Service on Alfa 159

[ZesPak]

Hi,

I've had an old Nissan Patrol with which I nearly did any miles, so it went to an indy every year, been perfect now at over 20y old.
After that, I started to do miles (km's actually), but got company cars, so the servicing always went at a dealer.
A month ago I bought myself a 2.4 JTDm 159, 100k km (60k miles) and it is due servicing in about 5k km (3k miles?).
This is however a small service, for which my dealer says they charge about 100€. Which sounded very reasonable. However, after some querying, I kind of understood they only "refill the oil" and check the tyre pressure. These are things I'm still capable off (also checking the oil if it's black/brown/transparent/...).

The big service intervals are at 30k km, with small ones at 15k. So the next big one is due at 120k km (new timing belt needed).
The car had it's oil changed at 90k km.

Now I was wondering, would there be any reason to go to the Alfa dealer or an indy for the "small service"? Will there be things I can easely look over? I can't imagine they do too much work for 100€.

Also, I know you're best to fill up with the same oil that is in it, but I have no idea, is this so big a deal?

Thanks in advance,

ZP

[MattGTA]

A matter of opinion (and perception may be different in Europe) but I would expect a complete service history to be worth more than 100EUR on the value of the car when / if you come to sell it.

If you're keeping the car forever (and if it really is just an oil top up) then I agree with you - there seems to be little point in paying the main dealer for something you can do yourself.

[AREA]

Just checking the service booklet for our 159 and low mileage annual service does to a little bit more than change the oil includin: check front brake pads; change charcoal combination particle filter. So all look like simple things.

Guess it comes down to whether you're mechanically savvy enough to know which end of a screwdriver you hit a bolt with and whether you care about service stamps in the booklet.

[TooLateForAName]

What about timing belt? I thought the general recommendation was 60K on the diesel against the Alfa stated 72K

[ZesPak]

TooLateForAName said:

What about timing belt? I thought the general recommendation was 60K on the diesel against the Alfa stated 72K

They'll do it at 120k km, so the 72k mi you state. Don't know if it's worth replacing it 12000 miles sooner?

[RicksAlfas]

Zes, are you sure they don't change the oil? I can't believe they just "top it up".
For 100 Euros yu would do more good having an oil and filter change at a reliable independant than a top up at a dealer.

[jamieboy]

ZesPak said:

This is however a small service, for which my dealer says they charge about 100€. Which sounded very reasonable. However, after some querying, I kind of understood they only "refill the oil" and check the tyre pressure.

My 159 is on a 21,000 mile or 2-year service schedule.

My local dealer offers a service similar (oil change, not top-up) to the one you describe, for £99. It doesn't match anything in the service book, and doesn't "count" for anything in terms of the service history of the car - it's purely for peace of mind for people who think 21k miles or 2 years is too long.

Edited by jamieboy on Thursday 24th June 10:43

[alfaeagle]

ZesPak said:

TooLateForAName said:

What about timing belt? I thought the general recommendation was 60K on the diesel against the Alfa stated 72K

They'll do it at 120k km, so the 72k mi you state. Don't know if it's worth replacing it 12000 miles sooner?

Alfa recommend 5yrs/72,000 miles for the diesels, but TooLateForAName is right when he says that the general recommendation is 4yrs/60,000 miles and you need to get the tensioners and water pump changed as well as it's normally one of these that lets go rather than the belt itself.

You'll need to take it to a decent Indie to get done as they'll have the proper cam locking tools, last thing you want on a used Alfa is tippex marks.