Please teach me the dark arts of car maintenance!

firewaterword

Hello again H&A!

So, a few weeks ago I made the smart decision to de-lurk and make a post in this forum, asking the wise denizens here to help me with the ever-taxing process of buying a car! You guys really came through, and helped me out a great deal; specifically, you talked me out of buying a Porsche Boxster, for which I will be eternally grateful.

Well, as of last night, I am now the proud owner of a 2005 Infiniti G35 Coupe! And, by god, I am in love with it already! I apologize in advance if, in any way, I come across as a braggart, as I am a very humble person; it's just that I've spent the last 6 years apologizing for the state of my previous car, and this is a hugely positive life-change for me.

Anyway, to get to the point, the reason I come before you again is to, once again, tap into the vast wealth of knowledge which makes this forum one of the most stellar places I've seen in the otherwise depressing wasteland of the internet:

Wise folk of the Penny-Arcade Help and Advice Forum, I entreat you, teach me how to take care of this beautiful machine!

Here's the deal: the car I had prior to this, I'm shamed to admit, did not see very much love from me at all. And as a result, I'm more or less clueless when it comes to proper vehicular maintenance.

The details:

• 2005 Infiniti G35 Coupe
• 6-Speed Manual Transmission
• Black Exterior / Black Leather
• <26,000 Miles and still under warranty
• Sport Tires, After-market rims
• Fantastic condition

So I've spent a few hours here and there looking around the net, and found some good, if somewhat conflicting, information. You guys and gals would earn another place in my heart if you would be so kind as to throw some tips my way. Here's what I'd really love some info on:


1. Oil - I've read that since I generally commute less than 30 miles combined each day, I'll need to change the oil more frequently (as often as every 2K miles, which sounds kind of insane). How frequently should I aim for changes, and do the benefits of using synthetic oil outweigh the costs?

2. Coolant - Currently, the coolant tank is just under 1/2 full. Should I go ahead and fill it to the max line, and if so, with what? I've read that the best solution is 50% water, 50% antifreeze. Can anyone recommend a brand/type?

3. Exterior Care - I've always washed my car by hand, and don't intend to stop; I've been informed about proper washing/drying technique, so I think I'm good there. I've also read a bit about "claying" the car; does anyone have any advice regarding the practicalities of this? How about polishing and waxing? Or is this stuff best left to a professional detailer?

4. Interior - The seats are leather, and I'd really like to do my best to ensure they stay in great condition. Can anyone recommend technique or product?

5. Front Bumper and Stone Chips - The front of the car is very low, and has unfortunately already seen its fair share of stone hits. My brother recommended looking into a "clear bra," which I guess is a coating of protective plastic. Anyone have any experience with these?

6. Rims - So I've always thought that rims were pretty damn unnecessary and gaudy. I'm really eating crow on that one; these are goddamn stunning, and I really, really, REALLY want to avoid curbing them/scratching them/et cetera. Again, anyone have tips? Is there anything I can do, short of not hitting the bloody curb?

7. Stuff I'm Too Ignorant to Ask About - What am I missing? Is there anything I can do myself to make sure my lovely car, engine, and it's associated parts and systems stay in top condition?

So that's it. If you made it this far, I salute you. So please folks, anything you can contribute is very much appreciated. Practical, theoretical, metaphysical, whatever - it all helps. Thanks so much you awesome people!

wmelon

Here's a few tips.

1) Honestly you won't need to change it quite that frequently. Even with regular dino oil. I'd probably do it more often than the manufacturer recommends which is probably between 5000-7500 miles. Check the owners manual on that. Full synthetic oil will help your car last longer, due to it's superior lubrication and break down point. 3-4k at a time or 4 or 5 months should be often enough.

2) The tank you're referring to is just for overflow, as the car warms up the radiator will push excess coolant into it and pull it back out as the car cools. As long as it's above the Minimum and blow the Maximum lines you're fine. If you start running low, then check your owners manual for the type of antifreeze that you need, there are several types and they are incompatible with each other.

3) Here's a good forum for all your auto detailing needs http://www.autopia.org/forums/index.php?s=

4) See #3

5) Unfortunately I have no experience with these. If you decide to get one, let me know how it works out, as I'd be interested in getting one as well if it works well.

6) You'll also want to try to avoid potholes, as the larger wheels that most new cars are coming with are less strong than the smaller ones and it is very easy to bend them if you hit a pothole too hard.

Gafoto

Also don't forget to keep your tire pressure checked constantly. Cars with larger rims (and thus smaller tires) will really cause your ride to be uncomfortable if they're not properly inflated.

tinyfist

Depending on where you live (and based on your mileage), I would recommend changing your oil every 3 months regardless of mileage.

Because your commute is short, sometimes your engine won't have enough time/heat to burn off all the moisture that builds up inside. That moisture will degrade the oil, so changing it every 3 months might be a good idea.

I live in Toronto where we have cold winters, and my commute isn't far either, so I always try to stick to a 3 month schedule.

As far as synthetic or not, there are arguments for both sides. Personally, I just go with synthetic.

Djeet

If you're going to keep your car as long as you did your last one, just religiously keep on top of the fluid cycling schedules. I think Nissan/Infiniti tends to have big services scheduled at 30K mile intervals; the dealership ought to give you a rundown on what's done at major servicings. If you don't want to get it done at the dealership you should pick up the manufacturers service manual, or at least a chiltons/haynes manual. Read the operators manual, it will let you know if your machine has special considerations with regards to fluids.

