Upcoming Maintenance
Today's modern vehicle is much different than those of the past. More and more emphasis is placed on maintenance. Some manufacturers like Subaru have a rigorous maintenance schedule while others do not. So, how does a vehicle's maintenance schedule affect my vehicle buying decision? Simple, money! You need to be aware that some vehicles need costly maintenance that can not be deferred. Upcoming maintenance will be laid out in your inspection report, leaving you with no surprises. No other inspection agency currently offers you this information in their reports!
Typical maintenance items
Manufacturers' schedule maintenance programs usually consist of changing fluids, performing inspections, replacing components that are wear items such as spark plugs and filters, re-torquing frame bolts, and changing timing belts. Common maintenance intervals of importance are at the 30, 60, 90 and 105,000 mile mark. Usually fluids, such as the transmission fluid and the engine coolant, may be changed every 30,000 miles. If the vehicle supports it, the timing belt should be replaced every 60 to 105,000 miles.
What's a timing belt?
When we think of an engine, it helps to think of it as two pieces. We have the lower half which has all the pistons and the crankshaft which goes up and down inside the cylinder walls. Then we have the top half which is often called the cylinder head. This half contains the camshaft and valves which lets air in and exhaust out. These valves move up and down just like the pistons. When the crankshaft turns, the camshaft also needs to turn to keep the valves in sync with the pistons. The crankshaft and camshaft are connected with a heavy-duty cogged rubber belt called a timing belt. Typical timing belt replacement can cost anywhere from 300 dollars all the way up to 2,000 dollars.
If the timing belt breaks, in some cases, the engine can suffer severe internal damage. Some manufacturers use an interference design engine and others a non-interference engine. Toyota is common to utilize the non-interference setup. What this means is, if the timing belt breaks, the crankshaft and camshaft will freewheel and the valves and pistons will never make contact. On the opposite, interference design, which is common in Audi, when the timing belt breaks, the valves will make contact with the pistons while the engine is turning. The engine will either have to be replaced or broken down and rebuilt to correct the damage.
The details are in your inspection report
Depending upon your vehicle and mileage, your inspection report will include a detailed list of upcoming maintenance and how to go about getting it done. Estimates of what upcoming maintenance may cost are also included. We may advise you to negotiate the sale price down in accordance with our report. Bottom line, maintenance can make or break a sale.
