Blackstone also offers no warranty/guarantee that their recommendations are valid. It's very much an "at risk" report. I've personally thought about using them, but the cost of a test barely less than oil and a filter. So there really is no break even...at my 10-12k per year of driving....to justify the higher risk.
Maintenance Schedule: New 2023
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I never used their OCI recommendations on my Subaru. It was mainly to see that the wear metals were staying low / consistent, especially after I rebuilt the engine. I ran 3k OCI on the Subaru and they always said I could go 5k+
We finally stopped buying Subarus due to the oil consumption. I had to re-ring my EJ251 at 150K - oil control rings were totally gummed up after the PCV valve clogged and it ran low on oil. That did seem to fix it, however. Our 2014 Outback with a FB25 started burning oil at around 100K despite religious 4K changes with Mobil 1 (we bought it brand new). Subaru claiming the FB could go to 6K or 7.5K is insane, just like Toyota claiming our Highlander can go to 10K is also insane. Both of our rigs get 5K changes.
I really hate having an oil-burning vehicle.
r2m
Richard
Manufacturers claiming high mileage oil changes sounds like being set up for planned obsolescence and to assure new car sales in the near future.
Isn't that what Chevy Vega's and Ford Pinto's were all about.
The battle to see who has the lowest TCO
I don’t know… a significant number of vehicles 30 years ago had far less to go wrong and were very reliable. One has at least a chance to fix them today. IMO: As time goes on these new vehicles will be increasingly totaled based on failed electronics at a far shorter age then some sold in the early 90s.
I don’t know… a significant number of vehicles 30 years ago had far less to go wrong and were very reliable. One has at least a chance to fix them today. IMO: As time goes on these new vehicles will be increasingly totaled based on failed electronics at a far shorter age then some sold in the early 90s.
Its a mixture of a variety factors.
-TCO is a huge new car thing.
-The oil sump is huge for a 4.6
-V8 is tuned for longevity
-Car engineers really spend alot of time collecting and organizing data, which then has to be distilled down to recommendations for the average owner. Car owners on the other hand (not all tho), prefer to deal with simplified marching orders. Personally how many new owners care to prop open the maintenance manual and compare their driving style to the ones listed in the manual? Not many. And then their are the lucky ones who vehemently deny that their driving style falls under the severe driving style or dont know what that is or believe the fallacy that months of short trips can be nullified by driving on the highway for an hour in the lowest acceptable gear (italian tune up) to heat up things (factually impossible to reach needed temperatures according to the sae).
Again it takes two to tango, and engines cant be dummy proof and shareholders need to be satisfied.
Hence my recommendations earlier. Lastly the easiest way to maximize smiles per gallon and years of ownership is simply change the oil at 5k/6 months with the cheapest oil in spec, and enjoy the damn thing.
-TCO is a huge new car thing.
-The oil sump is huge for a 4.6
-V8 is tuned for longevity
-Car engineers really spend alot of time collecting and organizing data, which then has to be distilled down to recommendations for the average owner. Car owners on the other hand (not all tho), prefer to deal with simplified marching orders. Personally how many new owners care to prop open the maintenance manual and compare their driving style to the ones listed in the manual? Not many. And then their are the lucky ones who vehemently deny that their driving style falls under the severe driving style or dont know what that is or believe the fallacy that months of short trips can be nullified by driving on the highway for an hour in the lowest acceptable gear (italian tune up) to heat up things (factually impossible to reach needed temperatures according to the sae).
Again it takes two to tango, and engines cant be dummy proof and shareholders need to be satisfied.
Hence my recommendations earlier. Lastly the easiest way to maximize smiles per gallon and years of ownership is simply change the oil at 5k/6 months with the cheapest oil in spec, and enjoy the damn thing.
Many vehicles from 30 years ago were indeed quite good. The rest were piles of junk
. I can attest to the sheer number of S-10s, Cavaliers, Stratuses, Taurases, Berettas, Dakotas, Neons, Eclipses, Voyagers, and Explorers that have all but vanished from American roads. Franky the only vehicles from that time period I see with any consistency are some of the domestic trucks (principal the 12v Cummins Dodges and Ford F150s, plus the occasional Chevy) and Toyota SUVs. There are of course the Japanese bubble-era cars, but those are really just collector items and not being driven much. On the whole - I do believe the 2024 fleet is more reliable than the 1994 fleet. But several of the 1994 fleet will probably be more reliable than some of the 2024 fleet.
