Y'a learn something every day

willem, sorry mate it aint crap
oils are very thirsty for moisture (includes breakfluids)
you end up with a chemical reation when the oils change temperature and this creates acids which attack the metals...happens in fridges and airconditioners too but we do something that stops it (if done correctly)
Seen acidic oils so strong skin would be burnt if one touched the oil!...
Coolant with alloy radiators should be done every 24months at minimum
Brake fulids... wait till they dont pull you up and you'll suffer...
Start believing Willem!

Well I have just disposed of my old G60 and didn't change the brakefluid in 6 years. I changed all the gear oils at the beginning of this year after 5.5 years. I replaced the wheel cylinders easly in my ownership as well as the brake shoes and experienced no brake fade. In fact the brakes were still good when she went to the new owner.

Yes I know that the old brake cylinders became pitted due to water ingestion but that usually took quite a while and by the time you got round to fixing it it was time to move on to the next car.

As for your mates getting killed on the road....it was probably due to driver error. More people(because there are more people) are killed on the road in modern cars these days and mostly by driver error.

I suppose preventative maintenance is the best thing if you want to keep your vehicle runnin g for a long time

You are right, ultimately accidents are usually attributable in some way to driver error because they should have been driving to suit the prevailing conditions. The driver should take all variables into account.

However earlier cars were very unforgiving of driver error and the roads were generally poorer too. I don't think the 60's and 70's were glorious days of road safety and you may find that there were more fatalities and serious injuries then, relatively speaking.

My experience is that regular replacement of lubrication, hydraulic and cooling fluids is worthwhile insurance. Not that I am a saint in that respect either. I wish manufacturers would put bypass filters on crankcases and transmissions though, to extend service intervals and reduce the environmental impact.

Well, that's a good one! Glad I live way out here - the roads are so bumpy all the time it's hard to tell what' s a bump or rattle.

I might start up a wheel aligning shop hehehe

Cocka.

Just checked Jack manual.
First fluid (all) change 80,000km but no coolant change.

Regards

Some interesting responses to this post. Sorting the wheat from the chaff & finding opinions that don't have vested interests is sometimes difficult but this forum always seems to be the thinking mans opinion & that's great, I just wish we got more responses from all the "viewers".
I'm not a chemical engineer, however the oils (which are highly modified) have taken on the charasteristic, be it not intentionally, of being "hydroscopic". IOW they suck up moisture from the atmosphere. I would guess that a source of this reaction could start at the fluid reservoir which is subject to expansion & contraction from the engine temps and which would have subtle movements of air through a breather and whenever you check the level. The moisture would disperse throughout the fluid.
Massive heat is created at the brakes (especially drums) hence the need for heat resistant fluids such as brake fluid (I think it's probably wrong to call it an oil). From what my brake expert tells me, if heavy braking is done with contaminated fluid, the fluid will boil and that's what causes brake fade, the fluid is cactus.
The Patrol manual says change at 40k kl or 24mths.

I guess its all about preventitive maintainance. Would insc. co's call you negligent if it was found that you failed to service your wagon according to "the manual" ??

Cocka.
As long as I can remember (30+years) brake fluid has been "hydroscopic".
Given todays disk brakes I wonder just hot the fluid gets.
Your right though getting to the wheat can be difficult even from the experts.
Keep us posted if you find any real technical answers.

Regards

heating and cooling just increases the rate of moisture adsorption or is that absorption...who cares eh!....
oils themselves without any influence have a high afinity for moisture.
With a brake system not being hermetically sealed the moisture is carried the the cap threads etc etc

now add the heating and cooling and expansion and contraction..(in the case of the later two....ever so slight it might be)...but it all adds up.

Yeah ! and it only carries one passenger, y' can't sleep in it, and every other b..s...t..d on the road wants to knock you off it.