My Dodge dealer (an the owner's manual) both say I need to have certain services performed at certain mileage points or at certain time intervals. I understand the mileage, but I fail to understand the time intervals.

My wife & I put very little mileage on a vehicle, typically between 4,000 and 5,000 miles a year per vehicle (she has a 2012 Acura TL).

The Acura dealer says they only want to see her car at the specific mileage intervals, every 7,500 miles, not on any specific calendar intervals. Her Acura is presently 11 months old but with only 4,300 miles on it. We stopped by the Acura dealer today and were told, "Nope, nothing due yet, come back when you get 7,500 miles on it" (in other words, come back & see us next year).

By comparison, the Dodge stealership wants to see my truck (or perhaps it's my wallet they want to see) every 6,000 miles or every 6 months, whichever happens first. WHY? I think that's bull****! I understand the mileage intervals and am perfectly fine with that. I am not "fine" with the calendar intervals. Oil filters and Synthetic oil does not break down with age and with driving only 500 or so miles a monthl the inspection points (brake linings, etc.) are not going to be wearing out. (I'd be more concerned with the battery.)

Interestingly, the Dodge/Chrysler warranty requirements mention nothing about any calendar intervals, only specific service items being performed at specific mileage intervals.

Based on my reading of the terms & requirements of the Chrysler Maximum Care Ext'd warranty I purchased, I think Mr. Dealer is going to have an opportunity to kiss my entire a** and will only be seeing me at the required mileage intervals.

What are yall's thoughts?

 

Most maint intervals are time and mileage sensitive. Better recheck the warranty/maint schedules.

Stuff breaks down over time, as well as mileage.

 

I wouldn't be going into them every six months, they are out of there mind. For instance, I am coming up on my diff fluid change, spark plug change....you think I am taking it to them? No way... I'll purchase the stuff and keep the receipts and do it all myself. Changing your own engine oil can't void your warranty if you are using oil that meets the required specs. Keep the receipts...

I bought my 2009 RAM in early May 2011 w/ 7,800 miles on her, they pushed for me to buy to buy the extended plan and I refused repeatedly... I got the 3yr 36 bumper to bumper than 6 yr 60 power train since it was certified pre-owned.

 

Thanks.

My 2010 was not CPO, it was an early lease return due to a bankruptcy (14 mo & 16.5k miles) and came through the auto auction, but according to Mfr records there is no history of any of the required 6k and 12k maintenance having ever been performed, though some of it surely has to have been as the oil on the dipstick is clean & there is a non-Mopar oil filter on it. Everything on the truck is immaculate, though there were a lot of gouges & scratches in the bed, as you would expect. No problem there since I just had an Xtreme liner sprayed in (which required major scuffing-up of the bed).

I am 65 and no longer feel like changing my own oil, so the dealer will no doubt inherit that task when mileage says it's due. The time intervals are BS - if unnecessary on a $50k Acura with 11½ to 1 compression, they're sure as the dickens unnecessary on a $30k truck, else the truck is junk. I'll continue with the required mileage intervals (if only to remain on speaking terms with the dealer) but probably pencil-whip the stupid, dealership receivables-embellishing calendar-required intervals.

Also, as soon as these crap Goodyears wear out (which won't be much longer from the looks of them - Jesus...) I'll get a set of Michelin LTX @ Discount Tire and let them do the rotations. Just waiting for a sale now.

I just do not believe in changing oil & filter that doesn't need changed, just because of some arbitrary date on the calendar. With modern synthetic lubricants to do otherwise is foolish.

 

I'd make sure to be looking at the oil as well. My wife is in the same boat, brand new cars every 5 years or so and she drives 5K a year. I take it in twice a year and have the oil changed - because all of the short cold trips she does (6 miles to work) really makes the oil look like crap. Mfg change interval is 6K. In our case it doesn't bother me since it came with 3 years of free oil changes (based on 4 a year). So we'll have oil changes left long after she is ready to trade in.

