[sirwm]

ok, so I picked up a car.

This is a 2009 model ( automatic 2.4L ) with only 1040 miles on it when I got it.
So, the car has been sitting for almost 4 years.

What kind of maintenance MUST I do ?
What kind of maintenance MIGHT I do ?
Anything unique to watch for ?

oil ?
antifreeze ?
tires ?
something else ?

 

[typhoon]

Change the oil and drive it.

 

[TX08manualGXP]

I'd change the oil, drive it for a month, then flush the radiator and enjoy your new car. I'd wash it real good and make sure all the seals around the doors and trunk are clean and you should be good to go. If any stick, a little silicone spray would do the trick.

 

[MidniteBlues]

check the tires for a flat spot(s).. check their age by reading the code off the tires, change the oil and filter and go rock da house..enjoy your new car..:thumbs:

 

[DaveOC]

Oil should be changed yearly regardless of usage, so that absolutely needs to be done.

Coolant (dexcool) is supposed to be changed every 5 years, so that is probably OK for the time being.

Tires should probably be OK, but you may want to have them inspected to see how old they are.

Check the seals and weatherstripping.

Have fun. :yay:

 

[2KWK4U]

Man, you're looking at a money pit nightmare. PM me and I'll send you my address in the states that you should just send it to to save you all the heartache

Seriously, though, the advice given here so far is pretty solid. Also consider flushing and refilling the brake fluid. Tires really should be just fine. The flat-spotting concerns, as I understand it, have more to do with old bias-ply tires on classic cars and muscle cars.

Do you know if it sat indoors/outdoors? If indoors, did it sit in a climate-controlled garage w/ a sealed floor? That would be the best case. But honestly everything is probably just fine.

 

[TomatoSoup]

Coolant (dexcool) is supposed to be changed every 5 years, so that is probably OK for the time being.

Except a 2009 could've been built in '08 and be 5 years old now (time flies when you're having fun ). I think, especially since it's been standing all that time and not circulating, that a coolant change would be worthwhile.

 

[wspohn]

Oil should be changed yearly regardless of usage, so that absolutely needs to be done.

Yes, paradoxically, GM gives you an oil change indicator that tells you % of remaining oil life and then tells you to ignore it. If you are still in warranty, do what the factory says to retain warranty - I am - until next August, at which point the car gets Royal Purple and a 10,000 mile change interval.

I thought the advice about door seals was a nice touch - we tend to ignore that sort of thing until we have problems - I should go around my seals with a bit of compound one of these days soon.

And the 5 year tire change is conservative. If you don't live in the L.A. basin (akin to being dipped in tire rotting compounds) you can get maybe 7 years out of them. I'm hoping to wear mine out before they need changing, but I'm losing the battle as I haven't been putting much mileage on my coupe.

 

[DaveOC]

Except a 2009 could've been built in '08 and be 5 years old now (time flies when you're having fun ). I think, especially since it's been standing all that time and not circulating, that a coolant change would be worthwhile.

Nice catch TS, VIN 107099, build date 12/17/08. Yessiree, it's one of the earlier coupes. Coolant change is in order sooner than later.

:dthumbs:

 

[DaveOC]

Yes, paradoxically, GM gives you an oil change indicator that tells you % of remaining oil life and then tells you to ignore it. If you are still in warranty, do what the factory says to retain warranty - I am - until next August, at which point the car gets Royal Purple and a 10,000 mile change interval.

GM's oil life monitor really is nothing more that a revolution counter when you boil it down to the basics. Which has no bearing on the issue here.

I agree with you, do what GM says while the car is still in warranty. I wonder what the "in Service" date is on this car.

The car is listed in the coupe data base as a GM Dealer Used Car, which usually means it was in use by GM and then cycled through the dealer base as a used car. With only 1000 miles on the car it is fairly safe to assume that the car has been driven very little since it was sold to the original (non GM) customer.

