Post by anthony millsWe have a 1999 Lexus LS400 which we rarely drive; it only has about
28.800 miles (driven mostly about 1 - 2 times per week to nearby grocery
stores). If we change the oil every 3000 miles, it's only about once a
year for us. Is this OK? Does just sitting in a (un-airconditioned)
garage put wear and tear on a car's engine? (It doesn't seem to me like
it would.)
Sitting in a garage does not put wear and tear on a car's engine, but
driving it only short trips can. Multiple short trips means that the engine
and emissions components do not get completely warmed up and so condensation
collects in the engine oil and exhaust system. The condensate sitting in
the oil does not lubricate like the oil does, and the condensate sitting in
the exhaust will corrode the exhaust. You should take the car for a long
enough ride for the engine to get fully warmed up every month or two.
As far as changing the oil once a year every 3,000 miles, that is OK.
Post by anthony millsThe service rep at the local Lexus dealer suggested a 10W-30 synthetic
motor oil. According to recent comments that I've seen in this group,
synthetic oil seems to be the way to go. How much better than regular
oil is synthetic oil? Also, I thought you were supposed to use
different weights of oil in different seasons, but the rep said that
where we are (Houston, Texas), the temperature differences between the
seasons is not that great, so a 10W-30 Kendall bulk oil is OK. The
difference between January and July average temperatures in Houston is
about 32 - 33 degrees Fahrenheit; is this true?
The oil viscosity recommended by the automaker is listed on the top of the
oil filler cap and in your owner's manual, and that is the weight you should
use. A temperature difference of 30 or 40 degrees Fahrenheit is little
enough that you don't have to worry about different oil viscosity for summer
and winter. Synthetic oil is probably the way to go for your car because of
the infrequent short trips and becasuse the engine doen't have a chance to
warm up each time.
Post by anthony millsAlso, there's one tire with low tread. He said we might need to buy
two tires, depending on the condition of the spare. He said that you
should at least have two tires of the same brand on the same axle of the
car. (We would, of course, be rotating the tires when we replaced the
worn tire.) What difference does this make, as long as they're all the
same size of tire? He also said that if the spare tire is the original
one that came with the car, we should throw it away, because it's worn
out. How can this be true if it's never used? (I do now remember going
to a Discount Tire in 2001; the spare may have been replaced then.)
The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if it is not used.
www.tirerack.com has an article about tire aging. While there is no
standard for when to take tires out of service in the U.S., the consensus in
Europe and Asia is that unused tires should not be put into service 6 years
after they are made, and tires should be taken out of service after 10
years. By the way, a lot of people speak highly of tirerack as a place to
purchase tires and get information regarding tires
Tires on the same axle, that is, the front or rear, should be matched in
brand, model, and general condition beause variances from left to right can
make the car handle poorly so you generally have to purchase tires at least
in pairs. If the spare is original, replace it with one of the tires you
are replacing.
--
Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)