Self Servicing Cars

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zetec452

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zetec452

Hello,

I'm going to soon be doing about 20-24k miles per annum for at least three years and want to keep my car in tip top shape with regular oil changes and servicing.

I know that major services and such will be done at a dealer but would prefer it if I could save some money and service my car every 6k or so with new oil and oil filters etc.

Is it worth servicing your own car? Will it effect the value long term? Does anything other than the oil and oil filter need changing? The car is a 06 Fiesta TDCi.

Any handy self service guides you have would be appreciated.

Thanks,
 
In my home services..

check brakes for wear / replace if required
change oil + filter
air filter
flush coolant/top up coolant, dependant on condition
check tyres
fill washer jet res
check plugs - replace if required
check suspension for wear, and bounce

Erm, anything else i might have forgotten :p

As said above. Haynes is indeed a good buddy for servicing :)
 
I wouldn't bother. There's always great debate on doing oil changed in between services, the Americans love to do this. I've always left oil changes to the manufacturers set service schedule and it's never done my cars any harm at all.

If the car is going to be serviced at the manufacturers stated intervals then I'd be happy leaving it at that, changing your own oil and filters etc every 6k is just going to be a waste of money.

Instead I would recommend regularly checking the standard fluids/oil/tyre pressures/tyres and leave the major service to the dealer.
 
I have always serviced all my own cars, i know its done well and with decent parts unlike vauxhall :mad:

I replace (every year or 6k)

Oil + Filter

(Every 12k or 2 years - bearing in mind i do a few spirited driving days/sprints)

Transmission Oil
Spark Plugs
Fuel filter
Air Filter
Coolant flush
Brake Fluid

and aslo Check condition of suspension/brakes/tyres/electrics
 
robbiemc said:
I wouldn't bother. There's always great debate on doing oil changed in between services, the Americans love to do this. I've always left oil changes to the manufacturers set service schedule and it's never done my cars any harm at all.

If the car is going to be serviced at the manufacturers stated intervals then I'd be happy leaving it at that, changing your own oil and filters etc every 6k is just going to be a waste of money.

Instead I would recommend regularly checking the standard fluids/oil/tyre pressures/tyres and leave the major service to the dealer.
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thats not true. If you do short journeys to work everyday, drive it hard/track days then Regular oil changes are ESSENTIAL.
 
topshot said:
thats not true. If you do short journeys to work everyday, drive it hard/track days then Regular oil changes are ESSENTIAL.
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Rubbish, utter, utter rubbish. I've been driving for 15 years and apart from checking (and topping up as necessary) fluids etc, I've never done a between-service oil change. I've had a variety of cars and It's never caused any problems on any of them.

I'm not talking about track days though, that's an entirely different thing and is certainly not what the OP is talking about.

Manufacturers set their service schedules for a reason - to protect the car. The OP doesn't mention anything about doing track days, just doing a lot of miles a year. If he follows the correct service schedule and checks fluids then there won't be a problem.
 
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The OP has a 2006 car - there is no need for this level of maintaince.

Furthermore, it's also currently worth a non unsubstantial amount of money for a small car. Home servicing it WILL kill its value and make it very hard to sell, as few people will buy a recent model car with no history other than the seller who claims he did it all himself.
 
robbiemc said:
Rubbish, utter, utter rubbish. I've been driving for 15 years and apart from checking (and topping up as necessary) fluids etc, I've never done a between-service oil change. I've had a variety of cars and It's never caused any problems on any of them.

I'm not talking about track days though, that's an entirely different thing and is certainly not what the OP is talking about.
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Every haynes manual I have owned has recommended oil changes at 6k if lots of small journeys are taken - as topshot says as well as if the car is driven hard on a regular basis.
 
tonyyeb said:
Every haynes manual I have owned has recommended oil changes at 6k if lots of small journeys are taken - as topshot says as well as if the car is driven hard on a regular basis.
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The fact that every haynes manual says it whereas every car is different is enough for me to ignore it.
 
robbiemc said:
Rubbish, utter, utter rubbish. I've been driving for 15 years and apart from checking (and topping up as necessary) fluids etc, I've never done a between-service oil change. I've had a variety of cars and It's never caused any problems on any of them.

I'm not talking about track days though, that's an entirely different thing and is certainly not what the OP is talking about.

Manufacturers set their service schedules for a reason - to protect the car. The OP doesn't mention anything about doing track days, just doing a lot of miles a year. If he follows the correct service schedule and checks fluids then there won't be a problem.
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ok
so explain how on my girfriends mini cooper who drives 3 miles to work everyday, condensation builds up on the rocker cover, and contaminates the oil. This led to a massive build up of 'mayonaise' around the cams.

and its not just a single case, a few cars i worked one had it.


i agree in his case he will be fine but it was stated that its Not neccessary on all cars and this in not the case.
 
I think the OP is going to have to bite the bullet and pay the main dealer at the correct intervals for servicing, as it's only a year old it will keep his warranty intact. It will make sense if it is being sold in 3 years time with 72K + whatever is on it now for it to have a full set of dealers stamps.
 
The time im brought my motorway muncher off my dad I had this conversation. It was only a cheap runner for me as I knew I was going to rack the miles on it. My dad had every service stamped and got very annoyed when I started to talk about doing it all myself. Anyway 3 years down the road (excuse the pun!) it doesnt owe me anything (TOUCH WOOD/KISS OF DEATH!) When it comes to sell its not going to be worth a great deal but at least I have all my reciepts of the Oil, filters etc to prove I have serviced it. Plus I know every year that the work has been done. But this is the first older car I have done this with for the very reason some of you have posted. Its a older car brought cheap in the first place. I have had a new car and it wasnt cost effective servicing myself. Yeah sure each service is saving you a few squid but when it comes to sell most people would walk away. If its a performance car its a must to have good history with the car. If you ask someone for advice whats the first thing they say, "Check the history!"

The average small service is like £100 ish (don't flame I know BMW's etc are a fair bit more)
By the time you have visited halfords and paid the over top prices for oil etc you are only talking about perhaps £40/£50 saving a time. Now if you sell a car with no history your perhaps going to lose near a grand on it. Now work out if you were better to get it stamped.
 
Thanks for the information gents.

I agree that on such a new car it would be silly to service it myself (didn't think of that :S).

The service schedule is every 8k which is pretty reasonable. I can't imagine the car will be worth much once I'm done with it due to the amount of miles it will have. I'd rather keep it and buy something sporty for the weekends anyway. :).

Thanks,
 
I have to say, the internal condition of an engine (visually) is remarkable, between one that recieves an oil change every 3000-4000 miles, as opposed to one that recieves one every 8000 miles.

The difference, on a wear level, may be negligible (unless sufficient garbage builds up) but I find opening my oil filler to a golden, dirt-free valvetrain much nicer than opening it to a black, gunk filled one :p

Might make it last a lot longer, too.

Just me 0.2c :)
 
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