Low mileage, do I need an annual service anyway?

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Marco 1972

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Due to Covid restrictions, have not done the expected mileage over the last 16 months so does car require service ? the service sticker says next service due at 100,000K or before February 2021, so anyone have any idea what expires/needs replacing when there is no normal wear or tear ? oil, brake fluid etc..
 
It's a bit like going to the Dr once a year for a full medical. You feel great, didn't do any drinking or smoking, minded yourself and the head in the right place as well. Some feel there's no need to spend the €50/€70 and just carry on, then can't understand it when things start to go wrong. Car might not need a lot doing with it but no harm to change the oil and get it checked over. Just my opinion. If it's under guarantee, you might have to get it done
 
Marco 1972 said:
the service sticker says next service due at 100,000K or before February 2021,
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Your scheduled service is already late according to your own service sticker. What does the service manual for your specific vehicle say or the very useful internet say is due to be replaced/reviewed/repaired?

I could go through the usual "Petrol/Diesel/Hybrid?", "Engine capacity/No of cylinders?", "Are the tyres worn?", "Is the brake/clutch fluid old?", "Is the coolant out of date or is it an air-cooled engine?", Is the A/C refrigerant sticker out of date?" and so on, but I won't bother. Give it to your mechanic and let him figure it out and give you a quote for the work.

Based on the information provided it's unrealistic and unreasonable to expect anyone to answer your question which lacks any kind of specificity. RTFM as they say.
 
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mathepac said:
Your scheduled service is already late according to your own service sticker. What does the service manual for your specific vehicle say or the very useful internet say is due to be replaced/reviewed/repaired?

I could go through the usual "Petrol/Diesel/Hybrid?", "Engine capacity/No of cylinders?", "Are the tres worn?", "Is the brake/clutch fluid old?", "Is the coolant out of date or is it an air-cooled engine?", Is the A/C refrigerant sticker out of date?" and so, but I won't bother. Give it to your mechanic and let him figure it out and give you a quote for the work.

Based on the information provided it's unrealistic and unreasonable to expect anyone to answer your question which lacks any kind of specificity. RTFM as they say.
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What a bizarre post.

The OP’s post is entirely reasonable and sensible.

If the sticker says “next service at 100,000 km or in February 2021”, does the fact that the car’s been parked up for most of the year change that?

Reasonable question, surely it does, but can someone with some knowledge answer it politely?
 
The service parts such as air filter , oil filter , spark plugs etc will not be worn and not require changing . Just get oil changed and ask for a check over . Should be no more than 100 euro .
 
Remember it is already 4 months 'overdue'.
Even though your overall mileage is less than usual, if you have done mainly short start/stop journeys then the life span of the oil will suffer.
Not to mention that most engine wear occurs from startup until working temps. are reached.
Introuble83 said:
The service parts such as air filter , oil filter , spark plugs etc will not be worn and not require changing . Just get oil changed and ask for a check over . Should be no more than 100 euro
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Contrary to what is advised above, oil change and new oil filter go hand in hand, or at least they should .
 
SparkRite said:
Remember it is already 4 months 'overdue'.
Even though your overall mileage is less than usual, if you have done mainly short start/stop journeys then the life span of the oil will suffer.
Not to mention that most engine wear occurs from startup until working temps. are reached.


Contrary to what is advised above, oil change and new oil filter go hand in hand, or at least they should .
SparkRite said:
Remember it is already 4 months 'overdue'.
Even though your overall mileage is less than usual, if you have done mainly short start/stop journeys then the life span of the oil will suffer.
Not to mention that most engine wear occurs from startup until working temps. are reached.


Contrary to what is advised above, oil change and new oil filter go hand in hand, or at least they should .
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fair enough but should still cost under 100
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Gordon Gekko said:
What a bizarre post.
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But no polite answer forthcoming Gordon?
Gordon Gekko said:
The OP’s post is entirely reasonable and sensible.
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Nope, it doesn't provide enough information to formulate any sensible answers, just the guessing and incorrect answers posted
Gordon Gekko said:
If the sticker says “next service at 100,000 km or in February 2021”, does the fact that the car’s been parked up for most of the year change that?
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No Gordon, not one whit, unless someone possesses has the technical know-how to 2nd guess the manufacturer's schedule.
.
 
mathepac said:
But no polite answer forthcoming Gordon?

