the idler pulley froze around 140k. When I pulled the head, every valve was bent. Cost me about $650 to have the head redone and replace everything needed to get it back on the road. I had paid to have the belt and timing belt replaced around 100k, but no one mentioned the idler or tensioner, and I didn't know any better!
Toyota non-inteference design is nice.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
I don't spend much since I do almost everything myself and do not like to spend over a buck for a quart of oil. Heck I don't pay over $2 each for windshield wipers!

Contrast that to a guy at my work whose wife has a new BMW suv. Over $400 PER tire! And she doesn't get more than 20k out of a set of tires.
Don't ya get "special privileges" with those Impressomobiles? No stopping at stop signs if you're on the phone and so forth? I don't drive an Impressomobile, on the other hand my kid has his masters degree with no school loan debt.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam


TOTAL after 2 years....$1560---$.06/mile

upcoming projected maintenance:
front discs...new pads/parts and rotors ("turned"): $100



edit/addition: air filters: cabin/engine: $25

 

[Quest]

wifey's camry bought used @ 58k (10yrs ago), so far, only replaced the following:

(1) upstream O2 sensor (200bux)
(1) steering intermediate shaft (revised version, per TSB) (220bux)
(1) upper engine torque mount (aftermarket, BA, 35bux)
(1) 1 pair of frnt sway bar end link, Deeza, approx 34bux pair)
(1) 1 pair of rear sway bar end link, Deeza, approx 34bux pair)
(1) 1 VC gasket (17bux, aftermarket)
(1) 2 sets of gates serpentine belt, 24bux each)
(1) numerous brake pads and rotors, each service (frnt pads + rotors) costs 83bux total
(1) numerous air and cabin air filters, approx. 8~14bux each
(1) 2nd set of replacement spark plugs, autolite single platinums (previously on autolite double-plat), about 12bux a set of 4 (wallymartstuff)

car is now > 200k on odo, still runs like new and pass local annual emissions inspections.

Q.

 

[OneEyeJack]

I wonder what's going to happen to all these current cars with all this electronic "stuff" in them as they age. Are we being distracted by all this "stuff" to the point that long term ownership would be a fantasy.

I've owned my 1984 Civic wagon for 30 years and everything works, it passes California smog with no monkey business, everything is hooked up under the hood and working and it runs like new. This car has never failed to start and get me where I'm going and I've never experienced an failure beyond normal wear and tear parts replacement or repair. They say that cars are getting better every years but is there any car made today that one can expect 30 plus years of service or more with reasonable maintenance expenses outside of the rust belt?

 

[Quest]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I wonder what's going to happen to all these current cars with all this electronic "stuff" in them as they age. Are we being distracted by all this "stuff" to the point that long term ownership would be a fantasy.

I've owned my 1984 Civic wagon for 30 years and everything works, it passes California smog with no monkey business, everything is hooked up under the hood and working and it runs like new. This car has never failed to start and get me where I'm going and I've never experienced an failure beyond normal wear and tear parts replacement or repair. They say that cars are getting better every years but is there any car made today that one can expect 30 plus years of service or more with reasonable maintenance expenses outside of the rust belt?







don't be so jolly yet, jack, just because it was made some decades ago doesn't necessarily imply that it would last significantly longer/or more reliable than that of what they make nowadays.

That being said, however, there's so many "creature comforts" add-ons on cars these days that if they fail, they would cost significantly more to replace/service. Example: an on-dash factory radio unit can be had typically for less than 200bux from ePrey when the original one failed; try that again with those built-in GPS, blutoothe, etc. and I bet it would be at less 800bux+ or more.

Also: engine management modules for Japanese automobiles, in-general, are fairly high quality and can easily lasts 15~25yrs easily. Some Bosch units are ok also.

