Would I be crazy if I did this:

[Doog]

Buy a nice CPO used car (Lexus or Acura)and do this for maintenance:

1. run Mobil1 10w30 EP and change it every 20,000 miles
2. Change the air filter every 50,000 miles
3. Change the ATF at 100k
4. Change the coolant at 100k

THAT'S IT!! Only break down repair.

Drive it to 200k and trade it in

 

[Kuato]

I smell an experiment.

 

[NMBurb02]

Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[skyactiv]

You could have added Infiniti to the list.

 

[walterjay]

Go for it. Report back.

 

[Skid]

Let's do some basic math.

Assume you buy the car for $30k and it has 50k miles on it. Assume it is valueless at 200k. Assume gas mileage of 20 mpg and gas cost of 2.50 per gallon. Assume oil change cost of $50.

Depreciation - $30k/150k = 20 cents per mile.
Gas costs - $2.50/20 = 12.5 cents per mile.

oil change at 20k - $50 / 20k = 0.25 cents per mile
oil change at 10k - $50 / 10k = 0.5 cents per mile
oil change at 5k - $50 / 5k = 1 cent per mile

Yeah, I'd say you'd be crazy. Oil change costs are insignificant.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Buy a nice CPO used car (Lexus or Acura)and do this for maintenance:

1. run Mobil1 10w30 EP and change it every 20,000 miles
2. Change the air filter every 50,000 miles
3. Change the ATF at 100k
4. Change the coolant at 100k

THAT'S IT!! Only break down repair.

Drive it to 200k and trade it in

I did very close for my 1994 Lexus LS400 to what you plan to do, the only difference was I sold it few months ago after 22 years and 385k miles.

1. Run dino to 6mo/8-10k miles and/or synthetic to 12mo/16-20k miles with cheap oil filter once a year.
2. Change the Toyota OEM air filter every 60-70k miles.
3. Change the ATF at 100-150k miles.
4. Change the coolant at 3-5 years with tap water and Prestone All-make All-model coolant.

The engine ran great after 380k miles. The radiator changed once at 320-330k miles. AT and engine never needed any work.

 

[Rand]

20k is too long

 

[krismoriah72]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Buy a nice CPO used car (Lexus or Acura)and do this for maintenance:

1. run Mobil1 10w30 EP and change it every 20,000 miles
2. Change the air filter every 50,000 miles
3. Change the ATF at 100k
4. Change the coolant at 100k

THAT'S IT!! Only break down repair.

Drive it to 200k and trade it in


I dont think u will make a dime on the trade in..you will more than likely be giving it to them to knock a few dollars of the MSRP.
IF you sell it outright in the end not many people are going to be OK with the 20K mile oil changes. Since you are looking at CPO I would negotiate free oil changes for life or something similar from the dealer..that would at least rule out that cost for you and give a better CARFAX report for selling time.

Gas is trending up...so for your frugalness I would pick a high mpg car for your 150K mile ownership.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Skid
Let's do some basic math.

oil change at 20k - $50 / 20k = 0.25 cents per mile

$50.00 ÷ 20,000 = 0.0025 per mile. What am I missing? Math issues not withstanding, an M1EP OC should not be $50 unless the OP is paying to have it done.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
Originally Posted By: Skid
Let's do some basic math.

oil change at 20k - $50 / 20k = 0.25 cents per mile

$50.00 ÷ 20,000 = 0.0025 per mile. What am I missing? Math issues not withstanding, an M1EP OC should not be $50 unless the OP is paying to have it done.

0.0025 dollars = 0.25 cents

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
Originally Posted By: Skid
Let's do some basic math.

oil change at 20k - $50 / 20k = 0.25 cents per mile

$50.00 ÷ 20,000 = 0.0025 per mile. What am I missing? Math issues not withstanding, an M1EP OC should not be $50 unless the OP is paying to have it done.

0.0025 dollars = 0.25 cents
OK; my mistake I am looking at it the wrong way.

 

[simple_gifts]

Most Americans consider decimal points part of the metric system.

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
Originally Posted By: Skid
Let's do some basic math.

oil change at 20k - $50 / 20k = 0.25 cents per mile

$50.00 ÷ 20,000 = 0.0025 per mile. What am I missing? Math issues not withstanding, an M1EP OC should not be $50 unless the OP is paying to have it done.

0.0025 dollars = 0.25 cents
OK; my mistake I am looking at it the wrong way.


People make that mistake so commonly that I interpreted it the same as you. My local deli advertise breakfast sandwiches for $1.79. Extra meat is .50 cents.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
People make that mistake so commonly that I interpreted it the same as you. My local deli advertise breakfast sandwiches for $1.79. Extra meat is .50 cents.
That and I misunderstood where Skid was going with the numbers

 

[mehullica]

Oil won't protect that many miles

 

[gregk24]

I would say you're crazy. It could be done, but the fluids will be spent by the time they are changed. If you don't care about maintenance and caring for your property then go for it! I like maintaining my car, and enjoy keeping up on the fluid changes. Fluid changes are key to keeping it running new for a long time.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
You could have added Infiniti to the list.


No, he wants it to make it to 200k

 

[hpb]

I'd halve the engine oil change interval, all the rest looks ok though. I also wouldn't keep it until 200,000 miles, but there seems to be a minor obsession among BITOGers with doing that.

 

[supton]

I'd do 10k OCI's. But I'm not sure why it has to be a particular brand--aren't all cars good today?