Car maintenance on a shoestring
July 5, 2018 5:43 PM Subscribe
My car needs several repairs according to the scheduled maintenance. A family member errs on the opposite side of "replace nothing as a preventative, only when it breaks." As a woman I don't trust a mechanic to be straight with me about prudent but conservative car maintenance. Can you help?
I've mostly just gotten the oil changes done on a car that just hit 100,000 miles. As the manufacturer tells it I'm overdue on a lot. As my family member tells it (someone who was raised lower middle class and has a high level of technical mechanical knowledge due to performing his own maintenance), very little is actually needed.
Is there a reputable resource to help me understand the most conservative maintenance needs and schedule that still allows my car to be reliable and maintain maximum value? For example, some research reveals that my suspension needs work but the repair is expensive so where can I go for basic "here's when you really should take it in before the expense triples" kind of information? Also maybe a hierarchy? I'm struggling with "manufacturer recommends a, b, c, and d," but the budget only allows for 2 of the 4 items so what should I prioritize?
I do not have the time or patience to just learn how to repair the car myself. I just want to be balanced in my approach and the scheduled maintenance is more than I can spend right now. So a kind of big picture idiot's guide to cars may be what I want? Not sure really but Metafilter helps even when you aren't sure what you need.
I've mostly just gotten the oil changes done on a car that just hit 100,000 miles. As the manufacturer tells it I'm overdue on a lot. As my family member tells it (someone who was raised lower middle class and has a high level of technical mechanical knowledge due to performing his own maintenance), very little is actually needed.
Is there a reputable resource to help me understand the most conservative maintenance needs and schedule that still allows my car to be reliable and maintain maximum value? For example, some research reveals that my suspension needs work but the repair is expensive so where can I go for basic "here's when you really should take it in before the expense triples" kind of information? Also maybe a hierarchy? I'm struggling with "manufacturer recommends a, b, c, and d," but the budget only allows for 2 of the 4 items so what should I prioritize?
I do not have the time or patience to just learn how to repair the car myself. I just want to be balanced in my approach and the scheduled maintenance is more than I can spend right now. So a kind of big picture idiot's guide to cars may be what I want? Not sure really but Metafilter helps even when you aren't sure what you need.
More information about the vehicle (make, model and year) would be helpful to getting informed answers, as what it might need and when it will need it vary greatly. "Some research reveals my suspension needs work" is an odd thing to mention in a question about maintenance schedules as suspension parts do not generally have a manufacturer's recommended service interval. (Other than periodic inspection.) If you have a specific repair problem or symptom, it would be good to spell that out. Without knowing what the "a, b, c and d" the manufacturer is recommending, no one is going to be able to tell you "do d and a, you can put off b & c"
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 5:59 PM on July 5, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 5:59 PM on July 5, 2018 [4 favorites]
Also, this is a good question- there are definitely some things to prioritize over others. It just needs more detail to get informed answers. I hope my tone didn't come across as overly critical.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 6:05 PM on July 5, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 6:05 PM on July 5, 2018 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Until about a year ago I had been driving the same car for 15 years, a vehicle I bought used. It always got regular maintenance and the list of suggested, overdue repairs was as long as a CVS receipt.
The line I took with the mechanic was "is my car going to spontaneously explode in the next six months if I do not do this." The answer was always no, with a sheepish chuckle.
The only thing I ever replaced was my brake pads. The car never exploded. The list of suggestions grew and grew.
I'm sure I'd still be driving that car today if I hadn't wrecked the damn thing.
Make it clear that you aren't going to do repairs that aren't safety mission critical to the car, period. Repeat forever.
posted by phunniemee at 6:07 PM on July 5, 2018 [8 favorites]
The line I took with the mechanic was "is my car going to spontaneously explode in the next six months if I do not do this." The answer was always no, with a sheepish chuckle.
The only thing I ever replaced was my brake pads. The car never exploded. The list of suggestions grew and grew.
I'm sure I'd still be driving that car today if I hadn't wrecked the damn thing.
Make it clear that you aren't going to do repairs that aren't safety mission critical to the car, period. Repeat forever.
posted by phunniemee at 6:07 PM on July 5, 2018 [8 favorites]
Response by poster: Ok, it's a 2013 Mazda 5. It makes a short click in the rear of the car when I start to brake slowly. No typical brake pad sound, no grinding. We moved recently to an area with tons of speed bumps that I probably (definitely) do not take slowly enough. Others asking on forums about a similar issue were told it was probably the suspension or a ball joint or some such thing.
