Where should I get my oil changed ?

Mchambers

I have got a 12 year old 2.0 Mondeo.

I get it Mot'd each year but now do no bother with a service.

I realise that I should get my oill changed.

National Tryres are doing a deal at the moment where they will change the oil and filter for £37. Does anyone know or recommend an alternative ?

Thanks

Inner_Zone

DIY personally. Costs me about £25, SAAB 1.9 (Fiat) diesel. OEM or branded oil and branded filter, OEM sump plug washer.

ilikewatch

I'm not a huge fan of National, but I have used them, and it's a good price. Assuming you've got the required tools you'd probably pay the best part of £25 for a low/mid range oil, filter, washer - is it worth £12 to crawl around under a car and have to get rid of a load of manky oil?

If you don't bother with servicing how do you know that safety critical parts (such as the brakes) are up to scratch? Do you check them yourself?

takman

Mchambers wrote: »

I have got a 12 year old 2.0 Mondeo.

I get it Mot'd each year but now do no bother with a service.

I realise that I should get my oill changed.

National Tryres are doing a deal at the moment where they will change the oil and filter for £37. Does anyone know or recommend an alternative ?

Thanks

I would also say do it yourself and while your at it you should also atleast change the Fuel Filter and Air Filter. It's a false economy not correctly servicing your car and will just result in it costing you more money in fuel and repairs.

debtdebt

If you've got the tools and knowhow, do it yourself.

If you don't or don't have the inclination, National seem to be the cheapest option. Don't fall for their advisories though. Air filter should be easy enough to do. Just buy it from Eurocarparts. Cheap as chips.

reeac

Certainly check the state of the air filter. Re fuel filter, with my first fuel injection petrol car I changed the fuel filter at about 60,000 miles but when I cut it open to see how dirty it was I could see no difference in colour between the inlet end and the output end ...maybe didn't need changing.

Mchambers

Hi all.

Thanks all.

I will try Formula 1. They normally match prices so should match National.

lewishardwick

All the 'High Street's garages will be the same. Will chance 'suggested' additional work. Nothing a polite "no thanks" won't sort.

Book in an oil change, pick it up, job done.

Incidentally, I've used the services for HiQ, Halfwords Autocentres, KwikFit and Mr Clutch. Never have I been pressured into extra work and my car's are rarely younger than 5 years old...

scd3scd4

I have used the large chains before. You can always have a look to see the filter has been changed after and look at the oil colour after. Or as I sometimes do say I will hang around so they know you are taking an interest. ;-]

System

Mchambers wrote: »

I have got a 12 year old 2.0 Mondeo.

I get it Mot'd each year but now do no bother with a service.

I realise that I should get my oill changed.

So you're wanting to throw away money and risk breaking down or causing catastrophic damage to the car that would financially write it off for the sake of £2 or £3 a week?

A few examples:
Oil doesn't get changed, engine wears prematurely and if it is a diesel it is made even worse by the fact the oil gets thinned out by the fuel and the EGR valve gets clogged even faster. If it is a turbo'd car such as the TDCi then you'll knacker the turbo as well as it relies on a good oil feed.
Fuel filter doesn't get changed, car breaks down due to lack of fuel pressure. No breakdown cover you could be looking at up to £150 just to get towed to the nearest services and even with breakdown cover you've got the inconvenience.
Brake pads don't get inspected, they wear down to metal and instead of just a set of brake pads you're then looking at discs as well so tripling the cost.
Pollen filter doesn't get changed so the fan motor speed control module no longer gets cooled by the cold air intake and you lose all fan speeds except max.
Wiper blades don't get checked and end up scratching the screen so you need a new windscreen

Then there's the fact that it avoids you having a massive bill come MOT time for stuff which hopefully would have been found at an earlier service and repaired then so allowing you to spread the cost.

I could go on and on. By all means service it yourself but at least get it serviced.

Personally with a Ford, if Ford are still doing their free pan European breakdown cover offer with a service I would go and have one of their Four Plus/Motorcraft ones. In my experience at my local dealers there wasn't much difference between their price and the price from an independent.