Hey guys, sometime in the near future I will be presenting my car to a mechanic to be checked up, as I hit 66,000 miles yesterday. (Ford taurus 98 wagon.) The rip-off level will determine my ability to buy a Copeland Low D.
What sorts of things do I likely need and not need at this point? I know I need an oil change, air filter, transmission fluid change, and tires rotated.
Do places like Jiffy Lube do all these things or do I need to go to a ‘real’ mechanic? Here in Boise noplace seems to be open on Sundays or late afternoons and since I am leaving town on Thursday for a long weekend, I may need to take off work if I have to go to a ‘real mechanic’…
My Toyotas are at 166K and 175K respectively and I anticipate at least another 100K out of each.
I assume you still have your new vehicle manual. There should be a table in it that shows what services are recommended at each interval. That’s a good starting point.
Actually my mechanic told me that the Taurus is a great car for first 70k miles, then they absolutely explode and will need repairs of between $1500 and $2000 every few months forever. He loves Taurus because they put his kids thru college. So I bought a Honda.
Hmm. Well I will be putting on another 1,200 in trips before I leave Boise, and 2,400 to get back to NY in November. Plus regular trips about town. This may get interesting.
-Most of theservices you listed can be done at a Jiffy-Lube type business with possible exception of tire rotation and actual tune-up stuff like timing or other operating adjustments. The quick-lube shops typically do lube, fluid or filter changes but not electronic tune-ups. The tire rotation can be done by you or by any tire shop or service station, but watch out for intense attempts to sell you new tires.
-Routine service for a vehicle at 60-65K
miles dictates a timing belt change.
-A lot of stuff thought of as tune-up can be done at quick-lube shops, but not all of it.
-Drive carefully.
…and a happy shriek ensued!
[ This Message was edited by: brianormond on 2002-09-15 15:39 ]
-edited for auto maintenance accuracy
[ This Message was edited by: brianormond on 2002-09-15 16:27 ]
Don’t go to an oil-change place. Look for places that advertise 30-60-90 maintenance or ask around for a good mechanic at work. Amont other things, you’ll need a timing belt; I believe the water pump runs off the timing belt, too, so you’d do well to replace it, too. (My MIL was thoroughly steamed when her Escort water pump went about a month after her 60K maintenance, and the shop where she had that done didn’t recommend the WP.) It costs about 50 bucks during the maintenance, but 300 if done as a separate job.
I don’t know how the labor rates are in Boise. but you’re probably looking at $400-1000 (6-10 hours plus parts) from anyplace that does a complete job. It seems like a lot, but I have known quite a few people who have treated their Tauruses well and gotten close to 200K out of them without any repairs other than the usual (brakes, tires, shocks, etc.).
Edit:
Oops! Brians post must’ve shown up while I was composing mine – I’m surprised Tauruses (Or would that be Tauri?) have chains rather than belts. That makes the job quite a bit cheaper.
Charlie
What kind of idiot asks rhetorical questions?
[ This Message was edited by: chas on 2002-09-15 16:16 ]
My wife has a '98 Taurus wagon with just over 100,000 miles on it. So far, it’s just been very low maintenance: oil changes, tires, brakes, and I think 2 coolant changes. It’s due for spark plugs now. There is a timing chain, no belt, and it has never needed any adjustment. It’s a solid, reliable car, if somewhat dull. I wouldn’t worry about being a few thousand miles late on the scheduled maintenance.
Oh I was hoping there would be a chain instead of a belt!
This is good news…because I am going to have to neglect my car for another week or so. I think I will treat it to a nice car wash next Wednesday, hehehe.
(plus then the mechanics won’t be grossed out by the travel dirt…)
Hmmmmmm…almost 90,000 on my '97 Ford Escort Wagon and soon to be making that 1600 mi trek back to TX pulling a 4X6 utility trailer. I always have it checked out before we make the trip at each end and have the trailer checked also. Had a new brake job before we left TX but can’t remember what belts were replaced in the past. Now you have me wondering. At 60,000 plus I took it for a maintenance check at a Ford Dealer in TX and he didn’t seem to know what to do with it. Any suggestions about what I should be doing? Gm
Gm