Also, my horn doesn't make a sound anymore (coinciding with the keyless entry lock button requiring more effort to get it to register, even when right next to the car. Battery for key fob has been replaced recently.)
Also, I just got the tires rotated and the back tire is making a flapping sound like a card in a bicycle spike, but the shop couldn't source the noise.
So the car needs attention beyond the scheduled maintenance and I'm needing to triage. Some meta understanding about the hierarchy of priorities would help me make these decisions but if anyone wants to offer technical knowledge that's amazing too and very appreciated.
The missing scheduled maintenance is for things like spark plugs, cabin air filter, engine air filter, fuel injector cleaning? Tightening things. That sort of thing.
posted by crunchy potato at 6:13 PM on July 5, 2018
Also, my horn doesn't make a sound anymore (coinciding with the keyless entry lock button requiring more effort to get it to register, even when right next to the car. Battery for key fob has been replaced recently.)
Also, I just got the tires rotated and the back tire is making a flapping sound like a card in a bicycle spike, but the shop couldn't source the noise.
So the car needs attention beyond the scheduled maintenance and I'm needing to triage. Some meta understanding about the hierarchy of priorities would help me make these decisions but if anyone wants to offer technical knowledge that's amazing too and very appreciated.
The missing scheduled maintenance is for things like spark plugs, cabin air filter, engine air filter, fuel injector cleaning? Tightening things. That sort of thing.
posted by crunchy potato at 6:13 PM on July 5, 2018
I can't advise you on your specific issues, but I'm with phunniemee: don't replace it unless you have to. Tell the mechanic you can only afford to fix what absolutely needs to be fixed.
Also, don't go to BigO Tires for something like an oil change. Even if it's cheap. They will tell you stuff like, "oh, it's been X# of miles, you should replace your struts." "How much is that going to be?" "A thousand dollars." I usually go to SpeeDee these days for the oil change and they will do a checkup on your car and it's usually like, "all these things are good, you might want to worry about doing X in a few months but right now you're fine" sort of stuff, which might help you know what's more important to stress out about.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:16 PM on July 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also, don't go to BigO Tires for something like an oil change. Even if it's cheap. They will tell you stuff like, "oh, it's been X# of miles, you should replace your struts." "How much is that going to be?" "A thousand dollars." I usually go to SpeeDee these days for the oil change and they will do a checkup on your car and it's usually like, "all these things are good, you might want to worry about doing X in a few months but right now you're fine" sort of stuff, which might help you know what's more important to stress out about.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:16 PM on July 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: OK, with the scheduled maintenance, IMO none of that is immediately make-or-break you'll be sitting by the side of the road if you don't do it in the next 6 months critical. Least important: cabin air filter, the worst that can happen if that gets clogged is that you'll get less airflow through your HVAC system. Engine air filter- the smartest thing to do is to look at it or have it eyeballed by a mechanic, you can usually push these well past the change interval unless you live in the dustbowl. Modern cars will adjust for a clogged filter, so the old "your gas mileage will be terrible if you filter gets a bit clogged" is generally not true. The car will be down on power if it gets badly clogged though. Preventive fuel injector cleaning used to be borderline scammy in the days of port fuel injection. However, newer "direct injection" engines (which I think your Mazda may have, I don't know) are more prone to carboning up the injectors, so if Mazda calls for it, it might not be a bad idea to do. With the spark plugs, if you push them too far, you may wind up with a misfire (which will set the check engine light. If the check engine light starts blinking, don't continue to drive the car if at all possible, you can cook your catalytic converters = $$$) Worn plugs can also strain other ignition system components. On to your complaints: I think you are going to need to get an accurate diagnosis on the noise issues. When the tires were rotated, it's possible one of the brake dust shields got bent a little and is rubbing. Or your tires may have uneven wear- cupping or something and putting them in a new position revealed the noise. You could have the mechanic put the tires back where they were and see if the noise goes away. The "click" when you brake could be suspension bushings (which could be a safety issue, depending on which ones are bad) or it could be the pads shifting around in the caliper bracket a little. It's worth investigating to make sure that it's nothing dangerous.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 6:46 PM on July 5, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 6:46 PM on July 5, 2018 [3 favorites]
Not all mechanics are untrustworthy. I looked around until I found a place with stellar reviews, and I got a really good vibe from the guy I talked to there. At one point they sat me down and had a Gentle Talk with me about some repairs I wanted them to do, because it was pointless to fix a car that old, and I'd be better off buying a slightly less old car (not from them, they didn't sell cars). That's when I knew I could trust them, they talked me out of doing work I wanted them to do. Can you find a place you trust? I started with Yelp.
