General Car Conversation 2024 - part 1
#5896
Lexus Champion
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The way I always look at this is... if you deviate from what the manufacturer recommends, whatever happens after that is on you.
Now, there are some cases where the manufacturer's recommendation is not great - for example, stating the transmission fluid in many Lexus models is a "lifetime fluid". I don't think it takes a degree in engineering to figure out that the transmission fluid is... uh, doing a lot, and thus, it is getting heat-cycled and broken down over time. It makes sense to replace it every few years/10's of 1000's of miles.
Now, there are some cases where the manufacturer's recommendation is not great - for example, stating the transmission fluid in many Lexus models is a "lifetime fluid". I don't think it takes a degree in engineering to figure out that the transmission fluid is... uh, doing a lot, and thus, it is getting heat-cycled and broken down over time. It makes sense to replace it every few years/10's of 1000's of miles.
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#5898
Lexus Champion
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Done with the octane debate please. I’ll report back after 3 tanks of premium.
Regarding transmission fluid swaps it’s a good idea to do drain and fills, but there are tons of cars out there with 250k miles on them where the fluid hasn’t been touched and the transmissions are still fine. In that case I would leave it alone.
Regarding transmission fluid swaps it’s a good idea to do drain and fills, but there are tons of cars out there with 250k miles on them where the fluid hasn’t been touched and the transmissions are still fine. In that case I would leave it alone.
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#5899
Lexus Test Driver
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I've been doing 10k oil changes on my F-150 using Mobil 1 full synthetic(except for the most recent change done at a Ford dealer, they use synth blends).
BMW says the transmission fluid is a lifetime fluid in the ZF8. ZF says 60k. I'm going to go with ZF on that one. I'll probably also take it in for an oil change here shortly, it's at about 6k since the last one. Computer is telling me 4k more, but a B58 is going to be a bit more costly to replace than a coyote, so I'll spend the $100 and just get it done. Then I think I'll throw some new plugs in it and get to tuning.
BMW says the transmission fluid is a lifetime fluid in the ZF8. ZF says 60k. I'm going to go with ZF on that one. I'll probably also take it in for an oil change here shortly, it's at about 6k since the last one. Computer is telling me 4k more, but a B58 is going to be a bit more costly to replace than a coyote, so I'll spend the $100 and just get it done. Then I think I'll throw some new plugs in it and get to tuning.
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#5900
Lexus Test Driver
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I change my oil every 3-5k.
Only because I'm making amends for all the engines I abused and killed. Lol
Didn't care when I always traded out my cars every 2 or 3 years. Bah, who needs fluid changes. Lol
Only because I'm making amends for all the engines I abused and killed. Lol
Didn't care when I always traded out my cars every 2 or 3 years. Bah, who needs fluid changes. Lol
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#5901
Lead Lap
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When I bought my 1994 GS300 in 2002, it had 59k miles on it and the transmission drain and fill had just been performed. When I had the timing belt etc. done at 90k, I asked the shop owner/technician to check the transmission fluid. It was black and after 30k miles, it shouldn’t be. I ended up having a trans drain and fill done at every 8k miles (every other oil change) and then at 177k when it needed a head gasket (not cheap, but the car was heavily cosmetically modified and was worthless with a blown head gasket, so I had it replaced), I had the trans drain and fill done at every oil change. I figured the transmission was the most expensive potential failure item, so I wanted to prevent that from happening. I sold the car in 2015 with 222k on it. The buyer is a pretty well known guy in SoCal car culture. He had 31 cars in his collection including the GS. He eventually sold it and I don’t really know what happened to it after that, but I hope it’s still in nice shape.
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#5902
Lexus Champion
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None of our three cars get anywhere near 10k miles per year on them, so I have them each changed once a year. Highlander gets driven about 4k per year, Tundra about 7k per year, and GS about 1k per year.
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#5903
Lexus Champion
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I change the oil yearly on the MB but don’t care about time on my Lexuses.
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#5905
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You don't either vehicle with the 18 year old 5.7 that went into hundreds of thousands of trucks asking for 87, yet I can't find one instance of engine damage caused by cheap fuel and I've looked.
And nobody's fighting, I'm not. I just said it's absurd to suggest I'm missing 40ft/lbs of torque at 2500 RPM. I've run premium before and felt no difference. It's got a full tank of premium and we switched cars this week so I'll be driving the LX.
And nobody's fighting, I'm not. I just said it's absurd to suggest I'm missing 40ft/lbs of torque at 2500 RPM. I've run premium before and felt no difference. It's got a full tank of premium and we switched cars this week so I'll be driving the LX.
That’s my mentality, maintain the car at least the way the manufacturer recommends. When something is “lifetime” you have to ask yourself what do they consider the vehicles life? Is it 150,000 miles? Probably. So if you want to keep it longer than 150,000 miles you are going to be well served by changing that fluid. Same with oil change intervals. If you’re going to keep it for 100k+ you should change the oil more often than every 10k
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#5907
Lexus Fanatic
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Transmission fluid was never changed in my old Tundra after 230k miles. After 100k I said f it. And I did 10k oil changes in it (once went 15k) and 10k oil changes in Prius (it just hit 151k miles) and it runs just fine. My Tundra next oil change will be after 5k miles because I like to change the oil on nearest 10 thousand number like 30k 40k 50k. Easier for me to remember.
Everybody else, change your transmission fluid and consider doing sooner than 10k oil changes lol
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#5909
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You’re saying what could happen and I’m telling you what has happened in my experience and I’m sure a lot others as well…it’s not going to die and it will still perform!!
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#5910
Lexus Test Driver
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I move on to the next.
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