What if I don't get it serviced?
Discussion
I have had an S1 for almost 4 years as a second company car. Because most of my travel is for business I use the company workhorse diesel for trips away and the S1 lives in its garage . Sorry about this but I only use it April-September and only do about 1000 miles a year on sunny mid week days when I take an afternoon off to search out B twisty roads.
I have religiously had the servicing done, even though one year I only did 120 miles ( I got flooded out and the car failed the MOT on the horn of all things so it sat waiting for me to get it fixed) and was I was toying with the idea of selling it when/if the weather peaked this summer. But I love that car. I just can't justify the servicing costs every year when I have hardly used it, and the fact I have to drive miles to a specialist (last C service was a day off work and a 250 mile round trip).
As I say, I only tax it for 6 months a year, it has pay as you drive insurance both of which the company pay so other than servicing which I agreed to cover it is an inexpensive delight.
Now my question, what if I dropped the servicing back to mileage rather than time laspse since last service? I am not concerned to much about what that might do to residuals as I want to keep it, but what are the real mechanical implications of servicng, say every 2 or 3 years when I am only doing 1000 miles a year?
Seals perish. Oil degrages over time. You might go years without a mechanical check up.
Find a friendly indie (as I'm guessing from your post you don't do your own maintenance), and get them to service it accordingly.
A "low mileage" service will use fewer parts / labour than a standard service, replacing only what is sensible.
Find a friendly indie (as I'm guessing from your post you don't do your own maintenance), and get them to service it accordingly.
A "low mileage" service will use fewer parts / labour than a standard service, replacing only what is sensible.
Scuffers said:
only bit that would worry me is the belts (cam and alt), they don't take well to being left standing
I think they are one thing I would do anyway as the implications of them going is too horrendus to think about. My local garage will do the oil and ensure it gets greased where it needs grease.I'd resolve to use the car more. How about taking the Elise on some of those business trips? I know long Mway slogs aren't the Elise's forte but for me to get to any track other than Castle Coombe involves at least a 400 mile round trip. Needs lots of concentration in the rain in the winter but I've done it and in the summer with the roof off I'm in heaven. Only last week I did a 600 mile day trip to Manchester and back. My car incidently is an S1 with Nitron suspension (much firmer than standard) and a close ratio gearbox(so noisier than standard)
I think your questions with regards servicing have been answered. If you can't use it I'd start the engine occasionally and let it come up to temperature and leave it idle for a while: Any moisture condensing within will get driven out.
I think your questions with regards servicing have been answered. If you can't use it I'd start the engine occasionally and let it come up to temperature and leave it idle for a while: Any moisture condensing within will get driven out.
well the first thing you should do is find a nice little gargae close to your home and get them to service it. The elise is one of the easiest cars in the world to maintain. Its only a K series at the end of the day and the basics can be done anywhere. all you need most of the time oil change and filters, and brake fluid and they are easy....
Piooly is right: you just need yourself a copy of the service manual to give to a local garage. Any reputable garage should be able to service it as long as they know what to do.
Oil changes+brake/clutch can be done yourself to save cost in labour (removing undertray esp).
And the brake pads too!
Oil changes+brake/clutch can be done yourself to save cost in labour (removing undertray esp).
And the brake pads too!
You ( we all ) need to know that if you are paying for the car to be serviced, that it is serviced properly and carefully.
A decent plan B for you is to change the oil yourself every April, then ask a garage to CHECK the car over, giving you a list of any items they find - up to you then how many you get done, or if they need doing.
Unless, as above, you know the garage and mechanics and that they are trustworthy, I would not hand a Lotus in for a 'service and tune up where necessary as it has been standing idle for a year'.
Just make it explicit you don't want any extra work done above the basic service needs without your approval.
A decent plan B for you is to change the oil yourself every April, then ask a garage to CHECK the car over, giving you a list of any items they find - up to you then how many you get done, or if they need doing.
Unless, as above, you know the garage and mechanics and that they are trustworthy, I would not hand a Lotus in for a 'service and tune up where necessary as it has been standing idle for a year'.
Just make it explicit you don't want any extra work done above the basic service needs without your approval.
Get the oil changed annually (keep the receipt)
Turn the engine over once a month (don't need to start it, just change the position of the timing belt)
Put 45psi in the tyres when it stands.
Get it serviced properly every 3rd year. You're just wasting money IMO at the moment for that mileage.
There's loads of people with cars that see this little use. My Alfa has done about 400 miles in 8 or 9 years - ridiculous to keep it I know but cars you can easily avoid some hassles.
Your biggest problems are going to come from anything rubber.
Turn the engine over once a month (don't need to start it, just change the position of the timing belt)
Put 45psi in the tyres when it stands.
