Hi Scotty,
I am in the market for a Toyota Tundra V8. After reviewing the truck history on CarFax, I see that most owners followed the manufacturer's and dealer's instructions, changing the engine oil every 10,000 miles. Should I buy a Tundra with 100,000 to 120,000 miles and oil changed every 10,000 miles, even though both Scotty and Car Care Nut recommends changing it every 5,000 miles?
Additionally, it seems many truck owners never flushed the transmission fluid because the dealer told them it was designed to last for the life of the vehicle."
Additionally, it seems many truck owners never flushed the transmission fluid because the dealer told them it was designed to last for the life of the vehicle."
That's a load of hogwash. The mechanical engineers were too cost conscious, and they neglected to put a transmission dipstick in the transmission. Modern transmissions get just as dirty and the old days and the dealers conveniently hide behind it. No transmission is "sealed for life". It's just a pain to refill, because there's no dipstick. It's designed to fulfill the powertrain warranty, which is 5 years, or 60,000 miles. After that, it's on you if the transmission fails, not the dealer.
Take any prospective vehicle to a trusted mechanic. He'll be able to tell if it's been wrecked, flooded, etc.
Never flush a transmission, only do a drain and refill.
Also, I would start changing the oil every 5,000 miles to get the maximum life out of the vehicle. Toyota is in the business of selling you new cars, not maintaining the one you already have.
Should I buy a Tundra with 100,000 to 120,000 miles and oil changed every 10,000 miles
No, not with a poor maintenance history.
