My 97 Camaro is pushing about 8 years. This is my usual driving car and I put about 30 miles on it every dayduring the week. (highway driving, about 15 miles to work)

The engine is in good shape with no current oil leaks.

I'm planning on keeping the car for at least two more years (maybe longer depending on how long it takes them to get the next Camaro out) and am wondering what kind of long term preventative maintenance to invest in.

Timing chain? Wheel bearings?

I'm also thinking of getting a new paint job, can anybody recommend a good body shop for such a thing in the Indianapolis area? (y'know, besides Maaco?)

 

If it isn't broken don't replace it. No need for a timing chain or wheel bearings unless they have a problem. Just keep the fluids changed regularly and go from there.

 

I agree...

Usual stuff like changing the oil & oil filter, fuel filter, fuel injector cleaner, trans fluid, cleaning the air filter, plugs & wires, antifreeze, battery, etc...

Don't worry about stuff like the optispark, waterpump, oil pump, timing chain, valvetrain components, fuel injectors, O2's, coil, etc. unless one (or some of those) are giving you car any problems.

If it ever starts running bad or triggers an SES light, then by all means quickly have it scanned to see what code or codes it might be throwing and go from there rather than just guessing...

Just my $.02,

Mike

 

For god sakes man, Maaco?!!! If you know anything about paint you wouldnt take anything to them for their version of a pretend paint job. All they do is scratch the pre-existing paint then spray over a new color with a HVLP and call it good. Go to any body shop and look at their work closely for crap in the paint, a$$holes, solvent spots, etc. NEVER EVER EVER EvER go to Maaco!! They dont even do the door jams...

 

I knew I shoulda put the wink icon next to that...

My main concern was the timing chain breaking due to wear and tear. I had a friend who lost his car due to that (but it was a plastic belt) so I'm a little sensitive to it. But I guess that's not a major "breakage" issue when it's a chain?

(The basic maintenance stuff, yeah I'm keeping up with the fluids/brakes/etc)

 

I hear that the Tin Ranch in Westfield does good body/paint work. I haven't had anything done there but I have heard good things. Also, Church Brothers in Indy turns out a quality product as well. I have a client that manages one of the Church Bros. shops and I know that his standards are quite high. Hope this helps.

 

What kind of car does he drive? LT1's infact most chevy motors in general are pretty durable motors. I had a 95 Z28 with absolutely no problems at 165K and we never replaced any internals and it ran like brand new. I have a 97 V6 thats at 146K and is running like brand new with just preventive maintance after a tuneup and I'm quite hard on the car. Your timing chain should be fine especially with the kind of driving you do.

 

I believe it was a Mercury Cougar with about 50,000 miles on it. But it had a plastic belt, not a chain.

 

50K, Biult FORD TOUGH for ya!

j/k

But yeah I wouldn't worry about your timing belt. There's cars out there way over 50K without problems of that nature. I say until it gives you trouble, IF it ever gives ya trouble, don't worry about it.

 

Just normal maintenance and what ever breaks. And what makes you think you need a new paint job at Maaco?? Just clean & wax the car the paints only 8 yrs old. My 87's Black clearcoat looks just like it left the factory (almost) and its 18 yrs old. Also a daily driver.

 

am I the only one who caught the "maaco" comment as a joke? Looks like it... he wasn't serious about maaco people.

 

Absolutely. I had a friend who went there for minor body work after a fender dent (thinking he could get some $$$ from the insurance) and his paint job was horrifible. They left the paint drips on.

I've got a silver Camaro and was thinking of getting either a candy blue paint job or maybe redo the silver and get medium blue stripes on the front of the hood and back (maybe with flames) But I'm not sure where to go about asking for that work and that's above my ability to do. There's a very good dealership body shop nearby but I don't think they would do this sort of custom job.

 

considered i would chime because i my car has exactly 129,812 miles on it

all i do is make sure every 2500-3000 miles i change the oil with a full synthetic that is thick. i am swapping cams this weekend so i am doing my plugs and wires and valvetrain too, but i heard a rumor somewhere stating between 130k-150k the valve springs need to be replaced

the only other thing i would think about is rear end fluid, i haven't looked at that since i bought the car but its whining pretty good so i might need to change it.

if wheel bearings aren't screaming with noise don't worry about it, i would make sure your shock/struts are ok. maybe bleed your brakes next time you do pads if you don't bleed them everytime you change them. my timing belt on right now is fine, but i am changing it when i do my cam only because i will be taking it off and i don't want the stretched one to go back on