Q. I have a 2010 Toyota RAV4 with 106,000 miles. My garage changes the oil to synthetic every six months. Is this excessive? I’m recently retired so I’m barely driving 200 miles a month if anything.
A. In theory, you can’t change the oil too often, and the good thing about six-monthly oil changes is that other aspects of the car are inspected at the same time. Toyota recommends that the oil be changed annually or every 10,000 miles, whichever comes first. Yes, you can only change the RAV4’s oil once a year, but still pop the hood periodically and check the vital fluids as well as the condition of the tires and tire pressure.
Q. I have a 1968 Chevrolet Corvette and am looking for a shop to work on it. Any suggestions?
A. If I had this car, I would join Facebook pages and forums dedicated to Corvettes and see what others are up to. Also chat with local Corvette clubs and owners at weekly cruise nights or Cars and Coffee events. You get a lot of information by asking other enthusiasts. If general repairs are needed, one of our AAA approved shops should be able to do it. To find a store near you, go to aaa.com/repair.
Q. I have a 2019 Acura MDX with 23,000 miles on it. I took it to the dealer for the A1 service: oil change, filter and tire rotation. They recommended rear differential fluid service. I declined the service. Does this service seem premature at 23,000 miles?
A. Acura, like many vehicles today, uses gauge-based maintenance reminders rather than maintenance based solely on time or mileage. Service A-1 is an oil change and tire check. Replacing differential fluids is maintenance sub-item 6. Depending on how the vehicle is driven, this could be at 30,000 miles or up to 90,000 miles. My suggestion is to follow the maintenance reminder.
Q. I am working on a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It is a very nice vehicle with a 4.0 liter engine and 118,000 miles. We have problems with the heat. In the shop the heat seems to work fine, but when driving it loses heat. The temperature indicator acts very erratically. Last year we replaced the heater core and radiator due to leaks. Since this problem started I have replaced the thermostat, water pump and fan clutch. Both heater hoses are nice and warm to the touch. The system has also been wiped. Any suggestions?
A. This looks like a classic head gasket leak. As the head gasket leaks, even a small amount, the system will become air tight and block the flow of coolant to the heater core. At this point, try to find someone with an exhaust gas analyzer or buy a “block check” kit. Both methods are effective in finding partially burned hydrocarbons in the cooling system. A positive result will likely result in head gasket replacement.
Q. I was recently chatting with the owner of a Cadillac Escalade and asked how much it cost. I was shocked when he told me it was a little over $115,000. Why does anyone need such an expensive car and is it worth it?
A. I recently test drove a Lincoln Navigator Black Label Edition. It was a beautiful vehicle, ran smoothly and had infinitely adjustable seats. The sound quality and the infotainment screen were far better than anything in my house, and this vehicle was also priced over $100,000. People who buy luxury vehicles are likely to be the same people who will buy a Rolex watch when a Timex can actually keep better time. Are these cars worth it? To the owners, yes. As an investment, no. Most cars lose value. It has been reported that most luxury vehicles can lose around 40 to 50 percent of their original value in the first five years of ownership.
Q. How long should wiper blades last? I seem to replace them every nine months.
A. You can generally get at least a year out of a set of quality wiper blades. To extend the life of the blades, clean them periodically with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol. I’ve also found that bargain priced wiper blades jump, talk and aren’t worth it.
John Paul is the car doctor for AAA Northeast. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE Certified Master Technician. Email your Car Doctor question to jpaul@aaanortheast.com. Listen to the Car Doctor podcast at johnfpaul.podbean.com.
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