mmarshall

Agreed. It is true that you can tell a lot about a car, on the surface, in just 20-30 minutes, on a test-drive (I don't agree with those who say you can't). BUT, to gauge long-term durability, nothing can replace long-term use in the hands of customers. You can't just guess how long something is going to last.....and that is why automakers, today, spend so much time and money testing components for many thousands of miles, in extreme conditions, though even that doesn't necessarily guarantee reliability in the hands of customers..

And that's one reason why I like Consumer Reports' reliability data so much, though auto-enthusiast magazines also routinely do Four-Seasons and long-term tests (usually to 40-50K....100K is unusual). Road & Track, more so than C&D, Motor Trend, etc..... and the rest of the "enthusiast" mags, also keeps a limited data base on specific vehicle satisfaction rates and problem areas, but it is nothing like that or Consumer Reports or J.D. Power.

Och

iTrader: (3)

They should take several cars and test them for as long as they last with NO maintenance. Nothing - not even oil changes.

This is pretty much what some people do when they lease cars. My parents once leased an MDX and it lasted over 70k miles with no oil changes, and still ran perfect when they returned it

mmarshall

..........And the engine decides to seize, from lack of oil, high up in the Rockies, or in the AZ desert 100 miles from nowhere? Or, even worse, in the middle of a gang-infested big city?

rld14

You're correct with a caveat. You are not required to service your car at an authorized dealership, however, you are required to maintain the car per the manufacturer's schedule and should you use aftermarket or non-approved parts/fluids/etc and they cause a failure, the manufacturer is within their rights to deny a warranty claim.

In other words, if you use a cheap Chinese oil filter and it causes engine failure, expect the manufacturer to tell you to pound sand.

mmarshall

Yes, thanks, that part I knew. Maintaining the car according to the service/inspection schedule (the manufacturer's schedule, not necessarily the dealer's), and using either factory or factory-equivalent parts, applies not only to Hyundai, but to all automakers. Of course, as you point out, if you use a Lee, Purolator, Fram, etc...oil filter instead of a Hyundai-approved one, install it correctly, and the O-ring fails and lets the oil leak out and seize the engine, Hyundai may not accept the warranty claim for a new engine...your beef will then likely be with the oil-filter maker, maybe in court.


The problem was that (supposedly, because I never actually heard it myself), some Hyundai shops were restricting the warranty-requirements to only official Hyundai parts/service, which, under the Magnuson-Moss act, is illegal.

Mv350

iTrader: (23)

this shouldnt be to bad putting a 100k on a new car. my buddies 92 accord that he drives every once in awhile has 250k on the odo. and we beat the **** outta the car. change oil, brakes, tires, and put gas in it. thats it, and it runs like a fricking champ.

I8ABMR

I wonder if the added complexities of the more modern cars will make them more prone to issues as the car ages

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Inevitably, yes.

But car's technologies change more rapidly than in the past. A tech-savvy car (especially niche cars like electric and hybrid cars) will be obsolete in less than 10 years...

<VENOM>

This is an 09 Maxima that was driven 27k before it started smoking and running weird, owner was a young girl who forgot to change the oil, as a last resort she had the oil and filter changed, and somehow got a bunch of fake receipts.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...1909372&page=1

I8ABMR

trust me when I say the owner who got the car after your parents got totally screwed on the vehicle.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Well, thats always a risk when buying an used car, you dont know what you'll get. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get totally screwed.

I8ABMR

70k with no oil change isnt poor maintenance . Its just total disregard for the vehicle. Just imagine missing 14 oil changes.

lexjohnny

sorry, but that's the most insane thing i've ever heard. 70k miles? what were they thinking?

<VENOM>

no car will make it 70k without oil changes, it probably had had a change every 15-20k to make it to 70k

one of the reason I left the auto trade behind, certain people especially those who refuse to change the oil, when they do bring the car into the dealer/shop, they don't want to pay for anything and they want everything repaired like new, also some of the hardest people to deal with, nothing like dealing with someone who is convinced they change the oil, they just made up a lie, and believe it no matter what

no oil changes leads to **** poor gas mileage, fill ups every other day and barely hitting double digits

I8ABMR

oil changes are so cheap and relatively easy to have done so I was surprised someone would say they went that long with no oil changes. I cant even imagine doing that to a car wether its leased or not