Since you are a frugal expert I am shocked that you are on a 80k rotation. If this is your philosophy I recommend a 95-100k rotation. You'll beat spark plugs replacement, timing belt replacement, and the second replacement of brakes and tires. Probably a first or second battery replacement as well.

Playing this out a bit further, and since you don't follow maintenance schedules, with your willingness to pay for oil and brakes you could easily go to 120k or 160k

Guess I have been lucky with timing belts, routinely get well over 100,000 miles

I'll consider it, if I don't need to make any long trips. I just don't feel safe on a long trip with a high mileage vehicle.

We have routinely gotten well over 200,000 miles on our Camry's. Only one major expense I recall transmission after 200,000 and car got us to over 300,000.

When I change my own oil I let the car sit up on the ramps and drain out for an hour or two. Gets more of the old oil out. At a shop they put the plug back in the pan pretty quick.

Got over 450 thousand commuting miles on my old manual transmission Acura Integra back in the 1990’s. Changed the oil religiously every 3,000 miles with dinosaur oil. Had to replace the brakes, tires, clutch, and timing belt more than once, but never had a single engine problem. Now I use high quality synthetic oil and a quality oil filter and change the oil every 10 thousand miles.

Toyota requires 0w16 on new cars

The cost of repairs which can extend a car's life by years, are cheap versus a new car.

I am about on the exact same schedule as you,
* change oil every 5,000 ($100 max per change)
* Buy new tires just before wear bars show (speed rated H tires for higher safety rating in summer)
Get front end alignment with new tires to minimize wear. ($150 estimate)
* Brakes when pads nearly worn out, or one wears out , generally at 60K miles
Get front end alignment after new brakes installed ($150 estimate)
* change batteries every four years, get largest battery which can fit ,not OEM
helpful with always on electronics battery drainage, especially in winter
* Radiator hoses changed when changing batteries. .
* Timing belt changed maybe depending upon expected life
* Check transmission oil level every 100K miles


I easily get over 100K / 6-7 years (@20K per year) out of the car, limited by body rust in the NE or other minor mechanical / cosmetic issues but won't go much past 140K miles
due the potential multiple increase in mechanical issues. . .

I haven't had any safety issues, not sure how you classify safety issues. .
never had a major engine repair bill either. . . unless you call a tire blowout due to huge pot hole, or other road issues. . .


car repair guy

It’s pretty much a necessity to have a four wheel drive truck where we live part time up north. I just made the decision to sink a few grand into my Nissan Frontier, that has well over 150K miles on it, after being shocked by the price of new trucks these days. Other considerations in deciding to drop the coin to keep the old truck in good shape is that the money needed to put into it is less than just the sales tax I would have to pay on a new one, not even taking into account the outrageous excise tax I would have to pay the first few years on a new truck. Plus, I love my very simple and basic older truck, unlike the new ones that are basically a computer on wheels. We will be driving my wife’s newer Honda HRV instead of the truck going forward on the couple times per year 2,750 mile round trip drive between our homes. I’m going to miss all the extra room in the truck and the acceleration power during those long drives. Hopefully the truck will last until we downsize and I won’t need it anymore. After seeing how much rust is under the truck I am now wishing I didn’t air down the tires and drive it on the beaches at Cape Cod all those summers, oh well?

I get the sentiment, i love our truck as well for the trips.

But too much rust is too risky for big bills. . I put a car on blocks all winter on Cape Cod, and the entire brake system had to be rebuilt. . waste of money for trying to save money. .

I don't buy new vehicles though, only first two vehicles were new, being young, otherwise, 2-3 year old cars with 20-30K miles. . but i get that today's used car market is hosed due to working from home just made cars last 3 years longer before getting turned in for a new one based upon mileage / age. Leases were bought out because it was much cheaper than buying a new car.

If you shop around, there might be a steal here or there on a good 3 year old truck . .

sportsguy

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