Advice on keeping my car "healthy"

focae

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

God, your name says it all, don't recognise a typo when one smacks you in the face:rotfl::rotfl:

But you were being just a tad emphatic with your statement.............that was a very large 'don't'

cyclonebri1

focae wrote: »

You too are guilty of reading what you want to read rather than what is written...............................recommended oil change frequency is what it says on the tin...........it is the recommended oil change frequency.



We aren't talking the days of yore here when you did have to perform your first oil change after 500 miles on your brand new 1600E Cortina. Cars don't run on Castrol 20W/50 anymore, or have the manufacturing tolerances of a Meccano clockwork motor.

.

Well, think of it this way do you think they will honour an engine waranty if the oil has not been changed within recomended times/mileage. They probably wouldn't, which makes it much more than a recomendation.
If you look closely there are listed a whole load of conditions under which you should decrease this period/mileage.

And again if you come to sell the car what impression do you think is given if the service book reads oil changed every 6k or so rather than at 18K. It shows the owners valued that car, and has to be a selling point.

Don't know if you watch F1?. but the question was asked of one of the comentators if they "ran in" F1 engines?, "no they just rag them straight out of the box" was the answer. He got corrected very shortly after by one of the teams who said "actually they are run in, on the bench for a period before use". And these are built to much higher toleraces than mass produced road cars.

Yes thing have changed, probably more than you suggest. I had 2 vivas, the 1st had a new short engine at 24K, and the 2nd didn't see 60K let alone 100k before the complete engine was changed, but my last cavalier has done 145K and still going strong when I parted company with it. :T

cyclonebri1

vaio wrote: »

OP


Other might disagree and argue that it would have lasted just as well if I’d changed the oil every year, they might be right but for the small extra cost involved I’ll carry on my way.

And so will I, it's a bit like you sending the car in for a leaking sump gasket and asking the garage to put the old oil back in "cos it's done it's 18K yet" :rotfl:You'ld all change it having seen the state of it after 5K or so :beer:

girlracer

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

God, your name says it all, don't recognise a typo when one smacks you in the face:rotfl::rotfl:

OOOOO Frosty Knickers
Grow Up

Strider590

neilmcl wrote: »

Just drive it as normal, stop worrying, check yhour oil and tyre pressures regularly and take it in for regular servicing as required. BTW, most quoted MPG figures are done within lab conditions, and are rarely achieved in reality.

And for god sake, when you hear strange noises or feel odd vibrations.... GET IT LOOKED AT, instead of just cranking the stereo up!

You'd be surprised how many people knacker their cars by ignoring early warning signs and taking the "well it's passed it's MOT and isn't due a service" approach.

Inactive

Strider590 wrote: »

And for god sake, when you hear strange noises or feel odd vibrations.... GET IT LOOKED AT, instead of just cranking the stereo up!

You'd be surprised how many people knacker their cars by ignoring early warning signs and taking the "well it's passed it's MOT and isn't due a service" approach.

This thread is nearly a year old..;)

Strider590

Inactive wrote: »

This thread is nearly a year old..;)

Not my fault some tard keeps dragging up old threads.....

But my point was aim at the wider audience and many folk would do well to listen.

fadetogrey

DomTom wrote: »

thanks for all the tips, i'll make sure the oil is changed between services!

looks like there isn't a haynes manual for that car yet (only did a quick search though)

previous car was a peugeot 106 1.2l

Think theres very little you can do to a car yourself nowadays.I lift the bonnet on my vw golf and the engine bay is packed with pipes wiring black boxes etc.bout all you can do is check oil water etc and if its a brand new car I doubt you would be allowed even to change your own oil or filters without invalidating the warranty.The whole idea nowadays I believe is to ensure we have to go to a garage with computers to plug into the engine for any repairs.

jase1

I know this is an old thread, but I have to say that I tend to perform intermediate oil changes, especially on chain-cam vehicles.

It might be overkill, but a few engine models, from the early 80s GM engines through the Ford Kent through some Nissan engines of the mid-90s/early 2000s have been prone to either sludging oil or cam-chain problems long-term if the oil isn't kept pristine.

An oil change is £25-30 from the sheds, takes a quarter of an hour and gives me the chance to take a proper look under the car while they have it on the ramp (I ignore anything the fitter says unless it's serious, at which point it goes to my usual mechanic who generally doesn't have time to be messing about with £30 oil changes). The money is not something that is worth worrying about really.

jimmym105

DomTom wrote: »

.

I don't want to fork out for a haynes manual, i was hoping someone here could advise me on things to do every so often, such as oil changes.

Come on. You've bought a brand new car at least spend £20 on a Haynes. Also consider joining a Vauxhall forum for questions the Haynes can't answer.:)