People who don't do preventative maintenance ok ?

[Russell]

I over-maintian my old BMW butit breaks anyway. However the items that break are are more age and high mileage related. I have over 213,000 miles. However, it sitll has the orginal engine, starter, alternator, fuel injection system, differential and steering components. Now which of these will break first?

I will just fix and go on.

 

[Challenger71]

I'm with tpitcher.

You cant justify those that do little or no maintenance on their vehicles with any amount of logic. The contention is that just because a vehicle appears to run/operate OK in situations like this does not mean the vehicle is in pristine operating condition. It only indicates the vehicle is at the far left of the spectrum for "operating". Meaning it runs, but just enough to function. Most BITOGERs are on or want to be on the far right of the spectrum range, at optimum.


Originally Posted By: tpitcher
Yea, some people want as little outflow of cash (or concern) as possible.

There's tolerance built in with the cars (and society) to withstand that, but sometime, it'll catch up with them...

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: dparm

Sometimes I think people just flat out forget because "the car still drives fine".


With some vehicles, I have at times wished I could do this.

I also want to point out that just because a car is dirty or has some minor cosmetic damage doesn't mean it's neglected in other ways. My previous ended up with a scratched bumper due to a stupid parking lot incident and I never got it fixed. Not because I didn't care about the car (I did) or didn't maintain it (I certainly did), just because I didn't care about the scratch on the bumper.

 

[hattaresguy]

One of my attorney's is like that. He leases a new E350 4Matic every 2 years and in the 30k he has it, its lucky to see a Jiffy Lube once or twice.

But he is a good customer so the dealer doesn't nail him for the missed services.

OTOH he makes so much that it really is a waste of his time to concern himself with a vehicle. I mean if he were to take it to the dealer it would burn up at least an hour as he picks up his loaner, and he could charge for that hour with a client.

That's why a lot of hedge fund guys buy a new car ever 3-6 months. I know of one who orders a 911 and picks it up, as he orders another. Only keeps the car 3-5 months, and doesn't do anything, at all in the 10k he owns it.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Those are also the same people that get offended when they do bring it in for an oil change and we honestly try to tell them what needs fixing on their car. Then they call us crooks and accuse us of being a stealership.

I had a guy like that when I worked at Sears Auto Center, literally it was some of the worst brakes I have seen in my life. The caliper pistons were hanging out because they wore through the pads and had wore out the back side of the rotor to the vanes. Wanted us to just slap pads on it and go.


Yep, a lot of these people who "do nothing" to their cars actually do have a lot of problems they don't notice. Just because the car can make it down the road does not mean all is well.

 

[Tdbo]

To some degree, I just attribute it to our throwaway society, financial irresponsibility and the need of some people to have new vehicles for the status of it.

People like my Brother-in-law just blow my mind. He had a four year old Golf GTI that needed $700. worth of work. His solution: trade it off on a new Beetle. His justification: his payments are now lower. Haven't yet heard yet how many additional months his payments are now lower for.

This after a trip to Consumer Credit Counseling Services three months prior for a credit repayment plan because he pretty much maxed out his credit cards and couldn't keep up with the payments.

Since they put a credit freeze on the cards, guess that he didn't have the $700 for the repairs. Not sure that I even want to know what the APR is on that loan.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Those are also the same people that get offended when they do bring it in for an oil change and we honestly try to tell them what needs fixing on their car. Then they call us crooks and accuse us of being a stealership.

I had a guy like that when I worked at Sears Auto Center, literally it was some of the worst brakes I have seen in my life. The caliper pistons were hanging out because they wore through the pads and had wore out the back side of the rotor to the vanes. Wanted us to just slap pads on it and go.


Yep, a lot of these people who "do nothing" to their cars actually do have a lot of problems they don't notice. Just because the car can make it down the road does not mean all is well.


Absolutely correct.

An acquaintance has an old CD5 Accord DX. It has four different tires on it, to the best of my knowledge the timing belt has never been changed, there are grooves on the rotors where it went metal to metal and new pads were slapped on, the oil was changed whenever he remembers to, as far as I know it's the original wireset and who knows which bargain "SPECIAL $24.99 TUNE-UP" plugs are in it. I'm not even mentioning the neglect to the rest of the car. I do not believe it has ever been washed or vacuumed.

