asking for specific things during service

HITCHENS

Hi everyone,

I've had my first car for about 6 months and it's due a service. I've never had a car serviced before.

I wanted to know whether services are a set thing. Do you phone up and say I need my car serviced and that's it, like an MOT? or does it vary between garages?

Also I've had a problem with my throttle position sensor, with the warning light intermittently coming on. Can I ask for this to be included as part of the service, or do I have to book this separately?

custardy

it wont be part of the service
so you ask thewm to check it while its in. it may or may not add to the cost.
eg if it just needed a clean up,then often no charge
When you say it needs serviced. is this by a service light or set service interval?

HITCHENS

It's a set service interval- annual or every 20000 miles.

Ultrasonic

Your car should have a service book which will tell you what is recommended by the manufacturer to be done when. Not all things need doing after the same time/distance interval, so not all services are the same.

iltisman

Getting anything done other than a stamp in the book is pot luck.

mad_rich

Some of the major chains have a set list of things they do during a service. (Or don't do, as I found out :mad: ).

Many independent garages will follow an 'industry-standard' checklist, like this one, or something similar. But plenty will do their own thing. Many will do very little other than change the oil and check there are 4 tyres.

Some will now carry out a service specific to your car if you ask them, ensuring that the weird tiny things that are specified by your manufacturer are covered. But these tend to be more expensive, and may well miss out things which are useful, and done on a generic service, but for some reason not specified by your manufacturer.

The long and the short of it is always ask what they include. And bear in mind that, since you've only bought the car recently, most garages will suggest a 'full service' or their most expensive one, 'just to be safe'.

forgotmyname

A service can be anything from an oil change which some garages charge £30 and others charge £120 but give you a long list if items they check to give you a bigger bill. But at the end of the day you still only got an oil change.

Then you get a proper service where they replace all the filters, Plugs leads. Clean the brakes, Grease hinges and a 101 other jobs.

My sister had 4 services on her previous car yet still had the same fuel filter that i fitted on the service before.

She did a fair few miles between services also. So it should have been changed.

harveybobbles

Ask KwikFit to service it with unrestricted funds and they will rebuild your car for you.

HITCHENS

Thanks for the advice guys. harveybobbles- did someone once tell you that you were funny? It's just I think that they were fibbing.

Radsteral

Hitchens... he s just trying to tell you not to get any close to kwakfit...though you can aswell try !

colino

Is this a new car getting a manufacturer specified service or a car that is 6 months old to you?
Straight services on warranty aged cars get a basic, by the book service with warranty work reported by the owner, checked out and fixed, under the warranty.
A secondhand car going in for a generic service will get the basics and everything else will be checked out and fixed at your request and cost. Incidentally, once a throttle position sensor (not its wiring or connector) starts misbehaving, the only sure fix is a replacement.