(1) Switch to synthetic if you're not already using it, non-synth will breakdown quicker than synthetic. If you can keep ontop of 3K oil changes then non-synth is probably fine. If you're doing your own oil changes, I think the increased cost of synth is negligeable, a buck or 2 a quart; the annoying bit is getting under the car, getting dirty, cleaning up and disposal.

(2) I probably pay too much for coolant cause I get it from the dealership, but the boards/forums I read have plenty of posts w/r/to improper coolant and head gasket and/or radiator woes. Buy coolant at the dealership (for 3x the cost of Peak) and then do your own research. This link has minimal FUD, but doesn't speak directly to your engine/cooling system.

nome

Learn how to check all the fluids and do this the first few times you buy gas. Once you are sure nothing leaks you can check it less frequently (every 2~3 months).

Oil
Transmission fluid (not sure if manuals are different from automatics)
Coolant
Brake fluid
Power steering fluid
windshield wiper fluid

Dalboz

I'm not sure if they have one specifically for your car, but I would strongly recommend getting a Haynes Repair Manual if they offer one. I had one for my Nissan Altima and it was great. I swear that book would tell me how to take the car apart down to the last bolt and put it back together.

I need to get one for my new Civic.

firewaterword

Thanks for all the great tips and feedback guys. Don't have too much time right now, but will be back again tomorrow while at work.

I once looked into getting the Bentley Book for my old BMW to attempt to fix a starter, but once I saw the cost of all the custom tools required, I balked. Sadly, it doesn't look like Bentley nor Haynes make a book for the G35. Anyway, I did find a PDF of the service manual, and plan on printing that thing out tomorrow to study over the weekend.

fatmouse

Very generally, people who own higher end cars like the G35, don't do their own maintenance. However, I am sure there are websites for G35 enthusiasts who mod their cars. Those will be your best bet for any important questions about the mechanics of your car.

firewaterword

Yeah, I don't really intend to do the more involved stuff; for example, I think I'll hold off on trying to change the oil, et cetera, at least until I've had the car for awhile. I just want to be damn sure I'm doing all the proper day-to-day stuff, much like what's suggested above.

Thanks for the link to Autopia wmelon - I'll be reading that all day! Same for the Popular Mechanics link from Djeet. One of the things I've found is that there are tons of informative websites, but for the most part, they usually seem to be pushing one specific brand or whatever. Which isn't bad per se, but makes it hard to sort the advice from the marketing.

I've also been around a few forums for my car, which I'm sure a full of good info, but also seem to be rife with god-awful emoticons and whatnot. "U no my car iz the shit ! U must b al liek :shock::shock::^: cuz im all 8-):whistle:" Is there such a thing as a car forum with the same standards as this place? Heh, too much to ask, I'm sure!

Also, not to blow open the floodgates too much, but does anyone have some info regarding the reality of gas octane content (i.e. Premium v Regular)? I've heard conflicting advice - some say that the "knock sensors" in cars pretty much make the point moot, while others say that cars with high performance engines get better mileage out of higher octane gas (whereas lower octane gas reduces cylinder pressure or something). Also, is it OK to say switch between premium and regular between fill-ups (generally depending on amounts of overtime worked!)?

Thanks gents.

Djeet

You should put whatever octane is recommended by the car (usually either shown at the gas level indicator or at the gascap). You're likely 91 octane, which means premium. I've heard that modern cars that require premium can tune the engine somewhat based on feedback from sensors, but I've never tried this on mine. So in a pinch I guess you could use 87.

I wouldn't be scared of changing the oil. It's not a big deal, just messy so in the end you might just want to pay the $10-15 premium to have someone else deal with it. And if you have your car on jackstands and you're under it there's a more than 0% chance you'll get crushed. The operators manual ought to tell you how to do it if you're interested. Changing brake pads and bleeding the brake lines is also pretty easy.

wmelon

Yes. Gas Octane will be important in your car. While honestly it shouldn't HURT your car it will definitely make your car's performance far worse to use less than 91 octane AON. The car's engine control system should retard the timing to keep it pre-ignition (pinging) or uneven combustion (knocking) from occuring, but that will rob you of power and cause your fuel economy to go way down. Essentially the octane rating of the gasoline is the resistance of it to being combusted. The higher the number the harder it is to burn, but also when it does burn, it will burn more evenly. If you had been talking about a car with a turbo or supercharger, I would recommend NEVER using anything aside from 91+ octane gas. As forced induction causes a higher amount of air/fuel into the cylinders and could potentially damage the engine should pinging or knocking occur.

So you CAN use less than 91, but i wouldn't recommend it unless it's a last resort.

firewaterword

Awesome, thanks a ton guys. That's more or less what I've figured. If it significantly increases the mileage and performance, it's certainly worth the extra 50 cents or whatever.

I've heard that bit about needing 91 for Super/Turbo systems; while the idea of supercharging this beast is certainly compelling, I think I'll wait till I've paid the thing off to drop 2K+ on a Vortech system. Besides, I still need a GPS and radar detector.

Anyway, thanks again for the killer advice - if you folks are ever in the Bay Area, I'd be happy to buy a round.