I could not own a car in that condition. He's just one example. Honestly, 7 out of 10 BMW drivers that come into my shop have some persistant neglect problem and they just won't attend to it. (They are not real automotive enthusiasts, I think they just like the prestige of the BMW)

The transmission just failed on the Accord. I'm honestly afraid to ask when he changed the fluid last. I imagine the conversation will go like:
"My brother said there's no pan under there so it can't be changed."
"There's a drain plug. Hondas are super easy because there is no pan to remove."
"Well, why haven't I ever heard of this?"
"I'm sure everytime you went to Jiffy Lube they suggested a transmission service."
"That costs hundreds of dollars!"
"Doesn't have to."

 

[Cutehumor]

most folks budget their entire paycheck on a monthly basis. so if unexpected 2000 trans rebuild shows up. they don't have the money. so it's easier to trade it in and have their car payment go up 50 bucks a month then swallow a 2000 dollar trans rebuild

 

[Cutehumor]

also, I think the goal of most people in debt is to die and owe 100k in credit card debt when their 80+ years old. get tons of stuff for free it can't haunt them on the other side or could it?

it partly explains why these 80 year old people who defaulted on their home loan can't pay it. when they have lived in their home for almost 50 years, taking out those home equity loans as free money burnt them. now they are on TV begging for public sympathy

 

[buickman50401]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl

Yep, a lot of these people who "do nothing" to their cars actually do have a lot of problems they don't notice. Just because the car can make it down the road does not mean all is well.

They don't even have to be "problem" problems.

Could be as simple as "Gee I'm getting horrible gas mileage in this car. Its supposed to get at least 20 in town and I barely get 15"... Ignores the horribly under-inflated tires, that half the oil in the car has the consistency of tar, and that the air filter looks like its spent time in a race truck in the desert.

 

[The Critic]

Or, the person could be like my dad, who thinks that because it is an "old car" and not worth more than a few hundred bucks, it is not worth the money to do any maintenance.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Donald
My guess is most cars go to the junk yard with original PS fluid in them.

I think a lot of people get oil changed at 3000 miles but thats the extent of it. Everything else is when it breaks or when its obvious like bald tires and the brake pad wear indicator making a noise.


The original everything but motor oil. Every time I go to the junkyard, I pull the dipstick on the auto trans and look in the coolant reservoir ... most of these cars have never had it changed.

I know someone who is a "car guy". He goes to the local community college for auto mechanic. He honestly and truely believes that the low oil pressure light is the sign to change the oil. The last time I was in his vehicle he had 12k on a quick lube oil change.

 

[Russell]

First thing i do when I buy a used car is change every fluid in the car unless I have proof that a procedure was done recently. For that matter I insist on records and owner's manual and related. I typically buy from an individual so this is more than helpful.

BTW, I flush the ps and brake fluid in my BMW about every 30,000 miles. Still have the OE PS pump and blake calipers/lines. Possibly good luck?

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
One of my attorney's is like that. He leases a new E350 4Matic every 2 years and in the 30k he has it, its lucky to see a Jiffy Lube once or twice.

But he is a good customer so the dealer doesn't nail him for the missed services.

OTOH he makes so much that it really is a waste of his time to concern himself with a vehicle. I mean if he were to take it to the dealer it would burn up at least an hour as he picks up his loaner, and he could charge for that hour with a client.


He doesn't do it because he leases the car and doesn't care about the next owner, not because he's concerned with the time it takes to get the OC done. There are mobil oil change services that will come to you, and they take 5 minutes of your time.

 

[hattaresguy]

Meh its the next owners problem. Buyer beware.

 

[Propflux01]

I just notice that if a car gets totalled in accident, the OCD PM people like me don't get much if any extra for condition than those who just gas theirs up and drive it all it's life. Makes me so angry too, especially when they whine that their car is a POS bcs it broke down over something that could have been PM'd long ago

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Tim H.
I just notice that if a car gets totalled in accident, the OCD PM people like me don't get much if any extra for condition than those who just gas theirs up and drive it all it's life. Makes me so angry too, especially when they whine that their car is a POS bcs it broke down over something that could have been PM'd long ago


The valuation is a reflection of society's general attitude. Mechanical condition be [censored], all that matters is how shiny it is and if you can sync it to your phone for apps.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Actually I have gotten a nice extra added on for a stolen car once. Many insurance companies make the first offer as low as they ca and see if you will accept it.

Squawk a bit and they may offer more!