Car Service

joe427

My car is due for MOT and I thought I would get the service done on it at the same time, I've had it about a year now.

I phoned up Ford, and they told me the car is due for its full service at 75,000 miles. I've been quoted a full service for £288 with MOT or a basic service for £149 with MOT. Now I would like the full service to be done, but its a hell of a lot of money and would they really do everything on a full service? Can it get anymore expensive

Does anyone have any experience with this? I've seen posts to avoid Kwik fit (who offer a full service and MOT for £185). I don't really know any local garages either. The car is about 5 years old now and ford have advised me the last service on record was a basic service in 2008. For some reason I don't have a service book, so I've no record if any service has been done elsewhere between 2008 and now. It used to be a company car and I have all the records of whats been done on it, and it seems to have been looked after pretty well.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Hammyman

On my Mondeo, every third service is quite a big one and in addition to the normal oil and oil filter change, involves changing the air filter, fuel filter and a host of stuff not done on the basic service which are basically oil and oil filter changes, a quick grease of the locks and a check over. If you've a petrol car, it'll involve changing the spark plugs as well and they WILL need changing otherwise you'll incur costs when the worn spark plugs shaft the plug leads and coil packs.

If its not been serviced since 2008 and that was a basic one, get the full one done this time by Ford as it will include Engine Management updates which your local garage will not apply and there will be some. After that, I don't think I'd bother with the Ford one any longer and just get the next two done when a local garage is offering a basic service on offer in about a years time.

C_Mababejive

I'm going to "service" my car in the next week. I bought an oil filter and sump plug from gsf car parts for £3.00 and I have five litres of new Castrol GTX in the garage from last year. What else do these garages do that costs so much?

Hammyman

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I'm going to "service" my car in the next week. I bought an oil filter and sump plug from gsf car parts for £3.00 and I have five litres of new Castrol GTX in the garage from last year. What else do these garages do that costs so much?

OK lets start from the beginning...

Drive vehicle in. Place on ramp. Check operation of lights, horn, wipers, washers. Check operation of seatbelts. Open bonnet and check for leaks and fluid levels (coolant, power steering, brake fluid, clutch fluid, screen wash). Check the coolant for mixture ratio. Raise car up, drain oil and change filter. Whilst oil is being drained, check underside condition, brake pipes, fuel lines, exhaust. Inspect steering rack and CV gaitors for splits. Check condition of suspension bushes. Drop car down halfway. Remove wheels and check tread depth and tyre for damage. Inspect front brake pads and discs for wear and damage. Inspect front shocks and springs. Inspect rear discs/pads for wear and damage or remove rear brake shoes and inspect for wear and wheel cylinder leaks. Check handbrake for adjustment and adjust if necessary. Check all four corners for play in wheel bearings. Refit wheels.

Drop car back to floor. Grease all locks, hinges and bonnet catch. Refill with engine oil. Change spark plugs if due that service, fuel filter if due that service, air filter if needed, pollen filter. Check all belts (alternator, power steering, aircon drive belt) for condition and tension and adjust if required. Connect diagnostics to engine management and read fault codes and also apply ECU updates if available. Check engine emissions.

Hope that helps.

C_Mababejive

Hammyman wrote: »

OK lets start from the beginning...

Drive vehicle in. Place on ramp. Check operation of lights, horn, wipers, washers. Check operation of seatbelts. Open bonnet and check for leaks and fluid levels (coolant, power steering, brake fluid, clutch fluid, screen wash). Check the coolant for mixture ratio. Raise car up, drain oil and change filter. Whilst oil is being drained, check underside condition, brake pipes, fuel lines, exhaust. Inspect steering rack and CV gaitors for splits. Check condition of suspension bushes. Drop car down halfway. Remove wheels and check tread depth and tyre for damage. Inspect front brake pads and discs for wear and damage. Inspect front shocks and springs. Inspect rear discs/pads for wear and damage or remove rear brake shoes and inspect for wear and wheel cylinder leaks. Check handbrake for adjustment and adjust if necessary. Check all four corners for play in wheel bearings. Refit wheels.

Drop car back to floor. Grease all locks, hinges and bonnet catch. Refill with engine oil. Change spark plugs if due that service, fuel filter if due that service, air filter if needed, pollen filter. Check all belts (alternator, power steering, aircon drive belt) for condition and tension and adjust if required. Connect diagnostics to engine management and read fault codes and also apply ECU updates if available. Check engine emissions.

Hope that helps.

Oh..I do all that myself.

Hammyman

I used to but health prevents me nowadays even though I've still got a top box and roll cab full of tools from my days on the spanners.