DIY Service Jobs
Discussion
Hi,
I don't take my car into a garage to get serviced at all. Apart from an annual oil change/air filter change, I don't really do any preventative maintenance.
Apart from oil and air filter changes, what other maintenance tasks are worth doing? My car is 8 years old, with 66k on the clock. I am a novice DIY mechanic.
Cheers
KP
I don't take my car into a garage to get serviced at all. Apart from an annual oil change/air filter change, I don't really do any preventative maintenance.
Apart from oil and air filter changes, what other maintenance tasks are worth doing? My car is 8 years old, with 66k on the clock. I am a novice DIY mechanic.
Cheers
KP
kennypowers2000 said:
Hi,
I don't take my car into a garage to get serviced at all. Apart from an annual oil change/air filter change, I don't really do any preventative maintenance.
Apart from oil and air filter changes, what other maintenance tasks are worth doing? My car is 8 years old, with 66k on the clock. I am a novice DIY mechanic.
Cheers
KP
I don't take my car into a garage to get serviced at all. Apart from an annual oil change/air filter change, I don't really do any preventative maintenance.
Apart from oil and air filter changes, what other maintenance tasks are worth doing? My car is 8 years old, with 66k on the clock. I am a novice DIY mechanic.
Cheers
KP
DuraAce said:
Fuel filter, spark plugs, gearbox oil, pollen filter, brake fluid, cam belt, aux drive belt ( as applicable to your car model )
n3il123 said:
kennypowers2000 said:
Hi,
I don't take my car into a garage to get serviced at all. Apart from an annual oil change/air filter change, I don't really do any preventative maintenance.
Apart from oil and air filter changes, what other maintenance tasks are worth doing? My car is 8 years old, with 66k on the clock. I am a novice DIY mechanic.
Cheers
KP
I don't take my car into a garage to get serviced at all. Apart from an annual oil change/air filter change, I don't really do any preventative maintenance.
Apart from oil and air filter changes, what other maintenance tasks are worth doing? My car is 8 years old, with 66k on the clock. I am a novice DIY mechanic.
Cheers
KP
DuraAce said:
Fuel filter, spark plugs, gearbox oil, pollen filter, brake fluid, cam belt, aux drive belt ( as applicable to your car model )
In addition to the above however, I check the coolant level and condition (coolant and brake fluid checkers are less than a fiver online), I grease all the hinges / locks / slides, not forgetting the boot and bonnet catches. Silicone on the window runners, brake pad wear, tyre wear, general condition underneath. That's all I can remember off the top of my head but I can guarantee I've missed one or two items.
There are loads of service lists online, some more comprehensive than others. Try to get one model specific if you can. Search for something like "Mazda 6 service schedule". There should also be a basic list in your service book.
90% of the service items will be "inspect ............." "check...........".
On the one hand that means there's nothing to actualy do, on the other unless you actualy service 20 Mondeo's a week, how do you know how much play is OK in a certain part or if an engine mount is on it's way out, as it'll always be slightly worse than last time you looked at it.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I do most of the servicing on my Focus, give the rest a visiaul check, and trust the garrage to highlight anything that I've missed at the MOT. Stuff like the cambelt I get the garage to do, I could probably do it myself by now, but the penalty for failure is high, and it would likely take me a whole day to do, if not a weekend, and I'd rather have the car back in one piece so that I can spend the weekend doing something fun than spend the weekend DIYing it. Whereas fluids, filter and spark plugs takes an hour and saves £100-£200 a year.
On the one hand that means there's nothing to actualy do, on the other unless you actualy service 20 Mondeo's a week, how do you know how much play is OK in a certain part or if an engine mount is on it's way out, as it'll always be slightly worse than last time you looked at it.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I do most of the servicing on my Focus, give the rest a visiaul check, and trust the garrage to highlight anything that I've missed at the MOT. Stuff like the cambelt I get the garage to do, I could probably do it myself by now, but the penalty for failure is high, and it would likely take me a whole day to do, if not a weekend, and I'd rather have the car back in one piece so that I can spend the weekend doing something fun than spend the weekend DIYing it. Whereas fluids, filter and spark plugs takes an hour and saves £100-£200 a year.
The one that always gets forgotten but really makes a difference is the power steering fluid. Buy a hydroponics syringe from Ebay and some tubing, and change it out. Drive it a bit, change it out again.
You don't even need to undo a bolt, it makes your pump and rack live longer and the steering feel better.
You don't even need to undo a bolt, it makes your pump and rack live longer and the steering feel better.
thisisnotaspoon said:
90% of the service items will be "inspect ............." "check...........".
On the one hand that means there's nothing to actualy do, on the other unless you actualy service 20 Mondeo's a week, how do you know how much play is OK in a certain part or if an engine mount is on it's way out, as it'll always be slightly worse than last time you looked at it.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I do most of the servicing on my Focus, give the rest a visiaul check, and trust the garrage to highlight anything that I've missed at the MOT. Stuff like the cambelt I get the garage to do, I could probably do it myself by now, but the penalty for failure is high, and it would likely take me a whole day to do, if not a weekend, and I'd rather have the car back in one piece so that I can spend the weekend doing something fun than spend the weekend DIYing it. Whereas fluids, filter and spark plugs takes an hour and saves £100-£200 a year.
Yeah, this is kinda the conclusion I have come to. Some things are not worth the hassle when you tinker with them and it all goes wrong.On the one hand that means there's nothing to actualy do, on the other unless you actualy service 20 Mondeo's a week, how do you know how much play is OK in a certain part or if an engine mount is on it's way out, as it'll always be slightly worse than last time you looked at it.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I do most of the servicing on my Focus, give the rest a visiaul check, and trust the garrage to highlight anything that I've missed at the MOT. Stuff like the cambelt I get the garage to do, I could probably do it myself by now, but the penalty for failure is high, and it would likely take me a whole day to do, if not a weekend, and I'd rather have the car back in one piece so that I can spend the weekend doing something fun than spend the weekend DIYing it. Whereas fluids, filter and spark plugs takes an hour and saves £100-£200 a year.
But having said that, I would like to do as much as is in my ability as possible. Not sure if I will ever tackle a belt change job, maybe with a bit of youtube help, but potentially could trash the engine.
PS, talking about spark plugs, do the ones from ECP come pre-gapped, so it is a straight replacement with nothing else required?
Cheers
KP
Hainey said:
The one that always gets forgotten but really makes a difference is the power steering fluid. Buy a hydroponics syringe from Ebay and some tubing, and change it out. Drive it a bit, change it out again.
You don't even need to undo a bolt, it makes your pump and rack live longer and the steering feel better.
I never thought of doing power steering fluid this way! Cheers for the tip, just made an ebay purchase You don't even need to undo a bolt, it makes your pump and rack live longer and the steering feel better.
Toilet Duck said:
Hainey said:
The one that always gets forgotten but really makes a difference is the power steering fluid. Buy a hydroponics syringe from Ebay and some tubing, and change it out. Drive it a bit, change it out again.
You don't even need to undo a bolt, it makes your pump and rack live longer and the steering feel better.
I never thought of doing power steering fluid this way! Cheers for the tip, just made an ebay purchase You don't even need to undo a bolt, it makes your pump and rack live longer and the steering feel better.
You can by a cheap test kit, under a tenner, that tells you what state the fluid was in. It can make for scary reading.
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