(* I have yet to rebuild one single ECU unit on japanese cars so far, although for non SMD type of module I'm more than capable of fixing them with full confidence*)

Q.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I'd like to know what you're spending on routine maintenance for your specific vehicle. There's always lots of information on how a vehicle performs, what it costs to purchase and how much the value depreciates but for some vehicles there are routine maintenance procedures that are very expensive but you don't discover this until you get stuck with a bill you did not expect. This kind of information would be especially useful when buying a used car or pickup. In other words what you may have learned the hard way might be useful to someone else.

An example of the differences in expenses. My local mechanic at 100K miles on my 03 V8 4Runner did the timing belt, serpentine belt, water pump, seals, air filter, coolant flush and replacement with Toyota pink, thermostat and spark plugs for $900.00. My neighbor's V6 Audi for just the timing belt, seals, water pump and coolant flush spent $2,800.00. If I were buying a used Audi that kind of knowledge would be useful.

This is the key to keep the maintenance cost low.

I buy parts online and pay my mechanic the labor. But sometime he can buy some parts for less so I let him do it.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Quest

(* I have yet to rebuild one single ECU unit on japanese cars so far, although for non SMD type of module I'm more than capable of fixing them with full confidence*)

Q.


It gets akward when modules are vin-tied and you can't just grab a "same one" from the junkyard. Immobilizer keys will be treacherous when dealers don't feel like resetting them or carrying the software to do so.

 

[Clevy]

Charger. I bought it with 50000 miles. It's got 90000 miles now.
In the year I've owned it I've done a drain and fill on the tranny,so 15 bucks,4 oil changes,so 120,2 filters,20 bucks,and winter tires at 1200.
The summer rubber is still decent,3/8 tread left,and the winter rubber still has the rubber knobs.
So 1355. I'm thinking I'll need brakes by 100000 miles too.
That may sound high however I only need fluid changes til I do the brakes,and the tires will last 4 seasons each at the rate they are wearing.


The C3 had 200000kms when I got it. The fuel pump died in the first couple weeks,that was 1200 out the door. It needed brakes so upon inspection the calipers showed evidence of leaking at the piston so I replaced them all,and pads of course. I did that myself so parts were 900 plus 2 gallons of brake fluid to bleed the lines,30 bucks.
I've done 4 oil changes at 30 each. 3 filters at 10 each. Drain and fill on the tranny,transfer case and front diff,400 bucks in fluid.
I got a deal on 20s from an 04 ss or 05 SS. The rubber has 2000 miles. Got that for 1000 but not a necessity.
Then I found some used winters for 200 bucks,studded.
I think that's it.
So 3910 but that represents a lot of stuff that I don't have to do again for a few years,well other than fluids anyway.
I traded a mustang for it so if I want to consider total expenditure taking into consideration the value of the mustang I might have 8 grand into it total.
My insurance company values the replacement value of the truck at 14000,minus the deductible. So if I total it I'm still up 6 grand. Yet purchase value used is around 10000.
That hemi ram I had was an 04,with 275000 on the odo. I paid 7 grand and iirc got 13000 when I totalled it,yet I couldn't sell it for the 8000 I had it listed for prior to ditching it.
Had I known that was the payout I would have kyboshed the selling idea and left in running in the hood as I ran in for something. It would have been totalled in the typical chase scenario that happens here and I'd have bought the boss mustang I was drooling over.
But to be honest I'm glad everything worked out how it did. I've got a charger instead of a mustang and as much as it hurts me to say I'm happier with it then with any mustang I've ever owned thus far.
It's a mercedes with all the options it has,a race car with the torque,and Lincoln with how it rides on the highway. Well until you give the brakes a few taps,then the suspension tightens and it becomes a mile burning machine.
It's the first car I've ever driven that I ran out of courage before it ran out of pedal. I have a diablosport tune running their 91 octane version,and no governor. It does the 160mph speedo and takes very little time getting there. Maintaining 160 is 5/8 pedal,so I'm betting with enough highway I could get another 10-15mph but the stock tires won't take it.
What's this thread about again?

