Self servicing your car

[Arnold Cunningham]

My 2003 RS6 has a folder full of receipts. But what it would, technically, miss is oil changes, since I bulk buy the oil for all my cars. So I use the VW 505.01 spec oil in most things - since it's actually a good oil spec.

If that stamp in a book were to put a seller off, they're not the right person to own a C5 RS6.
I wrote a number of the DIYs on how to do stuff on them over @ rs246.com

And when I buy, I always buy based on the condition I see the car in - if the oil looks terrible, I don't care what the service book says. Diesels excepted - and I always service them as soon as I buy them anyway, irrespective of what the book says. That way I know it was really done, and done right

[Chris32345]

lufbramatt said:

Have always serviced my cars, apart from my Jazz which still had a couple of years of a 5 year service plan left when I bought it. So it had full main dealer service history. I did it’s last service (using genuine Honda parts) and was shocked to find the state of the air filter:



In 15 years of servicing cars I’ve never seen one in that state (bearing in mind the car had only done about 4000miles since it was last serviced due to lockdown). wouldn’t be surprised if it was the original one. Safe to say I won’t ever be going back to that garage.

Edited by lufbramatt on Saturday 3rd July 10:31

Depends on when the filter is due a change could easily be something like 36k so won't get change till then

[Pit Pony]

Chris32345 said:

lufbramatt said:

Have always serviced my cars, apart from my Jazz which still had a couple of years of a 5 year service plan left when I bought it. So it had full main dealer service history. I did it’s last service (using genuine Honda parts) and was shocked to find the state of the air filter:



In 15 years of servicing cars I’ve never seen one in that state (bearing in mind the car had only done about 4000miles since it was last serviced due to lockdown). wouldn’t be surprised if it was the original one. Safe to say I won’t ever be going back to that garage.

Edited by lufbramatt on Saturday 3rd July 10:31

Depends on when the filter is due a change could easily be something like 36k so won't get change till then

The price of air filters is so low, it makes no sense not to change it at the same time as the oil. But a fixed price service plan, is clearly where the manufacturer can manipulate the require ment and save the dealer an extra £5 each time.

Same with spark plugs. The plugs on my v6 omega, we're totally fecked. The problem it seems is that it's a 2 hour job if you are a Muppet like me. So people don't bother.
I can do it in an hour now.

[itcaptainslow]

If it’s a fixed price service plan, then it’s not about “saving the dealer money”-usually the manufacturer administers a service plan on a newer car, so if the schedule dictates it’s not due for a change, it won’t get done, as the dealer won’t get paid for it.

If that air filter was due for a change in the five years then of course it’s poor form and dishonest-from memory though Honda are one of the manufacturers that put just a mileage stipulation on certain service items (e.g. I’m sure I read somewhere spark plugs are due at “80k miles” on a CRV with no time interval) so that might explain things. All about what the schedule says, really.

Edited by itcaptainslow on Saturday 17th July 07:43

[Chris32345]

itcaptainslow said:

If it’s a fixed price service plan, then it’s not about “saving the dealer money”-usually the manufacturer administers a service plan on a newer car, so if the schedule dictates it’s not due for a change, it won’t get done, as the dealer won’t get paid for it.

If that air filter was due for a change in the five years then of course it’s poor form and dishonest-from memory though Honda are one of the manufacturers that put just a mileage stipulation on certain service items (e.g. I’m sure I read somewhere spark plugs are due at “80k miles” on a CRV with no time interval) so that might explain things. All about what the schedule says, really.

Edited by itcaptainslow on Saturday 17th July 07:43

Exactly this
If the filter isn't due to be changed yet e.g your cars 4 years old with 32k on it and the filter is due to be changed at 5 years or 40k it won't be done unless you pay Extra to have it changed