Do not fall prey to automotive gimmicks. You only need proper service.

I watch ALOT of videos these days. If you want to know something, depending on the subject, there can be hundreds of videos on YouTube for you to educate yourself with. Whether its reviews on tools you are interested in buying, diagnostic videos that can open your mind and help you refine your diagnostic process or even how to do keys on this vehicle or that vehicle... There is a great wealth of information available to you. After all, this entire blog is dedicated to the kind of content value you can find on the internet being a part of the internet itself. That being said there are many scams out there you should be weary of.

Some people say you should not bother with services not recommended by a manufacturer. Other people say there are services that are a complete scam recommended by manufacturers. I started my automotive management experience at a shop that literally was so busy it did not have time for scheduled maintenance services recommended by the OEMs. All the time people are like my car has 60k miles I want to do the recommended service: just because they say to replace the air filter in your car does not actually mean that you need one. More often than not the recommended services are not necessary.

Years ago a coolant flush was a good idea. That was because some manufacturers used the cheapest coolant known to man that would degrade and clog heater cores, thermostats and radiators. Having owned Toyota's most of my life I have been spoiled by coolants that never break down or need such a thing. I even got to the point where anything I owned got Toyota Red coolant as the first thing I did to it. Why? Because I often bought 20+ year old cars that never once had their coolant systems opened up for any reason so still had zero issues with coolant by design.

Fast forward to the present and weeks into watching diagnostic videos here's a comment by the channel owner being like "30k miles you really should flush the brake system, change the rear differential fluid and do a coolant flush." What?!?!?!?! You put videos on the internet showcasing proper diagnostics of strange issues and yet you still are pushing unnecessary services on unsuspecting customers? Its 2026 and I am running out of worthwhile videos to watch on automotive service? How is this possible.

Brake fluid IS hydroscopic yes. It absorbs water from the atmosphere when exposed to it.... sure. But the brake system is a sealed system meaning there is no where for it to absorb water from in the natural performance of its duties. That means you do not need to do a break flush every 2-3 years no matter what ChatGPT (that is another conversation) and dishonest technician's tell you. If the brake fluid is not discolored it certainly does not need to be changed just for the sake of a service.

I hear "the customer is always right" all the time even from people who service cars regularly and it just makes me laugh. The actual truth is that "the customer is always right when educated properly" and it is our responsibility to do just that. Sometimes telling a customer no will net you lifelong trust. (I should point out that I just, at this point in the article, used AI to generate an image for this post)

Since I am tired I will outline the guidelines for gimmicks/flushes/service before I go to sleep (assuming you drive something other then a Toyota):

• No heat even with a new thermostat and the engine coming up to temperature and/or you own a GM: flush heater core (probably will take 5 or 6 attempts)

• Your brake fluid is no longer yellow

• Your coolant is no longer the color it is supposed to be

• Do not ever flush your transmission. It is not recommended by any manufacturers (outside of specific TSBs for some Chevy and Ford problems)

• Replace air filters when they need to be replaced

• Replace spark plugs when you get a check engine light

• Do your oil changes 3-5k miles no matter what is recommended. Do not listen to the 20K filter & oil people (Just because they think they have found a "solution" to doing regular oil changes does not make them smart)

• All your oil changes should be synthetic. It is the only oil that actually does the job it was intended to do

• DO change your transmission fluid & filter before the manufacture recommends it. The average life of transmissions according to the DOT is only 70k miles hint hint... (half that for the newest chevy models)

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