On my truck, I'll go the full 5K on an oil change since mine is a lot of highway and 5K is 2 months or less. The dealer always has a coupon going so the oil change costs about $26

 

Coolant and brake fluid are both moisture sensitive, so they do need to be serviced by either time or mileage! Coolant has corrsosion inhibitors that break down over time. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture like a sponge. Both systems even when they are completely sealed still obtain moisture inside. It's called Vapor and Dew point.

Also, as stated directly above....Short trips aren't good for oil as moisture forms inside and cannot vent out the top because of the short duration trips and limited amount of heat. I'll let my truck run for 40minutes sometimes if it's been more than a month sitting there not driven, but I'll certainly use MY OWN oil change schedule and not any books schedule!
I have 10kmi on my 2008. I will be flushing my coolant out next summer at the 5yr mark. I certainly am not going to make it to 100kmi on the mileage end, but the coolant has had 4yrs so far worth of unsealed out of the bottle elements exposure. The last thing I want if to have deposits through my coolant system to start causing rust! I'll probably flush the brake fluid out this summer using DOT4 Synthetic as it has higher heat stability and resists moisture more than the OEM installed Dot3 so it'll last a little longer.
The rest of the fluids are perfectly suitable to stay in there until they are due.

Coolant is due every 5yrs/100kmi
Brake fluid is due every 3yr/60kmi even though it's not listed in the maintenance schdule of the book??? Guys ever wonder why your brakes are getting squishy, especially when towing?? Look below!

 

Dirty dog has hit it... the fluids in your car break down with time. The additive package in your oil will break down as will the other things. Fluids get contaminated.

Your Acura is suffering in silence from neglect.

 

6 months because they figure if you are going less miles you are making short trips and not bringing the oil up to temp often and burning out the water/fuel. If you drive the truck 6 months a year hard then park it or take many long trips then park it for a few weeks in between then its different, but they dont care about that.

They changed the schedule recently, my 2010 was 6K/6mos and the 2012 says 8K/6mos. They even gave me 'free' maintenance' for two years which is four oil changes (max 30,00) and thats pretty much it. Same oil, same truck, most likely being eco-friendly.

Funny thing is my old M3 BMW was 6months/7K for the oil change in the manual. It came with the 'free maintenance' and oddly enough, since the oil/filter costs about 190.00, they changed the schedule to needing the oil changed every 7000 miles or once a year lol.

Either way if it says 6 months on the schedule I would follow it, dealer doesnt have to do the oil changes. I always do my own, keep the receipts, check the fluid they say to check, look for leaks and if I see anything it goes to the dealer and they fix it under warranty. I seldom do any more than the manual says, if you do that for 100K miles its Dodge's problem.

 

Thanks all.

I understand fully about the dealerships wanting to embellish their receivables and then taking advantage of your vehicle being in their shop to try to up-sell you on additional services that are neither required or needed (nor in some cases even adviseable). I think that more than anything is why I so very much hate going in to the dealership for anything, warranty or non... "Shop supplies" is another up-charge that grindles me. Shop rags, the solvent tank, gasket sealer & uniforms are all the cost of doing business.

I also understand the concept/argument made about short trips. No, we do not make a lot of short trips. We just don't make a lot of trips, period. When we do make a shopping run, it's 30 miles (round trip) to the Sams & WalMart we use. The grocery store is closer, but the nearest major mall that we prefer to shop at is another 30 miles round trip. Unlike a lot of today's younger families we aren't constantly going thither & yon. We plan our trips and purchase enough to last at least a week or longer, compared to the younger generation who stop at the grocery almost daily yet eat-out for most of their meals.

We'll also run up to see the grandkids at our Son & Daughter-in-law's place in Dallas (490 miles round-trip) a couple times a year. The Acura TL with it's short wheelbase & sportiness is fun to drive, but beats our old bones & kidneys to death on a road trip, so we're actually looking forward to making the next trip in the truck.

The bottom line is that we just don't put very many total miles on our vehicles over the course of a year & the Dodge dealership wants to nickel-dime us to death with these damned twice-a-year oil changes.

Wait until you are our age and living on a fixed income. Your tune will change.

 

Its all about the benjamins brotha.