 

[KenO]

I buy cars a little differently. I tend to buy basketcases, fix them, do ALL of the maintenance, and then drive them. Primarily BMW's. My 328ti is a perfect example. Bought it as a rolling chassis for $500. Put an M52 into it with a 5 speed (car was originally an auto). I had a bunch of spare used parts around (I work on BMW's professionally, part cars out here and there, etc.). I have ~$3k into the car total and have put 55k miles on it. The only thing the car has needed since I put it together was a water pump, and the only reason I didn't put one in the motor when I got it was I was curious how long it would last. And a throw-out bearing, but it turned out it wasn't the TO bearing making noise, it's just an old noisy transmission. I'm sure it was run low on fluid at some point in it's life. Whatever, you can't break these things, I sometimes try. Unless you're just a complete [censored] that can't drive.

My truck. 1997 Chevy 2500HD, 5.7l V8, 4l80e trans. Needed the trans flushed badly, needed an ignition switch. Ended up putting a distributor in it. Swapped out the rear end because both PO (a good friend) and myself never thought to check the diff fluid - it didn't have any. Swapped it out for a 4.10 full-floater from a 1-ton truck. Total cost was maybe $200 to swap the rear end, including new wheel cylinders, bearings, seals, fluid.

My '98 528i auto. Paid $1k for it with 190k on it. Trailered it home, needed an alternator. Did the alternator, p/s reservoir & hoses, plugs/boots/valve cover gasket, ambient temp sensor, and brakes, and I think a couple other little thins. About $1700 invested total. I've put 12k on it since buying it, including 6 full sessions instructing at a Toys for Tots trackday. It cut an upper radiator hose about a week later though, while I was 4 hours away from home. Thankfully, it managed to split right when I got to my destination, so got a ride to the local Advance and bought a hose for it. Filled it, bled it, and drove it home.

I think I'm a bad example for this, I tend to drive things I can keep running reliably for next to nothing.

 

[turtlevette]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
timing belt......for $900.00. My neighbor's V6 Audi for just the timing belt..... $2,800.00.


I have never understood the rubber timing belt thing on foreign vehicles. I can put a brand new small block in my old vette for less than $2800.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I'd like to know what you're spending on routine maintenance for your specific vehicle.


My expenses are just the cost of the parts unless I have to pay someone to do the troubleshooting.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
timing belt......for $900.00. My neighbor's V6 Audi for just the timing belt..... $2,800.00.


I have never understood the rubber timing belt thing on foreign vehicles. I can put a brand new small block in my old vette for less than $2800.



Slight difference in overall operation from anything with a small block to anything German.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Donald

I will not get another vehicle with a timing belt if I can help it.


I have to agree. I had a '95 Neon, it was a great car until the bearing on the idler pulley froze around 140k. When I pulled the head, every valve was bent. Cost me about $650 to have the head redone and replace everything needed to get it back on the road. I had paid to have the belt and timing belt replaced around 100k, but no one mentioned the idler or tensioner, and I didn't know any better!
Toyota non-inteference design is nice.


Anything high compression is going to be an interference design. Old motors like the Chrysler 2.2/2.5 were non interference but once you try to ring 150 hp out of 2 liters that luxury goes away. Chrysler did some things like small indents in the pistons to try and prevent damage but the engine was turning too fast when the bearing froze for them to help.

 

[KenO]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
timing belt......for $900.00. My neighbor's V6 Audi for just the timing belt..... $2,800.00.


I have never understood the rubber timing belt thing on foreign vehicles. I can put a brand new small block in my old vette for less than $2800.




Usually one of the biggest benefits is less rotating resistance. And less inerta. That timing belt weighs less than a chain does.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Just depends on design. Newer V engines with DOHC can have yards of chain flying around. They rarely use a belt.

My V8's have a tiny little short chain. Not much inertia or weight there, especially at half crank speed, eh?

Never had any problems here with either...