I’ve written before about timing belts vs. timing chains. I strongly prefer the latter, because they don’t have to be replaced every 60,000 to 100,000 miles at a cost of 300 to 600 dollars (nearly all of it labor). But TrueDelta’s repair rate analysis has disadvantaged engines with timing chains. Because most of the cost of replacing a timing belt… More →
Category: Car Maintenance
Car Maintenance
What is the proper way to break-in an engine?
One of the most frequently asked questions on the forums I visit is, “Do I need to do anything special to break-in an engine?” Responses tend to follow the conventional wisdom, as stated in most owner’s manuals: for the first 500-1000 miles, avoid strong acceleration and steady speeds. Another school of thought says that with the much tighter tolerances and… More →
The end of free maintenance
A few years ago, many European manufacturers started including free maintenance during the warranty period. For the 2008 model year, I think only BMW does. Why did they start? Why have they stopped? And what can you do to minimize the high maintenance costs on these cars? European manufacturers started including four or so years of free maintenance for at… More →
Dealer maintenance schedules
Visiting many car forums as I do, I frequently come across complaints of high maintenance costs. It’s not unusual for people to spend $500 or more on a 30,000-mile service. But this doesn’t make it right. In many cases these owners are trusting that everything suggested by the dealer needs to be done. In many cases, though, dealers recommend shorter intervals… More →
Proper maintenance – the key to reliability?
Time and time again, most recently in this thread over at VWVortex, I’ve come across the claim that caring properly for a car makes all the difference. Care for a car, and it’ll be reliable. Don’t care for it, and it won’t be. While there’s some truth to this, it’s far from the whole truth.
Timing chains vs. timing belts
Every car engine currently available uses either a chain or a belt to connect the crankshaft to the camshafts, and thus keep the valves in sync with the pistons. Belts might be cheaper to manufacture, and they definitely produce less noise. But they also require replacement every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. While the cost of the part isn’t high, swapping… More →
Break-in period: myth or fact?
The conventional wisdom endorsed by most, if not all, manufacturers is that for the first 500 or 1,000 miles a car should be driven gently, with no runs to the redline, and not at a constant speed (i.e. no cruise control). The reasoning: the rings need to properly seat, and any rough edges need to be smoothed off, before putting a great… More →