Also a reasonable question to ask is "What happens if [thing] isn't repaired?" Does the car slow down / get wobbly / lean to one side / fuse into a giant lump of undriveable metal? Some of these things are worth risking and some are worth fixing so you can have peace of mind.
posted by Vatnesine at 6:55 PM on July 5, 2018 [4 favorites]
Also a reasonable question to ask is "What happens if [thing] isn't repaired?" Does the car slow down / get wobbly / lean to one side / fuse into a giant lump of undriveable metal? Some of these things are worth risking and some are worth fixing so you can have peace of mind.
posted by Vatnesine at 6:55 PM on July 5, 2018 [4 favorites]
I can’t speak for your situation maintenance wise, but this is a great time to cultivate a relationship with a shop. Get the bare minimum done this round, then tip your mechanic. They will remember this. Forever. If you tip a mechanic, which is uncommon, they’ll be your strongest advocate.
Depending on the city you’re in, women owned shops are starting to creep up. They’re usually quite public about this and easy to find if they exist around you.
You can also sometimes contact a community college auto mechanic program to diagnose the problems for cheap/free.
posted by furnace.heart at 6:59 PM on July 5, 2018 [2 favorites]
Depending on the city you’re in, women owned shops are starting to creep up. They’re usually quite public about this and easy to find if they exist around you.
You can also sometimes contact a community college auto mechanic program to diagnose the problems for cheap/free.
posted by furnace.heart at 6:59 PM on July 5, 2018 [2 favorites]
I have found the Car Talk mechanic reviews helpful in looking over local mechanics to find one that's more trustworthy.
Also a copy of "Auto Repair for Dummies" from the library is a quick read and will help you understand a lot more about your car and feel more confident talking to mechanics. I came away from about 3 hours of reading able to check all my own fluids and belts and recognize a lot of common scary noises that cars make, and diagnose the problem when my car wouldn't start. Now when I go for an oil change, I know when I'm being bullshitted, and when I call my mechanic I can say, "I tried X, Y, and Z, so I think it's an electrical problem." It really helps a LOT to be able to speak the language enough to communicate clearly.
(I will say I also drive a Mazda 5 and it has fuckin' noisy brakes at the best of times, and my suspension is also noisy-but-not-fixably-noisy.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:36 PM on July 5, 2018 [6 favorites]
Also a copy of "Auto Repair for Dummies" from the library is a quick read and will help you understand a lot more about your car and feel more confident talking to mechanics. I came away from about 3 hours of reading able to check all my own fluids and belts and recognize a lot of common scary noises that cars make, and diagnose the problem when my car wouldn't start. Now when I go for an oil change, I know when I'm being bullshitted, and when I call my mechanic I can say, "I tried X, Y, and Z, so I think it's an electrical problem." It really helps a LOT to be able to speak the language enough to communicate clearly.
(I will say I also drive a Mazda 5 and it has fuckin' noisy brakes at the best of times, and my suspension is also noisy-but-not-fixably-noisy.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:36 PM on July 5, 2018 [6 favorites]
+1 to stoneweaver, in my state a car will fail inspection if the horn doesn't work, so if your state requires the same, you'll need to get that fixed at least by the time your next safety inspection is due.
posted by phoenixy at 8:52 PM on July 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by phoenixy at 8:52 PM on July 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Re: the horn, yes it needs to be fixed, but you can almost certainly do it yourself. I'm not mechanically inclined AT ALL, but I replaced mine by watching a YouTube video and going to Pull-a-Part. It was easy and kind of fun.
posted by Violet Hour at 10:25 PM on July 5, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Violet Hour at 10:25 PM on July 5, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The Zero. The most important thing to consider. How much is your life and the lives of the people you transport worth?
First, have you had the recall work done? Or at least contacted your nearest dealer about it?
First, part b, the best place to learn about a Mazda is in Mazda car forums. Mazdas247 subforum for the 5 is active and full of information.
