How often do I need to service my car?

FerociousDave

Sorry if this is on the wrong board, please move it!

I have an R-reg peugeot 306 that demands to be serviced every 6,000 miles (it counts down to 6,000 shows me a spanner when I'm close and then starts flashing at me when I go over!)

So, I have been scared into servicing it this often, but do I really need to? My services seem to cost a fair bit and currently they're running at 3+ times a year, this on top of tax, insurance and MOTs etc. isn't good.

So, how often do i need to service it? And does it invalidate anything if I don't do it when it tells (demands!) me too?

Cheers
D

Mr_Warren_2

Length between services have changed for the best lately. New 306 models (same engine etc) must have changed to a 12K or 18K miles service (or longer) since you bought your R registration 306
As the car is out of warranty with Peugeot, I would have it annually serviced by a good local garage.

BobProperty

Extending the length of time between services has mainly been achieved by synthetic oils, IMHO. If the OP's car is a diesel then he should be changing the oil and filter every 6000 miles. (and if it is a diesel, it has the same base engine as my current vehicle which, according to the manufacturer should have an oil change every 5000 miles except the more recent versions which need servicing at 10000 miles - it has to be the oils doesn't it?)

ariba10

Oil and filter changes are the most important aspect of servicing.

If you can do that yourself you should be able to cut down on the frequency of the services you have to pay for.

FerociousDave

ariba10 wrote:

Oil and filter changes are the most important aspect of servicing.

If you can do that yourself you should be able to cut down on the frequency of the services you have to pay for.

How hard is it? Where do I find out how to do it?

Cheers
D

ukmike

Originally Posted by ariba10
Oil and filter changes are the most important aspect of servicing.

If you can do that yourself you should be able to cut down on the frequency of the services you have to pay for.

Not really worth the bother of doing an oil & filter change yourself.Just had my Merc done at National Tyre Service for £15!! I couldn't buy the oil & filter for that.Also saves the problem of disposing of the old oil,not easy nowadays.

ariba10

ukmike wrote:

Not really worth the bother of doing an oil & filter change yourself.Just had my Merc done at National Tyre Service for £15!! I couldn't buy the oil & filter for that.Also saves the problem of disposing of the old oil,not easy nowadays.

You probably could if you used the materials that they use.

ukmike

You probably could if you used the materials that they use.

They used Duckhams semi synthetic oil & a fram filter,nothing wrong there,& yes i did watch them do it & they did drain it properly,not just *sucked* it out!

BobProperty

FerociousDave wrote:

How hard is it?

I have to say I find it easy but then I've been doing it for 30 years.

FerociousDave wrote:

Where do I find out how to do it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A737598
but I don't quite agree with the bit about 2 hours wait. If you've been driving the car for two hours beforehand maybe.
http://www.castrol.com/castrol/genericarticle.do?categoryId=8114008&contentId=6006881

Definitely use the rubber gloves, wear old clothes and expect the oil to run down your arm (hence don't have it too hot). You will also manage to spill some somewhere so don't do it on the brick paved drive. You will also find you don't need to jack the car up if you use a large shallow bowl like a washing up bowl. It's just a bit of a fight getting it in the right place. Also make sure you have identified the sump plug correctly. Stories of people undoing the wrong thing are plentiful.
If it is a diesel 306 by the way, the engine looks like this (that's looks like - this is a DW8. Yours is an earlier version - XUD9 maybe? I haven't got all my Haynes manuals around)
http://www.peugeot206cc.co.uk/repair-206/206/info/gb/b1bb16k3.htm

BobProperty

ukmike wrote:

They used Duckhams semi synthetic oil & a fram filter,nothing wrong there,& yes i did watch them do it & they did drain it properly,not just *sucked* it out!

There's nothing wrong with sucking it out if the engine is designed to allow for that.
Equally when the sump plug has been cross-threaded by a gorilla there's not much choice until you can save up for the helicoil -ing or new sump. :eek:

Nuclear_Tom

I do all my servicing and repairs myself, I have a 2003 Focus that has just finished its warranty.

Oil changes are a doddle, I use good oil and do it every 6 months or 10k, whatever comes first. Other things like filters get done every other oil change, as they cost about a tenner from Ford!

I say get a Haynes manual and do basic servicing yourself, you may even enjoy it.