Get it serviced properly every 3rd year. You're just wasting money IMO at the moment for that mileage.
There's loads of people with cars that see this little use. My Alfa has done about 400 miles in 8 or 9 years - ridiculous to keep it I know but cars you can easily avoid some hassles.
Your biggest problems are going to come from anything rubber.
From my experience my S1 was serviced for the 18k mark in 2001 and has just clocked over 24.5k now. Not serviced since, runs fine apart from needing a new battery (3rd since new in 1998) and no problems passing MOTs etc.
It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
id rather do my own servicing, but as a thread shown that i started a while ago, come resale time, if there is no service stamp, some people will walk, even if there are receipts for all parts etc used for servicing.
i got my car july last year, ive only just covered 2500miles ish, and that was with a 700mile round trip to edinburgh in a day. i cant see the point in doing mileage servicing for that mileage, only age.
i got my car july last year, ive only just covered 2500miles ish, and that was with a 700mile round trip to edinburgh in a day. i cant see the point in doing mileage servicing for that mileage, only age.
chucklebutty said:
From my experience my S1 was serviced for the 18k mark in 2001 and has just clocked over 24.5k now. Not serviced since, runs fine apart from needing a new battery (3rd since new in 1998) and no problems passing MOTs etc.
It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
It'll need an oil and bf change as they'll absorb moisture but it'll not need owt else really.It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
chucklebutty said:
From my experience my S1 was serviced for the 18k mark in 2001 and has just clocked over 24.5k now. Not serviced since, runs fine apart from needing a new battery (3rd since new in 1998) and no problems passing MOTs etc.
It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
I'd get the cam belt changed as well. They deteriorate with time. Your tyres must be as hard as nails too.It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
Still your car, up to you what you do with it.
MJK 24 said:
chucklebutty said:
From my experience my S1 was serviced for the 18k mark in 2001 and has just clocked over 24.5k now. Not serviced since, runs fine apart from needing a new battery (3rd since new in 1998) and no problems passing MOTs etc.
It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
It'll need an oil and bf change as they'll absorb moisture but it'll not need owt else really.It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
I'd be very surprised if something didn't go pop.
TIPPER said:
MJK 24 said:
chucklebutty said:
From my experience my S1 was serviced for the 18k mark in 2001 and has just clocked over 24.5k now. Not serviced since, runs fine apart from needing a new battery (3rd since new in 1998) and no problems passing MOTs etc.
It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
It'll need an oil and bf change as they'll absorb moisture but it'll not need owt else really.It'll get an oil and brake fluid change this year but honestly I can't say it really seems to need it. Everything still seems spot on.
I'd be very surprised if something didn't go pop.
Well I guess the tyres would be pretty crap, but if the sidewalls weren't cracked then I wouldn't expect them to blowout at speed.
I would've thought the biggest potential problem would be perished CV Boots failing and seals in the master and slave cylinders but the latter two aren't something that you can inspect anyway. They're either leaking ir they're not so to speak so there's not a lot that's going to prevent that. I would recommene a timing belt change at the time interval.
I really don't see the point in doing a scheduled service on an Elise or any other car and changing plugs and air and fuel filters for example if you're only doing 1k miles per annum - that's just throwing good money after bad IMO.
From my own experiences with my Alfasud (a few hundred miles total in 8 or 9 years since a complete rebuild) I've had to do the seals on the clutch master cylinder, and the clutch itself often sticks when left for 6 months say. I have a set of wheels and tyres for standing it on (Goodyear Grand Prix tyres!) and a set of wheels and tyres for driving. I've had no bother from the brakes or suspension. It does always start when the battery is reconnected although last time it didn't (suspect fuel pump diaphragm failed). Electrics seem ok.
I did an Andrew Walsh day through Club Lotus and had no probelms with the brakes, no fade at all. I know it's hydroscopic brake fluid but I can't notice a real difference. Maybe an hour or two constantly on track would revise my opinion there but I don't use the car that hard.
The tyres were replaced in 2004 (Bridgestone SO-2 and 3's) and have done maybe less than 3k and they aren't hard as nails. Still really grippy. The car is garaged and doesn't come out in the wet at all.
It was on 5th Gear last night (no the giveaway) and Johnny said is still felt like new when he came back from his spin on the North Circular. In fact they kindly offered to buy it (for rather more than the 6k they mentioned) and I declined. At the 11th hour.
The tyres were replaced in 2004 (Bridgestone SO-2 and 3's) and have done maybe less than 3k and they aren't hard as nails. Still really grippy. The car is garaged and doesn't come out in the wet at all.
It was on 5th Gear last night (no the giveaway) and Johnny said is still felt like new when he came back from his spin on the North Circular. In fact they kindly offered to buy it (for rather more than the 6k they mentioned) and I declined. At the 11th hour.
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