StateCollegeC4

1989 coupe with 99,000 miles

This car is new to me. I plan on doing some winter maintenance. I also live by the adage if it's not broke, don't fix it. Please advise if there are any of these you would not do.

Oil Change (1,500 miles since last oil change)
Transmission Fluid Change (20,000 miles since last change)
Brake Fluid/Brake line flush
Brake pads
PCV valve
Coolant flush
rotate tires

Also, is there anything I should do not on the list? Again, the car runs fine and I don't want to tinker just to tinker.

Thanks for advice.

haxxx

Everything sounds good. I would also include diff fluid and power steering.

Also check date code on tires if you haven't already. Found out this year that mine were about 20 years old and they still look new.

N227GB

Do you have the original wheels? You can rotate them front to back but not side by side due to the directional cooling vents.

JrRifleCoach

Do the math. That car is closing in on 30 years old and 100K miles.
Good maintenance includes fixing or repairing anything that requires attention. Flushing the coolant, replace the t-stat. flushing brake lines, check those for cracking. Shake the ball joints and wheel bearings. Sometimes tinkering is important when your waiting for the oil to drain. Good luck.

StateCollegeC4

I have c5 wheels with 18s in the back and 17s in the front

PLRX

Something I've learned from heavy winter states members here is to take preventive action against mice during the winter months.

Your list looks good, if you have more time cleaning up the suspension components, wheel barrels, lubricate all weather stripping with dielectric grease, clean up the radiator shroud, and remove seats to clean all the bread crumbs that magically place themselves there.

yd328

See if you can find any dates on the cooling hoses and brake lines, if they are old or they look older I would replace them.

Gary

belairbrian

Don't see how you can rotate tires then.


BTW what is "winter"?

JrRifleCoach

Winter is caused by the axis of the Earth in that hemisphere being oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures define different dates as the start of winter, and some use a definition based on weather. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and vice versa. In many regions, winter is associated with snow and freezing temperatures. The moment of winter solstice is when the sun's elevation with respect to the North or South Pole is at its most negative value (that is, the sun is at its farthest below the horizon as measured from the pole), meaning this day will have the shortest day and the longest night. The earliest sunset and latest sunrise dates outside the polar regions differ from the date of the winter solstice, however, and these depend on latitude, due to the variation in the solar day throughout the year caused by the Earth's elliptical orbit

Paul Workman

Well...20 yr old rubber is past its prime. That's OK if you don't drive it, e.g., an NCRS garage queen or just the ultimate "WAXER". But, if you drive it, the tires are probably more like plastic by now; lost considerable "stick" should you need to brake hard, OR maneuver suddenly. (kinda like driving on a cold, frosty highway). Y'all do whatcha want, but I'm running sticky tires and change them after 4 seasons, regardless of tread left. YMMV.

belairbrian

OK, It's the 2 -3 weeks in January where you warm up the car interior before driving. Got it.

Cool Runnings

Hate to burst your bubble, but, the sun is closer to the earth during the winter........ so the liars at NASA say.

hcbph

I would add to your list things like check your hubs for play, check the bushings on the suspension, check your u-joints to your list. Examine things like your various vacuum hoses, coolant and hoses.
Clean up any of the electrical grounds you can get to. get your wrenches out and check every bolt for tightness.
Unless it's new, check out your air filter, consider changing your fuel filter.
Check anything that needs lubing.

That's the short list and most will cost little to nothing other than some time.

JrRifleCoach

[QUOTE=Cool Runnings;1595487616]Hate to burst your bubble, but, the sun is closer to the earth during the winter........ so the liars at NASA say.

abdo

If you really want to know what winter is, come up to northern Minnesota in February and experience some 35 degree below zero temperature with a wicked wind chill.

Renfield

Like anyone from California would know.

JrRifleCoach

Nope! and don't need to know.
Lived in that bone chilling cold of Detroit for my first 18 years.
No desire to ever go back.

ex-x-fire

Get some Fluid Film and coat the metal fuel/brake lines.

hcbph

You forgot to mention such curiosities as the Halloween Blizzard, the Thanksgiving Blizzard or the snowfall in general. It's a real joy to be in (not). I always say "when the weather turns bad, the nuts fall out of the trees and get behind the wheel of a car". That's life in Minnesota.