What's scheduled at 30K? Fluids? Put out some feelers for hosting a Tech Day and get it done for the cost of parts, drinks and maybe pizza.
If you want to take it somewhere, contact Stevan (Rogue on the forum).
It's time for the 30,000 mile maintenance. Where should I go? CarMax where I bought the car, a Mazda dealer, or a local auto shop?
CarMax makes sense, I have an extended warranty through them and repairs are covered. Yes, the maintenance items will cost some money but I'm concerned about what they may find "needs work." I'm not expecting a 4 year old car to be free from needed repairs.
A Mazda dealer seems reasonable too. I have no idea what level of service and upkeep the previous owner did. Heck, there may be recalls or service bulletins to be attended to. Would it be worthwhile letting them take up the 30,000 checkup?
Or should I just stick with an independent service shop - someone not beholding to a corporate mandate to maximize income and minimize covered expenses.
Opinions please!
Randy (who'd rather be )
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Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read. -Groucho Marx
2005 Saab 9³ Arc 2.0L Turbo
What's scheduled at 30K? Fluids? Put out some feelers for hosting a Tech Day and get it done for the cost of parts, drinks and maybe pizza.
If you want to take it somewhere, contact Stevan (Rogue on the forum).
Bingo!! Look up MiataSolutions. He goes by Rogue on this board. He'll take good care of your vehicle.
Originally Posted by randy7601
Or should I just stick with an independent service shop - someone not beholding to a corporate mandate to maximize income and minimize covered expenses.
Opinions please!
Agreed. My rides only go to the stealership for warranty work. After that, it's independent all the way. Do your research, pay due diligence, and use resources like this one to make your decision.
My miata in in the hands of Gary at Trackdog as I write this. I simply do not have the time (much less the skill) to do what I want to do with the car, and after researching my options, felt Gary was the man to trust my miata to.
Gary has encountered "numerous" challenges in the cars tranformation progress. What we expected to be a 2 day job has turned into "much" more.
I expect it with a 17 year old car. Gary has called me with daily updates, keeping me up to date on progress and works with me regarding options on how to proceed.
Gary works with me on parts "I" supply, understands what I am trying to achieve, and works closely to meet my needs and requirements.
Dealership = less communication/flexibility + more money + unpredictable results.
I can't wait for my OTM to be out of warranty. Don't even get me started on the last warranty "service" joke that happened to me less than 3 weeks ago.
Bad times, bad times....
SA
So what all does Mazda recommend for the 30,000 mile service??
This is what I found:
According to the Maintenance Schedule, "inspect, with repair, clean, adjust, or replace if necessary" includes: drive belts (tension), engine oil, engine oil filter, air filter, spark plugs, cooling system, fuel lines and hoses, idle speed, brake lines/hoses/connections, brake and cluch fluid level, disk brakes, tire inflation pressure and tire wear, steering operation and linkages, power steering fluid level, front suspension ball joints, drive shaft dust boots, bolts and nuts on chassis and body, exhaust system heat shields, all locks and hinges, air conditioning refrigerant and compressor, drive belts (tension), manual transmission oil, rear differential oil, drive shaft boots and washer fluid level.