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Thread ID: 135184	2013-10-05 07:14:00	How much car servicing is really essential?	Nomad (952)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1355158	2013-10-06 01:49:00	What I am trying to say is ... if one picks up a used car like a Corolla 6 or 8yrs used, fairly typical, fairly price 4 digits does the expense in the thorough maintenance work out when by the time they flick it off the vehicle's 15 or 18yrs used anyway it may not be worth much. One could say that the older the car the more it needs regular maintenance, not forgetting to change cam belt/water pump, & belts every 100,000km or whatever. By the time a car is say 18 years old, then expect to pay more in WOF, Rego and servicing/maintenance/repair in a year than the vehicle is worth.	Terry Porritt (14)
1355159	2013-10-06 01:54:00	I see the guys from local dealer franchises at repco by work all the time, maybe they do good coffee	plod (107)
1355160	2013-10-06 02:23:00	... Mate, Pitstop, Midas, and the rest of the franchisees are the biggest bunch of crooks in this country. ... + 1 don't forget to add AA service to the list.	bk T (215)
1355161	2013-10-06 03:14:00	+ 1 don't forget to add AA service to the list. I've had a very good experience with AA, so I won't say anything negative about them. I had a fused headlight, but I still took it down to get [fail, and get me 28 days] a WOF. The guy at AA, changed it. While this might seem like a little tiny job, for my car it isn't. You actually have to remove the battery before you can get it in. Probably took him as long as it did for the rest of the warrant. Only charged me 3.50$ for it, too. Good on him. What I am trying to say is ... if one picks up a used car like a Corolla 6 or 8yrs used, fairly typical, fairly price 4 digits does the expense in the thorough maintenance work out when by the time they flick it off the vehicle's 15 or 18yrs used anyway it may not be worth much. My car is 20 years old, had it for over 6 years now. No real issues. Nearly 300k on the clock, still going hard. If you drive it well, service it when need be, it'll last you a while if that is your intent. Going overboard on servicing won't make it last any longer. As for resale value, honestly few people will be swayed by servicing records.	Cato (6936)
1355162	2013-10-06 05:08:00	Do you drive a pre-historic diesel?? 6k servicing is overkill. Prehistoric diesel? If so, 5k oil, 10k filter. Otherwise nothing before 10k. Just a 2004 (this here) petrol. Volkswagen. So it may indeed cost more than the $300 PA. Some my friends use the franchises .. we never have well once over Christmas when our mechanic went on holiday the belt came off ... but we've never had big issues by not doing the maintenance other than the engine oil and filter. We just put in the first air filter on this vehicle never done that in the past and they lasted a good 15yrs that we had them for. Accordingly to the schedule every 4 or 6yrs you do the drive and the timing belt right ... but we've got checked by our mechanic but generally get these replaced like after 8 or 10yrs. Ok granted we don't do much long drives so if we got stranded it would just be at the local supermarket which was what happened some weeks ago with dad's car which may do 10-15k PA - when one of the pulley came off. The bill was just a standard $400 fee which is standard for car's that just went in for a routine check. Yeah - one of the cars is just used for going to the sueprmarket and the gym, maybe the library and the beach. Does 6k per year but the thing is oil filter may be needed every 6 months right, I know the old golden rule was once understood to be every 3,000 Miles or 3 months (whichever earlier) but it's controversial. But the service maintenance written by the manufacturer are said to be 30,000 Miles or 2yrs (whichever earlier). Isn't that on the conservative side - many people don't do them at all and if they choose to do them that's great while not ahering strictly to those schedules ... We now do the filters etc .. but on this specific one at least the sparks last 100,000M, the coolant is life they use a special type at the dealers only. The air filter could be delayed given the min driving :confused: Flushing of fluids that' sa biggie we haven't dwell into yet, every 2yrs :eek: 4 or 6yr for the drive or timing belts but then this one could have only done 24k or 36k. Yet by the book it says 40k or 60k Miles or 4 or 6yrs (whichever earlier).	Nomad (952)
1355163	2013-10-06 05:18:00	I only do the oil and filter, and have just started using oil changers as I can't do it much cheaper myself these days. My newest car I have owned was 8 years old, nothing newer. Never had a mechanical breakdown, wether that is good luck or research when buying cars I don't know...	plod (107)
1355164	2013-10-06 05:39:00	Yeah same, oil + filter every 5,000 -> 6,000KM. Filter costs bugger all so may as well do it at the same time. The rest, just do it as it needs doing really? Check your oil and water levels regularly to make sure they're not low and you'll be fine :)	Chilling_Silence (9)
1355165	2013-10-06 05:51:00	Yeah same, oil + filter every 5,000 -> 6,000KM. Filter costs bugger all so may as well do it at the same time. The rest, just do it as it needs doing really? Check your oil and water levels regularly to make sure they're not low and you'll be fine :) I am with you on this CS. Without doubt Franchise dealers such as BMW and Honda over do the servicing, great way to make a quid. BMW probably need lot more servicing than Honda, not being Japanese.	Cicero (40)
1355166	2013-10-06 08:24:00	kiwis are bloody slack when it comes to servicing. only reason cars don't die is they are much better made these days. whats critical to be done depends on the vehicle and what conditions its driven in. a lot of them have a different maintenance schedule for extreme conditions. but those "extreme conditions" can be your normal everyday driving. most common thing i see is not changing air filter often enough and not replacing coolant enough. people know to change oil but no one bothers with coolant. coolant breaks down and causes radiator blockages and eats the engine from the inside out. engine overheats, engine dies, throw it on the scrap heap and buy another cheap import. seen so many dodgy mechanics who do half arsed jobs your better of doing most if it yourself.	tweak'e (69)
1355167	2013-10-06 08:40:00	Yeah same, oil + filter every 5,000 -> 6,000KM. Filter costs bugger all so may as well do it at the same time. The rest, just do it as it needs doing really? Check your oil and water levels regularly to make sure they're not low and you'll be fine :) It isn't about money. The theory is that a slightly dirty filter will actually become more efficient. Look at your car's manual, chances are you will see the recommendation is every second oil change. Or ask any unbiased mechanic.	Cato (6936)
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