Who knows? :dunno:

 

[rob the elder]

Personally I would do a thorough inspection, inside and out just to be sure that you don’t have hidden problems that could cause problems down the road but are easily addressed now.
-check torque on lug nuts and wheel hub bolts.
-verify all fluid levels and seals in the drive train
-have the coolant tested. There are tests that can be performed that will tell you if the coolant is still good.
-inspect the electrical connections. Battery terminals for corrosion, sample the fuses to verify general condition, pull up the carpet on the BCM and visually inspect it. Take a look at the front engine ground which has been a problem in a few cases in the past.
-clean and recondition all the rubber seals. Inspect them for condition, rips, etc. Apply the conditioning product of choice
-Do not forget to lube the driver’s seat electric height mechanism.
-Inspect the windshield wipers for condition and deterioration
-Visually inspect the tires for checking and any deterioration. If the car has been exposed to a lot of UV then the tires may be approaching their end of life. Check for missing or loose balance weights
-Visually inspect the exhaust system for leaks
-Visually inspect the wheel sensors for routing and condition
-Change the oil
-Cycle the DIC to verify all states come up and appropriate information is displayed
-functionally test the brakes, traction control if equipped and stability control condition and states
-Pull a GM vehicle maintenance report from the GM system and verify that all required maintenance is up to date and recalls if any are applied.
-Review the top fit issue and rattle issues and verify that your car does not have this problem

 

[TomatoSoup]

GM's oil life monitor really is nothing more that a revolution counter when you boil it down to the basics. Which has no bearing on the issue here.

Not that I'm disagreeing that the oil should be changed - it should - but the OLM is more than a rev counter, it includes time spent cold/hot etc. See (5th para): ZDP depletion and GM oil life monitor - Bob Is The Oil Guy

 

[DaveOC]

Not that I'm disagreeing that the oil should be changed - it should - but the OLM is more than a rev counter, it includes time spent cold/hot etc. See (5th para): ZDP depletion and GM oil life monitor - Bob Is The Oil Guy

Yes, I understand, but it is still basically a rev counter. In addition, when the car is not getting any use at all, none of the rest of the factors are going to enter into the calculation.

I wonder if the original oil has ever been changed in this car?

.

 

[rob the elder]

It is possible that the oil in the engine is the factory issue. I would minimize accumulating any time on the engine with this oil. Cheap insurance.:thumbs:

 

[chickenwire]

I'm with 2kwk here. You need to unload this nightmare. I think I might know a guy in Michigan that might help you get rid of it. ; )

 

[sirwm]

I am going to the dealer to get the car maintenance history later this week.

So, oil & coolant are the items most folks agree upon.

Thanks

 

[TomatoSoup]

So, oil & coolant are the items most folks agree upon.

Wait, did no-one mention brake fluid? That would also be a 'must' in my book after sitting that long. Should change that every ~3 years, anyway.

Update: Yes, I now see that 2kwk already said that. Seconded

 

[TX08manualGXP]

Rob listed some very good points. Unless you know how the vehicle was stored, I'd look into as much as possible. Climate has a lot to do with it. I know from experience but this is for OLDER cars that if an old car is put up in decent condition and sits for years, it will appear nice and solid. however, once you start driving it and parts start moving, thats where the wear starts. My 73 vette drove home fine but after a month of driving, the upper control arm bushings disintegrated. however, you shouldn't have to worry about that but I'd drive it around and give it a real good once over every now and then. Tires will start to dry rot from the inside and sitting in the same spot is not good for them. have someone follow behind you to see if the car drives straight and if there is any wheel or tirer wobble. Looks like a great find though.

 

[SolNut]

:agree:
Buy a set of Speed Bleeders and you can do it by yourself!:thumbs:

 

[TX08manualGXP]

I almost bought a set for my vette but went the one man brake bleeder route. to get it done. the calipers had inboard and outboard adjustments so I would have needed 8 to get it done.