westslope
Wheeling
- Location
- Wildfire country, BC
This thread is part rant, part cathartic release, part exasperation, part helplessness.
I cannot believe all the bad advice and mistaken opinions I sometimes read in some corners of the web on automobile maintenance.
In late 2015, we bought a new 2015 Kia Soul EX+. 2.0 litre GDI engine. Works fine. Does the Fraser Canyon at 120 km/h (~75 miles/hour) just fine. (Says he with a sheepish grin and recommendation to others to not do the same.)
I frequent the Kia Soul Forums. Great folks, nice, decent, polite, friendly, helpful. Some of the opinions/analysis are mistaken and way over the top.
These GDI engines can easily carbon up if driven at modest speeds for short durations. For many drivers, they will require some extra maintenance.
I read folks who are getting recommendations from dealerships to add fuel additives or to clean the throttle body and plate and they are reacting by assuming that the dealership wants to "bend them over". Naturally, these folks could save money by going the DIY route but if they are not already doing that or are not well informed, why the paranoid bashing of the dealership?
Lots of folks are still using dinosaur oil. Others are claiming that short oil changes are necessary even if using quality synthetic oil. Mind you, I recall auto mechanics in SW BC were very skeptical about synthetic motor oil in the late 1990s though I believe that skepticism has disappeared in recent decades. In other words, if auto mechanics do not know what they are doing, is it reasonable to expect ordinary auto consumers to know what they are doing?
Frankly, if one has to rely on 'Authority arguments' -- and we all do at some point -- between a regular dude and an engineer who works for Exxon Mobil, I am inclined to believe the engineer who works for a massively capitalized, dividend-paying, high-profile, litigation-target company like Exxon Mobil.
I also on occasion get the impression that some folks are overextending their budget on a new vehicle purchase and then skimping on maintenance from motor oil choices to tire replacement.
If you are starving student and buying used tires is your best option -- fine. Otherwise, IMO, one should buy a vehicle within a budget that allows for high quality synthetic motor oil changes and top tier tires.
For some people on modest incomes, impressing family, friends, co-workers and neighbours can come at a high cost.
All this to say, there appears to be a lot of received wisdom out there that is misleading folks and ultimately costing them more anguish, frustration and money.
None of the above applies to Xterra owners who tend to be hands-on, intensive maintenance owners. If you go off the rails on this and similar fora, somebody will usually correct you.
- end of rant, thanks for reading -
I cannot believe all the bad advice and mistaken opinions I sometimes read in some corners of the web on automobile maintenance.
In late 2015, we bought a new 2015 Kia Soul EX+. 2.0 litre GDI engine. Works fine. Does the Fraser Canyon at 120 km/h (~75 miles/hour) just fine. (Says he with a sheepish grin and recommendation to others to not do the same.)
I frequent the Kia Soul Forums. Great folks, nice, decent, polite, friendly, helpful. Some of the opinions/analysis are mistaken and way over the top.
These GDI engines can easily carbon up if driven at modest speeds for short durations. For many drivers, they will require some extra maintenance.
I read folks who are getting recommendations from dealerships to add fuel additives or to clean the throttle body and plate and they are reacting by assuming that the dealership wants to "bend them over". Naturally, these folks could save money by going the DIY route but if they are not already doing that or are not well informed, why the paranoid bashing of the dealership?
Lots of folks are still using dinosaur oil. Others are claiming that short oil changes are necessary even if using quality synthetic oil. Mind you, I recall auto mechanics in SW BC were very skeptical about synthetic motor oil in the late 1990s though I believe that skepticism has disappeared in recent decades. In other words, if auto mechanics do not know what they are doing, is it reasonable to expect ordinary auto consumers to know what they are doing?
Frankly, if one has to rely on 'Authority arguments' -- and we all do at some point -- between a regular dude and an engineer who works for Exxon Mobil, I am inclined to believe the engineer who works for a massively capitalized, dividend-paying, high-profile, litigation-target company like Exxon Mobil.
I also on occasion get the impression that some folks are overextending their budget on a new vehicle purchase and then skimping on maintenance from motor oil choices to tire replacement.
If you are starving student and buying used tires is your best option -- fine. Otherwise, IMO, one should buy a vehicle within a budget that allows for high quality synthetic motor oil changes and top tier tires.
For some people on modest incomes, impressing family, friends, co-workers and neighbours can come at a high cost.
All this to say, there appears to be a lot of received wisdom out there that is misleading folks and ultimately costing them more anguish, frustration and money.
None of the above applies to Xterra owners who tend to be hands-on, intensive maintenance owners. If you go off the rails on this and similar fora, somebody will usually correct you.
- end of rant, thanks for reading -
