Tips about servicing an old Corsa car

Ebe_Scrooge

At the risk of repeating what's already been said - all of which is good advice; learn how to do the basics yourself, things like oil & filter change, air filter change, checking fluid levels, are an absolute doddle, and well within the scope of a novice armed with a few basic tools, a Haynes manual and a reasonable dollop of common sense. For anything you don't feel confident doing, a decent local mechanic, who is used and recommended by local people, will quickly become your best friend for life. A "proper" mechanic will be able to look after any car, they're not restricted to one particular brand. A Ferrari is just the same as a Ford when it comes to the dirty bits under the bonnet

[Deleted User]

Dont need a trolley jack for a Corsa oil change, its easy to reach the sump plug from the front of the car. Get the right plug socket (7mm torx I think ) and the correct oil filter ( two to choose from in my Corsa D ) air filter ready and most of a standard service is done for £25. 4 new plugs is a doddle also.
OP, if you do pluck up courage and buy a few tools and an oil tray for the basic service please don t go mad tightening up the sump plug or oil filter. I ve had some real battles undoing both sump plugs and wheelnuts from paranoids overdoing the torque.

siliconbits

What about the stamps in the book though?

rich13348

sacsquacco wrote: »

Dont need a trolley jack for a Corsa oil change, its easy to reach the sump plug from the front of the car. Get the right plug socket (7mm star I think ) and the correct oil filter ( two to choose from in my Corsa D ) air filter ready and most of a standard service is done for £25.

A lot of the bolts and nuts and screws on a corsa of that age are Torx which will fit on any ratchet but you may have to buy the sockets seperately.

Agree with sacsquacco though very easy car to service. Everything is right there is front of you. Only slight niggle is the cabin filter as you have to take the glove box out and sit in some uncomfortable ways to try use both hands to push the filter in.

siliconbits

Anyone can point me to a checklist of things to look for during an interim service? I suspect the major one still needs to be done at a proper garage.

rich13348

siliconbits wrote: »

Anyone can point me to a checklist of things to look for during an interim service? I suspect the major one still needs to be done at a proper garage.

Haynes manual for £15 will tell you exactly how to do everything and what is done in interim and major services.
But from my Haynes manual it says:
Oil
Oil filter with new o rings

And that's it really but they list every 10000 miles or 6 months, every 20000 miles or 12 months, every 40000 miles or 2 years, every 2 years regardless of mileage, every 40000 miles or 4 years and finally every 100000 miles or 10 years. Rather than interim and major services.

Ebe_Scrooge

siliconbits wrote: »

What about the stamps in the book though?

Next to worthless on a 9 year old car - receipts ( whether for parts you've fitted yourself, or for a service from a local mechanic ) are far more valuable.

Ebe_Scrooge

rich13348 wrote: »

Haynes manual for £15 will tell you exactly how to do everything and what is done in interim and major services.

Couldn't agree more. I know these days you can find everything on YouTube - but I was bought up old-school, before 'tinterweb was invented, and I still maintain that a Haynes manual is worth every penny if you've got a car you're going to keep for a while. Plus, you don't mind too much if the book gets a bit grubby and has a few oil spills on it, from where you had it with you whilst you worked

Strider590

Basic service = air filter, pollen filter, oil and oil filter, then a load of simple checks you can easily do yourself.

On my daily car, a Vectra I do everything bar the oil and then pay about £35 to get that changed at my local garage. On my "other" car, I do the whole lot myself.

jimjames

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. I know these days you can find everything on YouTube - but I was bought up old-school, before 'tinterweb was invented, and I still maintain that a Haynes manual is worth every penny if you've got a car you're going to keep for a while. Plus, you don't mind too much if the book gets a bit grubby and has a few oil spills on it, from where you had it with you whilst you worked

To be honest I find YouTube and Google far easier to use for guidance than Haynes although I do have the manual. Small B&W photos are nowhere like seeing full colour moving images.