|
Troutman, I couldn't agree more. Yes, this has been hashed over many times before - but as these are new owners (and I assume new to the site) and, since many of the threads pre-date the numbers released during the class-action suit, I spent the time to write the post. As the owner of a double-row bearing car, I am exactly the same as you - I am putting off replacement of the bearing until I need a clutch replacement and I am not losing any sleep over it. In general, the odds of failure of a double-row are very slim and my car has had annual oil changes each spring, on an average every 4000 miles. If I am so unlucky as to have a failure in those circumstances, I should also be watching for things falling out of the sky!
As to the video - yes it is frightening. But one must keep in mind that it was a single-row bearing and that the owner indicated that he changed the oil every 15,000 km (about 10,000 miles), as recommended by the factory. We don't know when his last oil change was prior to the failure, or if he made use of a magnetic drain plug and/or inspection of the filter after each oil change. We do know that he did not have a guardian installed ( a very good idea, especially with a single-row bearing). We also know that he took this unfortunate experience in stride and, in spite of the cost of rebuilding the engine, has expressed every intention of keeping his car. I mean, if someone who experienced the worst that can happen still loves his car enough to want to keep it, it should say something to the vast majority of us who have not and will not experience the same thing. These are incredible cars that are a sheer joy to drive. If you want something reliable and cheap to maintain, you can always buy a Toyota Corolla.
Brad
|