Missing service - how bad is it?

Thomas_Holding

A friend has a Nissan Qashqai diesel and is driving a lot for his business. How bad is it that he 
a) drives mainly on the motorway
b) should have had a service 15,000 miles ago.
He is not being stupid but he has a new businesses and clients keep offering him work so he can't get it to the garage for a service because he is always driving.
I am concerned that something will break.

I don't think resale value is that important because when he sells it, it will have 150K + miles on it so won't be worth much.

ontheroad1970

Cars love motorway miles, as a rule.  They don't love not being serviced, though.

Ebe_Scrooge

Yep, motorway miles are good for a car, especially a diesel.  Missing the service is not ideal, but to be honest it's probably not the end of the world if it's just a one-off.

Is your friend able to do basic car DIY?  If so, I'd suggest he changes the oil and oil filter himself ASAP.  It's usually a dead easy job on most cars, and actually, for a diesel, regular oil & filter changes will make a big difference to the life of the engine, even if you do nothing else (not suggesting you should do nothing else, but oil/filter changes are probably the most important thing, and like I say, easy to DIY if you are unable to get to a garage.).

mgfvvc

Oil and filters 15000 miles past due for changing on a diesel isn't healthy. Garages usually provide loan cars. It shouldn't be impossible to either find a garage that will provide a loan car or, if he spends a whole day with his clients, he could find a garage near a client to do the service.

AdrianC

He CAN get it to the garage. He just needs to make alternative arrangements for transport on the day - either a loan car or hire one.

15k past service interval is, what, 25-30k since last service? He's asking a lot of the oil... And when were the brakes last checked? Does he ever look at his tyres?

The_Fat_Controller

Surely he could afford a hire car for a day if no courtesy car is available as you say he has so much work.

I hope he has been checking all his fluids regularly !

Flight3287462

I missed a service on the missus Nissan Note 1.2 DiG-S and I can tell you it really didn't like dirty oil and started throwing codes it was a total PITA  my mechanic tried to !!!!!! the problem, the dealer couldn't fit me in for a full diagnosis for three weeks, the assumed part price had risen from £100 to over £500 in a year.  Eventually found the part in Germany for £100+P&P and decided to risk it being the correct diagnosis. Fortunately it was and all was well but it was serious hassle.

Tell your to get his finger out and get the car serviced, it will cost him a lot more in time and hassle and possibly clients if he doesn't.

As I tell my kids, if you do nothing else get the oil changed annually.

Thomas_Holding

Thank you very much I will chase him.
It is a new business so there is a lot of things - also he didn't know he was going to get so much work.

BOWFER

Hunyani_Flight_825 said:

As I tell my kids, if you do nothing else get the oil changed annually.

Isn't this old school thinking?
Our Land Rover is two years or 21000 miles for the first service (haven't checked any farther than that).
Why waste time and money on an oil change the manufacturer themselves doesn't deem necessary?

oh_really

mgfvvc said:

 Garages usually provide loan cars. 

Unlikely to get a loaner for business use.

BOWFER

oh_really said:

mgfvvc said:

 Garages usually provide loan cars. 

Unlikely to get a loaner for business use.

How would they know?
Unless the loan car has a mileage restriction, he could be just taking a day trip anywhere.