Maintenance Suggestions
Maintenance Suggestions I have a 2000 WS6 that i bought new in 2000. I currently have 20k miles on it and have never really done any maintenance besides oil changes and air filter. The car sits mostly winters but I have never had a problem starting it or mainly just the battery being dead once. I want to do some good service to freshen it all up and keep it running strong, what do you guys suggest. One mechanic told me just go by the mileage and dont change plugs, etc..if its running ok. What about coolant, etc...brake fluid....any suggestins welcome!!!
thanks guys
thanks guys
I replaced pretty much everything at about 19,000 miles on my car. Plugs, Wires, Fuel filter, Coolant etc. Maybe I didn't need to. But I mainly did it for peace of mind. I would suggest flushing your fluids out every so often so you know your car has everything fresh in it.
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From: Knappa, Oregon
Remember that the car is 7 years old regardless of how much it has been driven. They just tell you that the plugs will last 100,000 miles. They don't last that long. I would change them. And wires at the same time. You really do need to change the fuel filter though. It should be done every year. Coolant I'm doing soon on mine, yours is old too. Brake fluid is no need to flush. Worry about that if you do a major brake job/line change or something like that. And your battery is 7 years old. Doesn't matter how many miles, it's time is up. Get a new one and possibly upgrade to better than stock. Other than that, the serpentine belt that runs everything migh be a good change.
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From: Boston, MA
You should change tranny fluid if it's an auto, battery is not a bad idea for $50, plugs and wires on a stock motor will last 90k easy...ask me how i know, do coolant now or you can just wait for the pump to go...and it will go.
Front and rear brake are getting pretty thin by now if you do a lot of stop and go, highway they are fine.
Replace the gear lube in the differential w/ synthetic.
That's about it...drive and enjoy.
Front and rear brake are getting pretty thin by now if you do a lot of stop and go, highway they are fine.
Replace the gear lube in the differential w/ synthetic.
That's about it...drive and enjoy.
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by ghardester
Remember that the car is 7 years old regardless of how much it has been driven. They just tell you that the plugs will last 100,000 miles. They don't last that long. I would change them. And wires at the same time. You really do need to change the fuel filter though. It should be done every year. Coolant I'm doing soon on mine, yours is old too. Brake fluid is no need to flush. Worry about that if you do a major brake job/line change or something like that. And your battery is 7 years old. Doesn't matter how many miles, it's time is up. Get a new one and possibly upgrade to better than stock. Other than that, the serpentine belt that runs everything migh be a good change.
Only thing that I would tend to disagree with would be the wires. I agree that plugs do need to be changed because they will get carbon fouled with a lot of short trip driving, but the wires don't really age the same. Heat, weathering, and useage (miles) is what ages wires. At 20k miles and 7 years old, you can still get plenty more out of them. Mine are stock with 14k miles and 9 years on them, and still doing fine (no misfires, car starts & runs perfect). They are still soft and flexible, no cracks, etc.
Originally Posted by Greggy
Front and rear brake are getting pretty thin by now if you do a lot of stop and go, highway they are fine.
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From: Boston, MA
Quote...I disagree with that. Even doing around town driving, at 20k miles the pads should be just fine. You should be able to get 40k miles out of stock pads doing city driving (at least I usually do), even more out of the rear pads. That is unless you tend to really abuse/ride your brakes or do a lot of high speed panic stops.[/QUOTE]
Drive in Boston every day and you will eat brakes...but I agree that easy use should yield 40k on most pads.
Why would you be carbon fouling plugs on a stock type motor. These are compter controlled fuel injected motors. My plugs were perfect after 90k. The gap had widened to .7 from .6 with no problems. You should never drive a car for only short trips.
Drive in Boston every day and you will eat brakes...but I agree that easy use should yield 40k on most pads.
Why would you be carbon fouling plugs on a stock type motor. These are compter controlled fuel injected motors. My plugs were perfect after 90k. The gap had widened to .7 from .6 with no problems. You should never drive a car for only short trips.
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by Greggy
Drive in Boston every day and you will eat brakes...but I agree that easy use should yield 40k on most pads.
Why would you be carbon fouling plugs on a stock type motor. These are compter controlled fuel injected motors. My plugs were perfect after 90k. The gap had widened to .7 from .6 with no problems. You should never drive a car for only short trips.
Why would you be carbon fouling plugs on a stock type motor. These are compter controlled fuel injected motors. My plugs were perfect after 90k. The gap had widened to .7 from .6 with no problems. You should never drive a car for only short trips.
For some people, short trips are unaviodable. Like my wife, she works 1.5 miles from home.
Carbon build-up can happen even on a stock, EFI motor. That's why it's good to get the car out on the expressway for some spirited driving every so often.
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From: Boston, MA
1.5 miles twice a day is bad. If the plugs come out fouled, I wonder what the rest of the combustion chamber looks like. Fuel contamination of the oil must be a real issue as well.
But really, with normal conditons and some hard driving once and a while, the stock irridium or platinum plugs will last. Unless you have a plug failure in which you will have driveabilty issues, if not missfire codes.
But really, with normal conditons and some hard driving once and a while, the stock irridium or platinum plugs will last. Unless you have a plug failure in which you will have driveabilty issues, if not missfire codes.
Originally Posted by Greggy
1.5 miles twice a day is bad. If the plugs come out fouled, I wonder what the rest of the combustion chamber looks like. Fuel contamination of the oil must be a real issue as well.
But really, with normal conditons and some hard driving once and a while, the stock irridium or platinum plugs will last. Unless you have a plug failure in which you will have driveabilty issues, if not missfire codes.
But really, with normal conditons and some hard driving once and a while, the stock irridium or platinum plugs will last. Unless you have a plug failure in which you will have driveabilty issues, if not missfire codes.
I appreciate all the help guys, so basically I think im gonna do coolant, fuel filter, plugs, air filter, brakes are ok I think, and oil change/filter!
The good thing about it is it definately won't hurt anything to do all of that stuff even if it doesn't need it. I feel like my car appreciates it after I do small things here and there. My car and I have a great relationship 
Sometimes my wife gets in the way.
Sometimes my wife gets in the way. 
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From: St. Joseph, MO
Originally Posted by Greggy
You should change tranny fluid if it's an auto, battery is not a bad idea for $50, plugs and wires on a stock motor will last 90k easy...ask me how i know,
my plugs were still OK at 125k. I replaced them with original AC Delco type, I saw no reason to switch to something else. I wouldn't even think about changing them at 20k unless you had reason to believe there is a problem.
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From: The 'Burgh, PA
Originally Posted by CapoWS6
I have a 2000 WS6 that i bought new in 2000. I currently have 20k miles on it and have never really done any maintenance besides oil changes and air filter. The car sits mostly winters...
