Model 3 (Maintenance Plan & Costs) HELP!!

[diggity]

Brake fluid should be under $100 (BMW charges $89 for the i3). Overall, tired will be the biggest expense.

 

[67King]

Brake fluid is hygroscopic. When you open the reservoir you expose the fluid to moisture from the air. I’d question whether manufacturers are recommending checking it.

Several points. First of all, the reservoirs are vented. They have to be. As pads wear, fluid level drops in the reservoir because the pistons don't retract all of the way.....if they did, the pedal would get closer and closer to the floor before doing anything as pads wear. So it is exposed to humid air over time, anyway, as the system lets ambient air in to fill that void. Otherwise, it wouldn't go bad from moisture absorption. Second of all, even fully saturated brake fluid can handle street duty quite well. Third, if you are tracking your car, you should be bleeding the calipers on a regular basis, anyway, to flush out the stuff that got really hot (not the whole system, just what's in the caliper). Fourth, you have to open the bottle to pour it in when you fill it. And you have to remove the cap to fill it. Finally, it is hard to find, but you can find where some people have tested known wet fluid, and found it to be more capable than the manufacturers let on to it being. I think there was a thread on Rennlist (Porsche focused forum) in one of the racing forums a few years ago where a guy posted data about that.

 

[FlatSix911]

Several points. First of all, the reservoirs are vented. They have to be. As pads wear, fluid level drops in the reservoir because the pistons don't retract all of the way.....if they did, the pedal would get closer and closer to the floor before doing anything as pads wear. So it is exposed to humid air over time, anyway, as the system lets ambient air in to fill that void. Otherwise, it wouldn't go bad from moisture absorption. Second of all, even fully saturated brake fluid can handle street duty quite well. Third, if you are tracking your car, you should be bleeding the calipers on a regular basis, anyway, to flush out the stuff that got really hot (not the whole system, just what's in the caliper). Fourth, you have to open the bottle to pour it in when you fill it. And you have to remove the cap to fill it. Finally, it is hard to find, but you can find where some people have tested known wet fluid, and found it to be more capable than the manufacturers let on to it being. I think there was a thread on Rennlist (Porsche focused forum) in one of the racing forums a few years ago where a guy posted data about that.

I agree... and I am a long term Rennlist member and contributor.