When it comes down to maintenance on a car most everyone does certain things exactly when they’re due, such as oil changes every 3K miles, rotating tires every other oil change, etc. But when it comes to the items like changing timing belt, fuel filters, plugs & wires, tranny fluid change, air filters, etc. how many of you guys do it exactly when OEM specs call for it? I think most people usually do that kind of stuff on their own time and don’t follow the recommended change times since they are either too much of a pain or they figure change intervals greatly depend on the way or amount they drive. Agree?

 

It depends. Some of that stuff I wouldn't want to fool around with though, the timing belt in particular. If that goes, that means having your car towed and a pretty nasty $$$$ repair bill.

 

I usually follow a schedule, but once off warranty it is my own schedule. I do oil changes twice a year or 12k miles whichever comes first. I do the timing belt roughly on time (slacking on the Tib, but finally bought the kit at least). I had the timing belt snap on my red Accent, it was easier/cheaper to replace the engine with a low mileage unit than to fix the bent valves.

 

whatever you do NEVER EVER for the love of "god" replace your engine as preventative maintenance. It's just going to cause problems. WE have seen if first hand, not our car but a friends car.

 

That was somewhat hilarious. I tried and tried to talk her out of doing it, but she was dead set on replacing her perfectly good, but high mileage Beta I with a lower mileage junkyard engine. It was a nightmare for her, and led to eventually abandoning the RD and getting something new. To add injury to insult, she paid a shop to do the swap lol. And they messed it all up.



Unless you're building some sort of awesome new engine, wait for your engine to have problems before replacing it.