Second, scheduled maintanence isn't repair. It is maintanence. The schedule exists for a reason. There are a lot of things that are much simpler and cheaper to take care of before they break. It is almost always less expensive to maintain a car than to replace it. A Mazda can last a surprisingly long time if you take care of it. But if you haven't had the work done, the value of your car is quite a bit less than you might think. Since you say that you haven't been following the maintanence schedule, and there's nothing big and obviously wrong, it is time to decide if you want to keep this car or trade it in. It will never be worth more than it is right now in actual dollars, but it will be considerably more valuable to you if it is dependable.
(Have you been changing your oil every 7.5k miles or 6 months, whichever comes first? That's at absolute minimum 10 oil changes. Has no one ever mentioned the scheduled maintanence intervals?)
Speaking of maintaining, forum thread with video on how to replace your cabin air filter. Makes a world of difference for my allergies and reduces the wear on the blower motor. It is also time to replace your spark plugs. They're 100K mile plugs. Get the OEM NGK Iridiums, and that's done for another 100k. Plugs are cheap compared to everything else that might need repair or replace if you don't do it. And Mazdas run best with the same kind of NGK plugs that they came with from the factory. If anyone tells you that Bosch is just as good, or that it doesn't matter what brand or kind they are Catalytic converters are much more expensive than spark plugs, as I discovered.
Second, part b, have you ever had the brake fluid done, ever? Aside from when you've had your brakes done? Tires? Battery? What about the coolant? The coolant is probably due. The transmission fluid, despite the manual saying that it is a sealed forever magic juice, should also be drained and refilled a few times. Or not, but the only repair for a bad transmission is to replace it.
Third, the horn seems to be a known issue. It could be the button, the relay, or the horn itself. Here is a forum post detailing replacing the horn on a 2012, inspired by one done on an earlier 5.
Fourth, the suspension is also a known issue. Suspension parts, including full assemblies, are not terribly expensive. It is the labor that gets expensive. For the tl;dr from the linked forum, get KYB instead of Bilstein for rear replacements, Bilsteins don't work well and make noises. Short, recent, less technical thread from the same forum. However, the assemblies from Monroe seem to be ok. Don't ignore your suspension. All of the other stuff doesn't mean much if your 5 handles poorly or a strut punches up through the mount.
Fifth, yeah the tires are a known issue. (Previous discussion linked in the first link.)
The Mazda 5 is not the best of Mazda engineering or construction, but it is a good car. Take care of it so that it can take care of you.
The best weapon you can arm yourself with is information. Informaiton is freedom and power. Knowing what is likely to need work, and how much is reasonable to pay for that work. 15 years ago, I paid double what it should have cost to replace the radiator in my 94 Protege. Same a few years before that when I had to have the CV shafts (front axles) replaced. Then I stumbled on an honest shop where when I asked how I could learn more about my car, one of the techs told me to get a Haynes manual. I can't do much of the work myself, but between the Haynes manual and Google I at least know what is going on. As a woman with two Mazdas, this is how a I can protect myself.
Still have the Protege, by the way. It still runs. The only thing that doesn't work is the radio.
posted by monopas at 2:51 AM on July 6, 2018 [5 favorites]
First, have you had the recall work done? Or at least contacted your nearest dealer about it?
First, part b, the best place to learn about a Mazda is in Mazda car forums. Mazdas247 subforum for the 5 is active and full of information.
Second, scheduled maintanence isn't repair. It is maintanence. The schedule exists for a reason. There are a lot of things that are much simpler and cheaper to take care of before they break. It is almost always less expensive to maintain a car than to replace it. A Mazda can last a surprisingly long time if you take care of it. But if you haven't had the work done, the value of your car is quite a bit less than you might think. Since you say that you haven't been following the maintanence schedule, and there's nothing big and obviously wrong, it is time to decide if you want to keep this car or trade it in. It will never be worth more than it is right now in actual dollars, but it will be considerably more valuable to you if it is dependable.
(Have you been changing your oil every 7.5k miles or 6 months, whichever comes first? That's at absolute minimum 10 oil changes. Has no one ever mentioned the scheduled maintanence intervals?)
