Originally Posted by The Critic
Currently I change the oil every 5K, replace all fluids (except coolant) every 30K and plugs at the OE Interval. Any oil leaks or seeps are immediately dealt with. Any normal-wear issue is addressed.
But on my next car...
Once out of warranty, I would base my maintenance schedule on the vehicle's current resale value. With labor rates being over $150/hr in my area (and many others), it is simply not economically feasible to "maintain" a high mileage vehicle, especially economy ones.
When in-warranty, I would of course follow the OEM maintenance schedule. Once out of warranty, I would only keep the car in good condition for as long as the vehicle has a reasonable resale value. For instance, it does not make sense to spend thousands to repair normal-wear items (struts, oil leaks, engine mounts, spark plugs, etc) unless they are safety-related if your 120K mile-old car is only worth $5K. I think vehicles have always had a designed service life, but nowadays, it is more evident than ever. I would also plan on sell/trading by 150K.
Pretty much this. My Caliber is at 94k, and I honestly could not care less that the sway bar bushings are rattling around. I'm the only person who drives it, and it only gets driven at most 100 miles a week. But I keep an eye on everything else, the rest of it's all still nice and tight. There's cardboard between the radiator and condenser because it's been cold and I can't be bothered to actually replace the thermostats in the cold... I'll get around to it eventually.
As for the family car, I keep up with that. If something needs addressed, I'm addressing it and addressing it properly, unlike the Caliber. It's also my "I feel like going for a drive" car, because it makes me feel "classy AF!"