Is this statement true?

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> news > wrote:
>
>> My buddy replaces his battery every three years, I don't.
>>When the car starts to crank a bit slower and the battery is getting
>>old, then I replace it. I've had 4 year old batteries and 8 year old
>>batteries.
>
>
> And I wait until the car won't start, then I push-start it and drive to
> the auto parts store for a battery. Why replace it before you have to?
> --scott
>

That's why I have multiple cars. I think of them as spares.

"Ad absurdum per aspera" > wrote in message
>
> A lot of otherwise good mechanics don't have the time (or don't want to
> take the care) needed for ad hoc predictive maintenance -- which takes
> a thorough drive under a variety of conditions as well as inspection in
> the garage. The ones who can are worth their weight in towing bills!
>
> Cheers,
> --Joe

In Norway, our company cars were serviced regularly and according to
schedule. The garages were cleaner than most people's living rooms,
the mechanics wore clean 'lab coats', and during this service, they
concentrated
on YOUR car. They were not trying to beat the flat rate. They spent the
better part of the day on that car only.

They were highly trained and legally liable. No BS. They literally check
everything you can imagine. They have the time because they take the
time to do it right.

Of course, this costs money. On my last major service, they found brake
wear, and rebuilt the brake system.

I believe that service cost about $1500 or thereabout.

Considering the level of service they offered, and what is currently done
at many American dealerships, and in full view of the prices in effect now
in the USA, it really wasn't such a bad deal.

Julie P. wrote:
> "N8N" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> >
> > Julie P. wrote:
> >> "N8N" > wrote in message
> >> oups.com...
> >>
> >> > oh geez. NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER USE FRAM. FRAM = UNMITIGATED ****.
> >> > You could seriously wad up your feces, put it in an orange can, and
> >> > install it on your engine, and it would be as good as a Fram filter.
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >> Maybe NAPA Gold or one from the dealer then? Advance Auto Part sales has
> >> some type of "gold" line of their own filters.
> >>
> >
> > NAPA Gold is a rebranded Wix filter, which is an excellent filter.
> >
>
> Ok, Wix is what the employee at Advance Auto recommended, although they
> didn't sell them there.
>
> >> It's unfortunate I already bought about 10-15 of the Fram (and Purolator)
> >> ones a few years ago for my car, while on sale. Oh well.
> >
> > Purolator is pretty good. I prefer Wix, but there's a Purolator on the
> > Porsche right now. I just refuse to use Fram under any circumstances -
> > too many horror stories of the cans blowing apart when cold, on too
> > many different types of engines. Plus their internal construction just
> > looks cheezy.
> >
>
> But Purolator is just as inexpensive as Fram, and the filter material looks
> thinner, at least for their air filters. I suppose the brand of air filter
> isn't as critical as the oil filter though.

Thus proving that you don't always get what you pay for

Above and beyond the apparently weak cans, Frams are notorious for
nonfunctional anti-drainback valves, which is important if you have a
car that has an "upside-down" oil filter and no ADBV in the engine.
I've had personal experience with that on several cars... a proper Wix
filter was the solution. Symptom of an ADBV that doesn't work is oil
pressure that takes >5 sec. to build on a cold start. Finally, there's
people who dislike the glued on cardboard end caps that Fram uses in
their spin-ons. That's a really contentious issue in some circles and
I hesitate to offer an opinion as to whether that's a real liability or
not. Let's not even start on whatever the hell they call that filter
that's impregnated with PTFE, that's a giant triumph of marketing over
engineering. Even DuPont pretty much comes out and says that there's
no place for PTFE in anything to do with the oil system of a car, but I
guess Fram felt they had to jump on the Slick 50 bandwagon.

I've had no issues with Purolator on the Porsche, which also has an
"upside-down" filter, but I'm not certain if it has an ADBV in the
filter or the mount. I assume the filter as they are generally very
heavy when removed from the car. In any case Purolator supposedly uses
a quality media and I have no cold start oil pressure issues.

It's really hard to judge filter media by eyeballing... even more so
when dealing with pleated paper. AFAIK nobody is using a "depth" type
media anymore for oil filters (why not?) so judging on thickness may
lead you to the wrong conclusion. If you really want to turn into an
oil/filter geek, hang out at bobistheoilguy.com for a while. (if you
read all the oil filter threads, generally the only nice things people
say about Frams are "they've been working OK for me for "x" years so I
kept using them")

A good air filter is important as well; clean air is important for good
ring life. Of course, worn rings won't leave you walking, but I like
to use good filters wherever I can. AFAICT Fram air filters really
aren't all that bad; my issues with their oil filters is not the media
that they use, it's everything else. I wouldn't even hesitate to use
a Fram oil filter element in a replaceable-element application like the
old C4 bypass filters or a BMW if I had to; but I try not to buy their
products on principle because their spin-ons suck so badly and other
quality brands are available for the same price or a dollar or two
more.

If nothing else, when was the last time you saw a Wix or Purolator
commercial on TV? How many times do you see a Fram spot during an
average football game? I'm guessing Wix spends a lot less $$ on
advertising than Fram, and more money for R&D and the costs associated
with making a better product (along with the cut for the shareholders,
of course) There's always exceptions though, Mobil does advertise
Mobil 1 occasionally, and by all accounts it's still an excellent
product... (currently using Rotella T Synthetic though, as I can't
find the Mobil 1 in a 5W40 to save my life.)

good luck,

nate

Scott Dorsey wrote:

> I remember riding the bus in the Phillipines.... each round trip from
> Manila to Baguio, they'd drop the engine, take it apart, and check
> it. Labour was very cheap and parts were very expensive.

You must be joking! I lived in the Philippines from 1960 to
1977 and rode on many buses from Manila out to the provinces.
I don't remember anyone either needing to do this or doing this
type of maintenance. I do remember the cooling systems being
so leaky that the drivers had to stop at almost every river we
crossed to "top up" the rad....but certainly engine overhauls were
not the order of the day after every round trip.

Even in the Philippines....an engine will last longer then that.

Ian

"shiden_kai" > wrote in message
news:Rh9hf.587328$oW2.582352@pd7tw1no...
> Scott Dorsey wrote:
>
>> I remember riding the bus in the Phillipines.... each round trip from
>> Manila to Baguio, they'd drop the engine, take it apart, and check
>> it. Labour was very cheap and parts were very expensive.
>
> You must be joking! I lived in the Philippines from 1960 to
> 1977 and rode on many buses from Manila out to the provinces.
> I don't remember anyone either needing to do this or doing this
> type of maintenance. I do remember the cooling systems being
> so leaky that the drivers had to stop at almost every river we
> crossed to "top up" the rad....but certainly engine overhauls were
> not the order of the day after every round trip.
>
> Even in the Philippines....an engine will last longer then that.
>
> Ian
>
LOL! As far as I know top fuel dragsters are the only vehicles which are
torn down after every trip.
Bob