Speaking of maintaining, forum thread with video on how to replace your cabin air filter. Makes a world of difference for my allergies and reduces the wear on the blower motor. It is also time to replace your spark plugs. They're 100K mile plugs. Get the OEM NGK Iridiums, and that's done for another 100k. Plugs are cheap compared to everything else that might need repair or replace if you don't do it. And Mazdas run best with the same kind of NGK plugs that they came with from the factory. If anyone tells you that Bosch is just as good, or that it doesn't matter what brand or kind they are Catalytic converters are much more expensive than spark plugs, as I discovered.
Second, part b, have you ever had the brake fluid done, ever? Aside from when you've had your brakes done? Tires? Battery? What about the coolant? The coolant is probably due. The transmission fluid, despite the manual saying that it is a sealed forever magic juice, should also be drained and refilled a few times. Or not, but the only repair for a bad transmission is to replace it.
Third, the horn seems to be a known issue. It could be the button, the relay, or the horn itself. Here is a forum post detailing replacing the horn on a 2012, inspired by one done on an earlier 5.
Fourth, the suspension is also a known issue. Suspension parts, including full assemblies, are not terribly expensive. It is the labor that gets expensive. For the tl;dr from the linked forum, get KYB instead of Bilstein for rear replacements, Bilsteins don't work well and make noises. Short, recent, less technical thread from the same forum. However, the assemblies from Monroe seem to be ok. Don't ignore your suspension. All of the other stuff doesn't mean much if your 5 handles poorly or a strut punches up through the mount.
Fifth, yeah the tires are a known issue. (Previous discussion linked in the first link.)
The Mazda 5 is not the best of Mazda engineering or construction, but it is a good car. Take care of it so that it can take care of you.
The best weapon you can arm yourself with is information. Informaiton is freedom and power. Knowing what is likely to need work, and how much is reasonable to pay for that work. 15 years ago, I paid double what it should have cost to replace the radiator in my 94 Protege. Same a few years before that when I had to have the CV shafts (front axles) replaced. Then I stumbled on an honest shop where when I asked how I could learn more about my car, one of the techs told me to get a Haynes manual. I can't do much of the work myself, but between the Haynes manual and Google I at least know what is going on. As a woman with two Mazdas, this is how a I can protect myself.
Still have the Protege, by the way. It still runs. The only thing that doesn't work is the radio.
posted by monopas at 2:51 AM on July 6, 2018 [5 favorites]
If I remember my road rules correctly, and your state may vary, but usually a working horn is required to operate your vehicle legally. Now, your chances of getting pulled over and the officer checking whether your horn is working are pretty minimal, but I would address that one in the mid term rather than later.
posted by Liesl at 4:55 AM on July 6, 2018
posted by Liesl at 4:55 AM on July 6, 2018
I'd prioritize the transmission fluid flush, which was probably due at either 60K or 100K miles. Automatic transmissions are at least $2000 to rebuild if they die. I got over 200,000 miles out of a Mazda 626 - but I'm one of those do all the scheduled maintenance items on time type of people. YMMV. (pun totally intended).
posted by COD at 5:33 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by COD at 5:33 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
I just wanted to say that in my experience, fear of being preyed upon by unscrupulous mechanics is overblown these days. The internet has made a huge difference in this - reviews are abundant. The way I've found all my mechanics is to ask friends (especially women friends) for recommendations, or, if at a loss, asking on a Facebook community page and litmus-testing the responses for people with a similar profile. Once I found a mechanic I liked I just stayed with them. I used to joke that wherever I lived with I always ended up with an "old hippie" mechanic - just really nice laid-back older guys that were happy to be making a good living and not looking to fleece a younger woman. It helps to be really honest with them and just say "I have a limited budget so I'm interested in just taking care of the things that need to be done in the next 6 months for safety reasons."
I have a 2007 Toyota Yaris and I've done only the very basics - brake pads, timing belt, fan belt, oil changes, etc. I haven't even had to do exhaust yet, and no one's pushed it on me. And I've done recalls, but when you go to the dealer for a recall, just don't accept any of the extra services they will try to push on you. If they give you a long list of recommended services, take it to your version of the "old hippie" mechanic and say "this is what the dealer said, what of this is really necessary?"
posted by Miko at 7:15 AM on July 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
I have a 2007 Toyota Yaris and I've done only the very basics - brake pads, timing belt, fan belt, oil changes, etc. I haven't even had to do exhaust yet, and no one's pushed it on me. And I've done recalls, but when you go to the dealer for a recall, just don't accept any of the extra services they will try to push on you. If they give you a long list of recommended services, take it to your version of the "old hippie" mechanic and say "this is what the dealer said, what of this is really necessary?"
