Retired Daily Driver

[JNJRDMAX]

Hello All. Kinda new to the Forum, but not the D Max. I have a few concerns that I hope you all can help with.
Due to the purchase last year of a new car for my wife, our truck has now retired from the "Daily Driver" life and spends 90% of its time in the garage. Our only use will be to tow our travel trailer or haul anything that requires a pickup bed. My concerns have to do with extended time of no use and any "Extra" or "Unique" preventative maintenance I should be doing. The truck has about 67,000 miles and I have personally changed the oil with Rottella T 15w 40 every 4 to 5K since new. I usually do the fuel filter once a year before our big vacation. I would be very interested in input from everyone about anything I should be doing to prolong the life of my Truck. (Especially since I just paid it off!!) Tires, fluids, seals, etc.

Thanks in advance for all your help and I look forward to hearing from you all.

[Mark Rinker]

My thoughts:


Drive the truck at least once per month, letting it get fully up to temperature;
Make sure fuel is treated with a quality fuel treatment;
Install a permanent 'smart' battery float charger, and keep it plugged in at all times.
Use dryer sheets in the door storage, seat/dash tops, underseat areas to discourage mice from moving in.Congrats on a paid-for truck, with low miles to boot! :D

[NutNbutGMC]

Hello All. Kinda new to the Forum, but not the D Max. I have a few concerns that I hope you all can help with.
Due to the purchase last year of a new car for my wife, our truck has now retired from the "Daily Driver" life and spends 90% of its time in the garage. Our only use will be to tow our travel trailer or haul anything that requires a pickup bed. My concerns have to do with extended time of no use and any "Extra" or "Unique" preventative maintenance I should be doing. The truck has about 67,000 miles and I have personally changed the oil with Rottella T 15w 40 every 4 to 5K since new. I usually do the fuel filter once a year before our big vacation. I would be very interested in input from everyone about anything I should be doing to prolong the life of my Truck. (Especially since I just paid it off!!) Tires, fluids, seals, etc.

Thanks in advance for all your help and I look forward to hearing from you all.
My 2007 will be three years old this coming July. I have 4,300 miles on it. :D

I keep the fuel treated and a Battery Tender on it (one will serve both batteries). I start is weekly, put it in gear to cycle the tranny and keep it waxed. This truck is still clean on the under carriage. It's never been driven in the rain or adverse weather (not planned that way).

I do use it around the house and to tow the boat to the ramp. My quandry is that in July, I'll have to buy the extended warranty (three years). Doesn't seem right but I'd have to be without it when I hit 5,000 miles.

I keep the tires inflated properly and hope they don't flat-spot from sitting a long time.... LOL.... I keep the windows cracked (in the garage) to allow the heat to escape the cab so the glue doesn't dry out too bad...

Oh yea, and I do keep it waxed... :D

[Mark Rinker]

LOL - during busy summer months, I have put on 4,300 miles in a little over a WEEK! :D

[JohnC]

...I start is weekly, put it in gear to cycle the tranny ...

I am a firm believer in *not* doing this. If you start it you immediately start pumping water vapor into the oil. In order to rid the engine of this water vapor you need to get the oil temperature up to 180* and keep it there for a half hour or so. This simply cannot be accomplished without driving the vehicle. The water vapor and consequent acids in the oil are worse for the engine than not running it at all, so I recommend not touching it unless you're going to take it for a good long run.

YMMV...

[JNJRDMAX]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think driving it once a month is the way to go. I already have a "Smart Battery" and always park my vehicle in the garage with the window down a bit. What I really need to know is what fuel additive do you suggest? There are alot of brands out there and I would like to use one that is "D MAX" friendly..

Thanks again for all the help.

[Shed]

I am have similar problems, with the exception of mine being an 01' and haveing 108k. Mine sits alot, and pulls the boat/camper and whenever I need to haul something. I always drive it once per week, unless not physically able to do so. She sat for 3 weeks once and acted as though she did'nt like this... I take one day that I drive the truck just to work and run erands or whatever. That way it gets a work out and up to temps, maybe blow the stink off her....

I use amsoil fuel treatments, winter time I use fppf? White bottle, not the 911 stuff. Seems to work well. Along with maint., I found that the tranny service every 10-12k helps and of course don't forget the differentials and the transfer case. I switched to all synthetic (amsoil) and have noticed a difference in temps.