I just recently purchased my '01 SE and it is approaching 75k. My question is is the 75,000 service worth it, since I don't know the maintenance history on the vehicle? Or will I be fine with just doing the basic stuff myself i.e fuel filter, spark plugs, air filter, radiator flush, etc. Oh, I did look in the FAQ section but couldn't find my answer. Thanks in advance. Ray

 

i would check the level and condition of all the fluids. the fuel filter should be changed but know that its under the rear seat located inside the fuel tank. that process is a little more labor intensive than having it on the firewall but it is still feasible. changing plugs would be adviseable because most likely they are the ones the car came with. depending on tranny, look at doing a drain & refill or flush along with the coolant.
check to see if the brake fluid is more clear than a yellowish melted butter color. after you check/replace air filter, you may want to wipe down the throttle body to clean out 75k miles of gunk.

 

Haydn gives good pointers, I would recommend flushes on all the fluids....

 

I always recommend following the recommended maintenance for any vehicle (according to the owner's manual, don't let shops talk you into extra stuff). There is nothing that says you have to have a stealership do the maintenance, though. I recommend either doing it yourself, if you are so inclined, or finding a good mechanic that knows your particular type of car.

 

Do what I did and call the dealership and ask them for a DETAILED list of EVERYTHING they do for the 75k maintenance. See if you can't get them to do the same for the 60k maintenance as well since you don't know if your car ever had the 60k maintenance done. The 60k and 90k are much more involved and they do alot more work then the 75k.

When I did this, there were only a few things that I did not know how to do, or had the tools to do it, and that was: Torque down the suspension to spec, and recalibrate the throttle position and idle setting. I'm not entirely too sure how important these things are, but if you can always take it in for a tune-up and ask them to do those things and it will cost you MUCH less then the maintenance they charge at the dealership.

If you do it yourself you always run the risk of breaking something, or overlooking a problem they might catch at a dealership or at some mechanic shop. They can also check the computer to ensure everything is running properly.

If you do it yourself (AT YOUR OWN RISK!!) , I would recommend doing:

1. Change all of your fluids. Flush the radiator, and replace your tranny fluid. If your brake fluid is really clean, you probably don't have to replace that.

2. Your spark plugs are normally changed during the 90K maintenance, however if you want to do it early, and I would recommend doing it at 75k if you havent, go ahead and do it. It's not that hard.

3. Lube your door hinges and latches.

4. Use a silicone spray or lube on your weather stripping to make sure they last long and don't dry out and crack.

5. Change the oil and filter if you are due for a change. Your fuel filter is in the gas tank and is much more involved to replace. These fuel filters are made to last a LONG time, and you shouldn't have to replace it for awhile. I've seen people with over 100k miles who did it and regret it because it was still clean and it was a pain to replace. One guy even broke something trying to get it out.

6. Clean out the throttlebody. ALWAYS DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE DOING THIS!!!! Countless people here have shorted out sensors in their throttlebody's because of this. Go to http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/517 to find out how to clean it out. Do this at your own risk!

7. Change the air filter.

8. Check everything! Check all of your hoses for cracks or wear. You can also use a silicon spray or lube on your hoses to keep them from drying out. Check your belts for cracks or wear. If your belts havent been replaced in 75k miles, you may need to do this. A workshop manual should list steps on how to replace them. Check your CV boots for cracks or wear or holes (should be okay with only 75k miles). Check for oil or coolant leaks.

That's the bulk of everything they would do at the dealership, and it wont cost you 300-400 for the 75k maintenance, nor the 600-700 for the 60k or 90k maintenance. When I called the first time to find out exactly what they did for the 45k maintenance, I was seriously pissed off as to exactly how little they actually did, and yet still charged 350 bucks. Most of it was: "check this, check that" crap, which doesn't cost them a cent. Like checking your CV boots takes less then a minute to do. They make it sound like a big deal to check your fluids, and check these things even though any moron can do it. It's all BS I tell you.