Car service low mileage?

steve_IOW

Thanks for all the advice, phoned a local garage this morning and they do a full service around £100 using genuine parts, I will probably go with them as the Kia Service is approx £200.;)

Wig

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

Fully synthetic oil would be - mineral oil or semi-synth would not. Given that the car is new it is even more important to change the oil early.

As I understand it, it has already had one oil change. In any event, if Steve just took it to a garage and asked for an oil and filter change only, it would be a darned sight cheaper than a 2nd year service at a dealer.

This is bad advice. Brakes are an essential component of vehicle safety. Brake master cylinder, fluid leaks, fluid water content, pad depth, disc surface, all these things must be checked regularly.

Only if you are a paranoid safety sheep. I often get told I give bad advice..... Realistically the cars brakes will be absolutely fine.

Wig

steve_IOW wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice, phoned a local garage this morning and they do a full service around £100 using genuine parts, I will probably go with them as the Kia Service is approx £200.;)

What parts? As I understand it the 2nd service will be a visual inspection and an oil change. Your service booklet will tell you exactly what they would do if you took it to a dealer. I stand by my advice (it's what I would do). Ignore the visual inspection bit realistically nothing will be wrong with it, just change the oil if you really want to.

Infact it's more than "what I would do" it's what I have done for the last 2 years. I drove a low mileage (family owned) Punto for the better part of last year. I suggested and it was agreed that we would ignore the 2nd year service, which was just a visual inspection of external parts and an oil change.... I did the oil change myself. For it's 3rd year service, we did the same, did not get it officially serviced which would have included brake fluid change (wholly unecessary IMHO). And I did not change the oil either because I did the 2nd year oil change about 6 months late so to change the oil 6 months/2,000miles later would be rediculous. I will change the oil again either this summer (12 months after the last change) or in Nov '08 which will be the cars 4th year anniversary and will be approx 15 months after the last oil change.

I will also not be having the car officially serviced in Nov '08 (it's 4th year), because again it's nothing more than a visual inspection.

I do plan to get it officially given it's 5th year service in Nov '09 that will be the timing belt change.

Nail_Lad

Wig wrote: »

As I understand it, it has already had one oil change. In any event, if Steve just took it to a garage and asked for an oil and filter change only, it would be a darned sight cheaper than a 2nd year service at a dealer.


Only if you are a paranoid safety sheep. I often get told I give bad advice..... Realistically the cars brakes will be absolutely fine.

As an advanced driver if there is one thing worth being paranoid about its safety. Now who can tell me what POWER means?

steve_IOW

Wig wrote: »

What parts? As I understand it the 2nd service will be a visual inspection and an oil change. Your service booklet will tell you exactly what they would do if you took it to a dealer. I stand by my advice (it's what I would do). Ignore the visual inspection bit realistically nothing will be wrong with it, just change the oil if you really want to.

Hi wig, when they said genuine parts i think they meant filters/plugs/seals, It may be because I asked about my warranty, the local garage said as long as my service book is stamped and they use the correct "bits" the warranty will be OK. by the way I think the 2nd years service is classed as a full service.Steve

Wig

steve_IOW wrote: »

Hi wig, when they said genuine parts i think they meant filters/plugs/seals, It may be because I asked about my warranty, the local garage said as long as my service book is stamped and they use the correct "bits" the warranty will be OK. by the way I think the 2nd years service is classed as a full service.Steve

With respect, you are already if not soon to be 2 months late on your service, I would have thought that would make you too late for your warranty to be still valid - it might tell you in the service book how late you can be - for example I just looked at a Vauxhall service book and it doesn't say how late you can be. But in my Mitsubishi service book it says (I couldn't find the book but I know it says something like this this..)
"An allowance of 1000 miles or 1 month either side of a scheduled service is allowed.".

You could read your book to see if it says something like that if it doesn't you could phone up Kia UK and ask them.

The local garage man probably thought you were servicing your car within the correct time period (which you are not). What he said was correct but only within the correct time period according to the warranty T&Cs

they said genuine parts i think they meant filters/plugs/seals

My point is that for a 2nd year service they are unlikely to change any parts (except oil/oil filter & maybe brake fluid), It will tell you in the service book exactly what will be done @ the service.

What I am saying to you is that you are paying £100 for a visual inspection and an oil change - parts won't be replaced. Hardly value for money in my opinion.

Regarding brake fluid, they may say they changed it and charge you but I reckon they wouldn't bother and you won't be able to tell, this applies to a dealer or a local garage - just my cynical opinion of garages.

BTW I added a bit to my post above, which you may have missed.

Wig

Nail_Lad wrote: »

As an advanced driver if there is one thing worth being paranoid about its safety. Now who can tell me what POWER means?

Nail_Lad

taxiphil

Just a quick point regarding the lack of service history invalidating the warranty.

This is true, but only up to a point. It depends entirely on the nature of the warranty work.

If a fault appears that obviously would not have been affected by a lack of servicing - like an electric window failure, CD player, door handle falling off (just a few random examples off the top of my head) then you can rightly argue that you still have a valid claim.

I say this as someone who has had warranty work done in the past despite always servicing all my own cars from brand new.

Wig

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