Fuel Service Plus - worth the money?

jambosans

First off, a declaration: I'm hopeless when it comes to cars. So apologies if this post frustrates the regulars.

My car is due its MOT, and being skint I've elected to get it done at the newly opened Halfords Autocentre (previously a Bosch Car Service certified garage) for £27.42.

The car has done less than 6000 miles since the last MOT and 32 Point Service at Arnold Clark, and again, due to lack of money, I've decided not to have the car serviced.

However, the engine had been a bit more grumbly than usual, and at one stage the temperature gauge was above the mid-point, so I topped up the oil and coolant. It fixed the temperature issue, but the engine still grumbles, so I'm not sure if something more serious is going on?

Halfords Autocentre offer a free 15 Point Check, so I'll bring it up when I drop the car off for the MOT. I'm also wondering, that if I'm not getting the car serviced, if I need an oil change? Which Googling suggests is something you do regularly. Halfords offer a service called Fuel Service Plus which includes an oil change, coolant check, etc. for £50, does this seem excessive?

Thanks in advanced for any advice.

ridethelightning

If you are skint I would recommend doing a quick google search for a guide on how to change the oil in your car, and the type of oil to put in. Most cars are pretty simple to do an oil change and there are alot of good guides, with pictures. A coolant check should take 30 secs, if you are unsure how to check it, again try google. Infact search for all the things that are done for a service and you should manage most of them yourself, depending on the type of service.

If you really dont feel comfortable doing it yourself and cant get a friend to help out, £50 isnt too excessive (compared with some garages!)

As for the MOT, if the car is a bit older halfords will uncountably find a few "faults" that need immediate repair. There was an article on here about local authority MOT centres which do not carry out any repair work so give a true evaluation of your car and will only fail it on genuine faults. They cost a bit more for the MOT but you will save alot of money getting !!!!take valves changed and headlight fluid pump replaced!

Hammyman

jambosans wrote: »

The car has done less than 6000 miles since the last MOT and 32 Point Service at Arnold Clark, and again, due to lack of money, I've decided not to have the car serviced.

Oh. Dear. Cars doing low mileage go onto a different service schedule and need servicing more than ones doing 10k as you will see if you look at your owners handbook. Being sat or doing lots of short journeys is no good for a car.

Get a basic service done including a brake check.

jambosans

So, from the two responses, we're collectively agreed that I should service the car in some shape or form?

@Hammyman: By "basic service", would what garages often refer to as an "Interim Service" suffice? I have the car owners manual, and there is a service guide for "low mileage annual service", but many of the things are covered by the Fuel Service Plus.

I think what I'm driving at (no pun intended) is the Fuel Service Plus a cheaper, but adequate alternative to an Interim Service? I know it doesn't cover off a lot, but it seems to get the important things (like oil and coolant).

iolanthe07

Hammyman is correct. Failure to service low mileage cars is a false economy. I do fewer than 3000 miles a year in one of my cars and always change the oil at least every six months.

forgotmyname

I only do around 4000 miles a year but still get the oil replaced which is every 12,000 miles and the fuel filter replaced which is every 20,000 miles.

I expect my engine to easily do 200,000+ with regular oil changes.

jambosans

Thanks everyone for your responses, albeit a bit of a mixed bag.

I'm thinking the Fuel Service Plus (car goes in at the end of this week) may be the best temporary solution, as an oil change can't hurt (plus they check your breaks, tyres, etc.), and it won't break the bank like an interim service. Once I'm on a better footing financially I will arrange for a full service.

sammatty

forgotmyname wrote: »

I only do around 4000 miles a year but still get the oil replaced which is every 12,000 miles and the fuel filter replaced which is every 20,000 miles.

I expect my engine to easily do 200,000+ with regular oil changes.

Sorry but even at 12,000 miles that is not a regular enough oil change. I would suggest an annual oil change for the health of the engine irrespective of mileage.

Hammyman

jambosans wrote: »

So, from the two responses, we're collectively agreed that I should service the car in some shape or form?

@Hammyman: By "basic service", would what garages often refer to as an "Interim Service" suffice? I have the car owners manual, and there is a service guide for "low mileage annual service", but many of the things are covered by the Fuel Service Plus.

I think what I'm driving at (no pun intended) is the Fuel Service Plus a cheaper, but adequate alternative to an Interim Service? I know it doesn't cover off a lot, but it seems to get the important things (like oil and coolant).

Sounds OK as long as the brakes get checked as well as the oil and filter change.

Many people are under the misapprehension that low mileage means fewer services. However you've not fallen into that trap.

Hammyman

forgotmyname wrote: »

I only do around 4000 miles a year but still get the oil replaced which is every 12,000 miles and the fuel filter replaced which is every 20,000 miles.

I expect my engine to easily do 200,000+ with regular oil changes.

If that 4,000 miles are mostly short journeys, your cars oil and engine is getting more of a hammering than mine that does 17,000 a year where it gets up to full temperature.

AndyAndyAndy

I know it is off topic but what I think forgotmyname meant is that although the service length on oil is 12,000 miles and fuel filter is 20,000 miles he gets them changed [as part of an annual service??] anyway. That's what I took it to mean otherwise I don't think there is much point to the post unless he is trying to say he only changes oil every 3 years?