Car servicing (Polo)

Nazitf

I bought a second hand Polo Mark IV and it's nearing time for a servicing. What things should I ensure get changed / looked at? My list currently consists of:

Air filter
Oil filter
Petrol filter
Spark plugs

Should I also request that the oil is drained and changed?

tight_arze

Just depends what has been done on the last service.

Air filter needs changed every 2 years
Brake fluid is also every 2 years

What year is the car and how many miles has it done? Timing belt needs changed every 4 years or 60k miles (whatever comes first).

Nazitf

It's a 2003 model and it's done approx 70k.

cheesecake0117

Since you listed changing the oil filter you will need to drain the oil anyway

tight_arze

Check the timing belt has been done at round about 60k miles in the service history. Most people change them every 60k (regardless of age) but to be on the safe side I have always changed them every 4 years.

Also get the oil and filter changed too.

MKIV Golfs/Polos will usually need front/rear axel bushes changed at this age. If you hear a creaking noise from the suspension thats most likely what the problem will be.

anewman

I haven't seen petrol filters on service schedules for newer cars that I've seen?! I presume they're only replaced if there's thought to be fuel supply problem?

jeannieblue

anewman wrote: »

I haven't seen petrol filters on service schedules for newer cars that I've seen?! I presume they're only replaced if there's thought to be fuel supply problem?

Fuel filters should be changed regularly if needed. If the vehicle is diesel then recommend change pretty much every service if the mileage is high - lots of problems with diesels and high mileage vehicles at the moment - all to do with the so called 'green' bio fuels which is effectively b*ggering the cars/vans etc up, to an extent that they may need all fuel lines, tanks, injectors replaced! And we even had to replace an engine recently as well as all of the above.

Google bio fuels/diesel - you'll find quite alot of info on this subject, we have the EU and the green nutters to thank for all of this!

Nazitf

Thanks for all the responses.

My list now reads as:

Air filter
Oil filter
Fuel filter
Spark plugs
Brake fluid change
Timing belt change

Approximately how much should I expect this to cost?

rev_henry

Nazitf wrote: »

Thanks for all the responses.

My list now reads as:

Air filter
Oil filter
Fuel filter
Spark plugs
Brake fluid change
Timing belt change

Approximately how much should I expect this to cost?

Belt change is quite a major thing, will be upwards of £200 I would have thought.

Everything else is just normal for a routine major service. £150-£200 maybe? There are quite a few online servicing places - servicingstop, prestige car servicing to name a couple. Have a look there at their service schedules and prices for an idea.

anewman

When the belt is changed it is sometimes recommended to change the tensionera and water pump also