Do I need an annual service?

Bigphil1474

OP, my local garage does a 'basic' service and just gives everything else a quick check and change if required. Changes oil and filter every year, rest has been fine for 3 years.

Ganga

twhitehousescat wrote: »

fresh cold oil is also damaging

Care to explain this? everytime i service my car i re-fill the engine with fresh cold oil!

agrinnall

The sensible answer would be to sell the car, use a taxi (or public transport) for short journeys and hire a car for the occasional long one. You'll be quids in.

Steve_KK

twhitehousescat wrote: »

fresh cold oil is also damaging

Ganga wrote: »

Care to explain this? everytime i service my car i re-fill the engine with fresh cold oil!

I believe the point being made is that cold oil, whether fresh or old, will not protect your engine as well as oil that is up to it's operating temperature. In this case the OP stated that most of their journeys are ~200 miles, therefore the oil is heated well for the majrity of the time it is circulating through the engine. If the OP was doing short journeys this wouldn't necessarily be the case.
I have to agree that a regular oil change is worth doing regardless of the mileage covered. If you can do it yourself the cost is minimal compared to a damaged engine so worth the outlay.

Regards,
Steve

foxy-stoat

vaderag wrote: »

(side note... I'm not ever planning on selling the car, so service schedule for resale isn't a concern of mine - we bought it with a mind to 'run it into the ground' due to the minimal number of miles that we do we don't need anything better, and besides, when we get to the point that we might want rid, the difference would be minimal)

Just to the basics then;
Oil/filter once a year.
Brake pads when they start to grate, or if it fails the MOT.
Tyres, replace when you see bald on the edges, or they burst, or if it fails the MOT.
Replace hand brake cable when it snaps, or if it fails the MOT.
Replace suspension when it rattles and knocks over bumps, or if it fails the MOT
Replace car or engine when the cam belt lets go.

System

sevenhills wrote: »

I haven't changed the oil in my lawn mower for three years, perfectly ok. If it looks clean, is a good way to judge.
.

Your lawn mower doesn't weigh over a tonne nor is it likely to be going at 70MPH in the close vicinity to other people.

System

vaderag wrote: »

Most of my journeys are not short, they're ~200 miles. I just don't drive very much.

In which case it still needs a service. Brake components for example don't like being stood long periods of time and things like the handbrake can seize. I have a MX5 which does that kind of mileage on that kind of journey and did do with the previous owner too. Prior to buying it it had had the two rear calipers replaced, I had to replace the driver's side one year, the passenger the next due to the caliper seizing from lack of use. I only found there was an issue on the passenger side after going for a ride out when it had been stood several weeks and the caliper seizing after going down a steep hill resulting in lots of smoke coming out of the passenger wheel area.

As well as short journeys not being good for them neither is being stood unused.

Nasqueron

Tarambor wrote: »

Your lawn mower doesn't weigh over a tonne nor is it likely to be going at 70MPH in the close vicinity to other people.

It might do....


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motoringvideo/10739322/Worlds-fastest-lawnmower-hits-116mph.html

luckyduck83

wgl2014 wrote: »

As noted the service interval is based on time or mileage depending on which comes first. For the sake of a relatively small outlay you are avoiding potentially huge bills later on.

National auto centres will do an oil and filter change for under £50 or if you have some basic mechanical skills you could just DIY. An oil extraction pump makes the job even simpler and depending on where the oil filter is located you may not even need to jack the car up. Oil and filter will be about £30 if you shop around.

Is that what a service is - just an oil and filter change?

Do they not check/clean/service any other part of the engine?

foxy-stoat

luckyduck83 wrote: »

Is that what a service is - just an oil and filter change?

No, if you look at the service schedule for your car you will see what is carried out on an interim or major service depending on time and mileage.

An oil and filter change is just to keep the engine a little happier, on a full service they would grease hand brake cables, maybe change the brake fluid, check coolant mix, check tyres and brake pads/disks to see if they were in tolerances, visual check suspension components and other bits while its on the ramps. They would carry out any model/engine specific routine work, cam belt and water pump change for example.