Hi Everyone!
Brand spanking new member here, ive had my outlander for a year and a half(bought it used at the stealership at 25k km) and its now getting close to 49k km.
when changing to my summer tires(living in quebec!) ive noticed that my rear pads were almost done and that the disk were oddly worned down.

I am going for an oil change in a week, and i will also have the recall done on the handbrake. And i have a few questions and i hope that you guys can help me with that.

First Off: Synthetic vs Mineral oil change, is the synthetic really worth it? its only 40$ more at the stealership, but i still have to change it every 8000km like the mineral. Ive been told by the advisor that some owner saw their fuel consomption reduced by alot since using synthetic, have any of you noticed anything?

Second question: Brakes cleaning schedule from stealership, Since my rear brakes are almost done, ive asked the stealership for a quote on rear disk and pads replacement, 500$ is what they charge me. ive had VW before and never paid more than 300$ for rear brakes but with premium replacement parts(zimmermmann) I was wondering if it was worth doing their cleaning every 20k km or so(i beleive they charge close to 100$ each time).

Third and last!: What aftermarket brake parts would you recommend? Ive had zimmermann on my volks and was very satisfied. But im not familiar with aftermarket parts for my outlander. Are Brembo a good brand? I want good braking power but also something that will last me awhile.

thanks for all your input!

 

1 - Your stealership is feeding you a line of bull about the differences between oils. Synthetic will go longer than dino oil. Mitsu is just really behind the times and makes recommendations on intervals that are broad and all encompassing. i have the same engine as you. I put Mobil1 5w20 or Penzoil Plat 5w20 every 7.5k miles / 12k KM. My used oil samples also show that I could go longer, but not by much. if you are stuck on your current interval, don't waste your money on synthetic.

2 - brake cleaning? Unless you are having grooves ground in the rotor or it is warped, no reason to replace the rear disc. If you are getting deep grooves, have the slide pins cleaned/re-greased. Pins should get routinely re-greased with every pad replacement. Brake fluid should get replaced every 2-3 years as it is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture from the air.

3 - I've done brakes a few times on mine. I've always used Wagner ThermoQuiet pads with great success. I'm still running the OEM rear rotors... On pavement, I can stomp on the brakes and ABS starts to kick in...brakes are not my weak link at the moment.

I think you need to move on and find another mechanic/shop who's hell bent on turning a dollar. Our vehicles are not special rocket ships. Mitsubishi isn't doing anything special with their hardware. Any mechanic can diagnose and swap parts around.

 

Agree with ccenst's responses.

1. Just get a 5 gal Mobil 1 or Penziol from Walmart for $25/$30 and do it yourself. It's easier than it seems. The first time, i was intimidated and took me a few hours. Most of it is waiting for the oil to drain. Now, i can do it in 3 min, minus the drain time.

2. Brake cleaning is just an unnecessary service that dealership wants you to pay for. Like ccernst said, as long as there are no grooves on the rotor or no vibrations when you brake, its fine.

3. No need to buy expensive brake pads. Unless you're racing, you will not notice anything significant. Wagner IS a good brand.

If you're in the NYC area, I'll do your brakes and oil change for a six pack of Blue Moon and a few laughs. ha!

 

Check out this thread https://mitsubishiforum.com/forum/mi...r-v6-gt-50978/

Be aware that the parking brake does use the disc brake system despite what binzd stated.

It seems strange to me to have the rear pads wear before the front so my suggestion is to check if there has been a recall on the parking brakes for your 2015 which could accelerate wear. I'm at 111,000 km on my 2014 and still have the original front pads but in the above mentioned thread you can note that my rears were replaced at 75K. It was between 4 and 500 dollars.

 

I use Mobil 1 0w20 Synthetic oil. We are in Houston where it is hot and no problems. I do it myself.

 

the parking brake recall was done today, they didnt say anything about the rear brake wear. I was told that my rear brake premature wear was because i didnt do the caliper cleaning service. They say its not a sealed caliper so therefore cleaning must be done.

Also, any recommendation on engine and cabin air filter? Is K&N worth it?

 

I use the standard paper air filter. I had a problem with oil on the MAF.

 

In the link below (post #4) you can get a detailed description why you should stay away from K&N and similar filters.
K&N disadvantages