Yeah... I'm mainly talking Japanese vehicles, US trucks, 3.8L GM, 4.0L Jeep, etc. Rust probably took it's toll long before the powertrain on many
r2m
Richard
Of the few vehicles still seen on the roads from the 1980's and 90's, at least in my neck of the woods, are Toyota trucks.Many vehicles from 30 years ago were indeed quite good. The rest were piles of junk
On the whole - I do believe the 2024 fleet is more reliable than the 1994 fleet. But several of the 1994 fleet will probably be more reliable than some of the 2024 fleet.
Old "mini" Toyota pickups (pre Tacoma badging) from the 80's and 90's are very popular with the local mo-n-blow guys (lawn care).
You see them all the time, just beat to heck, many with the bed swapped out for a flat, stake bed, with all their lawn mowers and clippings bags stuffed, still running and not even blowing smoke of any kind!
Never see them driving an old mini Datsun/Nissan, Ford, or Chevy trucks of that era, just Toyota's.
We have a few Yotas running around here, but living the radius of a union town where the Big 3 each had a a plant up into the 2000s, the majority of cars on the road are domestics. Everyone here had an uncle or cousin who worked for the Big 3, and they handed out employee discounts like candy.
The 90s domestic trucks that hold up by far the best are the Fords. A lot of 90s Dodges are still running around, but only usually those with a Cummins. I do see some of the GMT400 trucks on the road still, but they are usually quite rusty.
Rust belt basically ruins everything on vehicles regardless of brand, but that region seems to have more older vehicles on the road than the south which has no rust problems but rarely do i see anything older then a 2003 altima/comparable there. My personal take is in the south accidents, vehicles having alot of mystery in their history, and uv damage take vehicles out more then rust.
Cali seems with its strict laws tho, is the spot for older vehicles, 80s cars trucks etc.
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Honesty older Toyotas are up there with GM vehicles in rust. The few old Toyotas left around here usually have gaping holes in them or rusty frames. We don't have NY rust here, but it's not TX either.
My old 2000 Forester (1999 build) is still going strong after selling it to my neighbor. It's had head gaskets and a couple clutches but is otherwise unkillable.
My old 2000 Forester (1999 build) is still going strong after selling it to my neighbor. It's had head gaskets and a couple clutches but is otherwise unkillable.
i have family folk, whose rocking one owner Yotas developed during the post-finacial bubble in Japan; and lets just say having done some work on those vehicles, rust is prevalent everywhere. Rear quarter panel paint bubble, surface scale and rust on suspension/strut tower, heat shields rusting through the mounting points, hard brake lines and fuel lines with either pinhole leaks or straight up leaks.
Powertrain is good, but without a solid frame/body idk. Not to sidetrack the thread, but I do see the value of a good undercoating (one that you can see being applied asap if you plan to keep the car long term.)
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From a domestic perspective I am far more of a Ford than GM man….perhaps why I am also more cozy with Mazda as they had Ford roots until around 2012-2013.
I watched my father have transmission after transmission replaced in his 80’s GM pickups.
Nephew is going to celebrate 30 years very soon with my old ‘96 Ford Explorer 5.0L AWD I purchased new with WA state collector’s plates. What does this mean? No yearly tag purchase needed and exemption from a costly multi billion dollar commuter train initiative fee. We haven’t had emission tests in WA state since 12/2019. I was just talking to someone the other day.. that Explorer is what I would have expected from a Toyota. Basic XLT trim.. no power seats or automatic HVAC.
Only issues.. a couple failed water pumps over the years and a turn signal stalk failure ($30 part)
Stock: Fuel pump, transmission, alternator, transfer case, radiator, etc..
I watched my father have transmission after transmission replaced in his 80’s GM pickups.
Nephew is going to celebrate 30 years very soon with my old ‘96 Ford Explorer 5.0L AWD I purchased new with WA state collector’s plates. What does this mean? No yearly tag purchase needed and exemption from a costly multi billion dollar commuter train initiative fee. We haven’t had emission tests in WA state since 12/2019. I was just talking to someone the other day.. that Explorer is what I would have expected from a Toyota. Basic XLT trim.. no power seats or automatic HVAC.
Only issues.. a couple failed water pumps over the years and a turn signal stalk failure ($30 part)
Stock: Fuel pump, transmission, alternator, transfer case, radiator, etc..
My SB had a 1996 stripper F150....300-6 and a 5 speed. He sold it somewhere north on 300k miles. He now has a PSD F250 of the same vintage. The OBS Fords are awesome in general. And I was a GM guy before discovering imports
That Ford inline 6 …4.9L 300 cubic inch is legendary for reliability
r2m
Richard
If I remember right, weren't those in the old (O.J. Simpson era) Broncos? If so I believe they were like a mule, not much HP but plenty of torque.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
