Do I need an annual service?

System

Just to add to the comment about brakes seizing from lack of use and why you always service a car as much by time as mileage....

Decided to take advantage of the nice weather today to do an early service on the MX5 which, like the OPs car spends lots of time going nowhere. Nearside front top caliper sliding pin seized solid, absolutely no amounts of freeing oils and grief was getting it to do anything but turn. Was so bad I had to take the carrier off and take it to a local garage to get them to remove it. Bear in mind it isn't even 2 years since I'd changed the caliper, regreased those slider pins and changed the rubber weather seals on them and all was good as far as I was aware so I just did a quick oil change last Easter and didn't bother with them.

mustiuc

No wonder why the majority of cars on the market have "full service history" until 60 to 80k miles. The new owners don't give a wheel of servicing.
I always service every car after buying, no matter what the "service history" is saying.
My astra is supposed to be serviced every 30k miles and my trips to work are less than 3 miles. Many times the temp won't go up than 60degrees. The dpf is doing his job at least once a week because of that. Shall I wait 30k miles in these conditions?
I bought last week a very cheap Smart for my wife and the price was reflected on it.s maintenance. 6 previous keepers(most of them had it for 6mts, one of them had it for two weeks), another one kept it 3 yrs in the garage without mot/driving it. Service history only for first 3 yrs of life (no wonder why - pcp/hp). Never had a air/fuel filter changed. The oil was black as night. The DOT on back (original)tyres @2008 !!!!!!!!
I must invest another £500 to make it reliable and stress free for my partner but when I will decide to sell it, no one will give a monkey on all these details. Almost everyone will say "is just a car/I will keep it 6 months and sell it to someone else".
Btw, the oil cost me £13 (shell) and oil filter £3.5 (Bosch). How can a car be kept unserviced with these prices?

luckyduck83

mustiuc wrote: »

my trips to work are less than 3 miles.

Ever considered buying a bike? Or even just jogging to work? 3 miles would only take you around 20-30mins and you wouldn't be polluting the air and clogging the roads.