posted by Miko at 7:15 AM on July 6, 2018 [2 favorites]
Seconding the Mazda forums. They will tell you what is specific to your car. Some cars need stuff done the minute the owners manual says. I had a Hyundai Santa Fe, and from all the scoop from friends and forums, I knew to get the timing belt/water pump done on schedule. My other cars I just made sure to top off the radiator, get the oil changed, brakes done, and tires rotated/balanced on a regular basis. Car parts places(Autozone, Advance Auto, Pep Boys) are your friends. They can check your battery/alternator and read any codes you might throw due to sensors, etc. Then they can tell you, if you buy it there or not, what your repair might entail and what parts you need. They helped me several times to be prepared when I went to a repair shop. Also seconding asking around. Lots of independent folk who aren't out to screw you out of monies where many dealer operated places are.
posted by PJMoore at 7:49 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by PJMoore at 7:49 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
+1 what monopas said - find a good forum for your car and spend some quality time there. You will learn useful things you will otherwise never know.
To give you an example... When I had a Saab 93 I found a subforum just for my model. Everyone advised getting a DI cassette cartridge (basically a micro controller in a plastic case that sits on top of the engine and controls the ignition) because the original version always overheats and breaks*. So I got one and threw it in the trunk. It cost about $80. A couple years later my car won't start. It gets towed to the nearest dealer on a weekend. The service area is closed but the salesman helpfully suggests I probably need a new transmission. Come Monday the manager calls me up and starts his spiel about how the "DI cartridge has gone bad and this is going to be hundreds of dollars, etc." I asked him to do me a favor and go look in the trunk. He was so shocked he installed it for free. And everything was fine again.
* Lucas...
posted by lagomorphius at 7:57 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
To give you an example... When I had a Saab 93 I found a subforum just for my model. Everyone advised getting a DI cassette cartridge (basically a micro controller in a plastic case that sits on top of the engine and controls the ignition) because the original version always overheats and breaks*. So I got one and threw it in the trunk. It cost about $80. A couple years later my car won't start. It gets towed to the nearest dealer on a weekend. The service area is closed but the salesman helpfully suggests I probably need a new transmission. Come Monday the manager calls me up and starts his spiel about how the "DI cartridge has gone bad and this is going to be hundreds of dollars, etc." I asked him to do me a favor and go look in the trunk. He was so shocked he installed it for free. And everything was fine again.
* Lucas...
posted by lagomorphius at 7:57 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
At 100K miles, your car has plenty of life in it but it's time to start setting aside money for repairs and maintenance. Still far less than a car payment, but it will hurt less if you have prepared.
posted by theora55 at 8:16 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 8:16 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Preventive fuel injector cleaning used to be borderline scammy in the days of port fuel injection. However, newer "direct injection" engines (which I think your Mazda may have, I don't know) are more prone to carboning up the injectors, so if Mazda calls for it, it might not be a bad idea to do.
Just as an FYI, I had to do this last weekend on my 2012 VW GTI and boy howdy did it make a world of difference. But, you would notice if this was a problem. By 100k you'd be idling rough and your check engine would be throwing a number of codes for misfires.
PS. if your check engine light comes on, you can always take it to Advanced Auto Parts or O'Reilly's and they will read the code for you and let you know what it means. I find that I have more confidence going to a mechanic when I know that the cylinder 4 is throwing a misfire code and I've changed the spark plugs, so it might be an issue with the injectors, rather than walking in blind with a check engine light.
posted by teleri025 at 10:46 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
Just as an FYI, I had to do this last weekend on my 2012 VW GTI and boy howdy did it make a world of difference. But, you would notice if this was a problem. By 100k you'd be idling rough and your check engine would be throwing a number of codes for misfires.
PS. if your check engine light comes on, you can always take it to Advanced Auto Parts or O'Reilly's and they will read the code for you and let you know what it means. I find that I have more confidence going to a mechanic when I know that the cylinder 4 is throwing a misfire code and I've changed the spark plugs, so it might be an issue with the injectors, rather than walking in blind with a check engine light.
posted by teleri025 at 10:46 AM on July 6, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by furtive at 5:56 PM on July 5, 2018 [3 favorites]