Nope, it doesn't provide enough information to formulate any sensible answers, just the guessing and incorrect answers posted

No Gordon, not one whit, unless someone possesses has the technical know-how to 2nd guess the manufacturer's schedule.
.
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Okay, let’s use a simple example to illustrate the point…

If I buy a new car, they’ll probably tell me to get my first service in a year’s time or after 15,000km.

But in our thought experiment, let’s imagine I just drive home and then never drive the car again for a year. I suspect that the “one year / 15,000km” guidance would change, wouldn’t you?

Now apply that logic to a pandemic where many people haven’t been driving anywhere…

I certainly wouldn’t expect to see someone rounded upon for asking a simple and legitimate question.
 
Why, the OP has stated the service date for the car has already passed, the only definitive information posted? The vehicle, with an overdue service, is now operating outside the manufacturer's technical and design parameters

There's no need to try to imagine anything, to create new fictional scenarios or consult the tea-leaves or Mystic Meg. The car is overdue a service, take it to one of those outlets staffed by experts who can examine the car in detail, understand all its ins and outs and come up with a price and plan to perform the appropriate work, thereby protecting the car's warranty (if any remains), its reliability and safety in operation, both for the occupants and other road-users.

It really is simple. If you see pointing out the blindingly obvious to a poster, who has supplied the only hard information needed to make a logical decision, as rounding upon them then maybe all those easily offended "woke folks" are all waking up and getting out of the wrong side of their beds.

I have nothing else to say on the matter.
 
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Marco 1972 said:
Due to Covid restrictions, have not done the expected mileage over the last 16 months so does car require service ? the service sticker says next service due at 100,000K or before February 2021, so anyone have any idea what expires/needs replacing when there is no normal wear or tear ? oil, brake fluid etc..
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How old is the car Do you know when the car is due to have a timing belt change, they need to be changed after so many miles
some timing belts should be changed after 4 years if you have not reached the recommended milage

when is car NCT up, the timing belt will be put under pressure during NCT test,


If it snaps the car can suffer catastrophic internal damage,

Timing belts can weaken/fail if the engine was not running for some time or the car parked up ,
 
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Cheers, that reminder about the timing belt is enough to get it booked in, never thought about that,,, will be an issue for many people l think...
 
I've done only 12,000 km since my last oil change in July 2019. I am getting it changed next week (petrol).

Do I need a change of oil filter and air filter as well? They are quoting me for this.
 
NoRegretsCoyote said:
Do I need a change of oil filter
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If oil is being changed then absolutely you do, as I said above.
NoRegretsCoyote said:
and air filter as well
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Haven't a clue, we don't know when it was last changed, we cannot see its condition etc....

kinnjohn said:
the timing belt will be put under pressure during NCT test
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No it won't, high RPM emission tests are a thing of the past.
Marco 1972 said:
that reminder about the timing belt is enough to get it booked in,
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Are you even sure your vehicle uses a belt?

Marco 1972 said:
will be an issue for many people l think..
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Just wondering why you think that?
 
It depends upon the owner type- 'just in case' owner or 'sure, it's fine' owner. I get my car serviced every year irrespective of mileage and Mrs bish123 follows mileage irrespective of time it takes :) My car got some new oil filters that were not needed probably and her car's oil filters were screaming most likely when changed. Together we take comfort that we service our cars regularly.
 
I do high mileage (this year it's looking like about 70,000 km). As a result, I service the car about 3 times a year. Mechanic reckons the oil is grand in the car, and it's not entirely necessary to change it each time, but at the same time, i'm being over-cautious as I've had bad experiences of neglecting cars.

For a car that was sitting up, not doing a whole lot, I'd be tempted to get a "small/interim/mini" service (or whatever your local mechanic prefers to call it). Generally just comes with an oil + oil filter change, but they'll still give the car a once-over to make sure everything else is okay. If the car has been sitting still for a long time, depending on the conditions it's kept in and how old it is, rust can form or parts can seize, but this would be very unlikely. Assuming your car is sitting in a driveway, and you're starting it at least once a week for a spin to the shops, i'd say you'd be grand and a full service (or indeed, any service) could be overkill (albeit I'd still recommend getting a small service done just for peace of mind).

Just make sure that, if the car has been sitting for a while without being driven, that you're gentle enough with it when you next drive it. Don't wheelspin out of the drive way and redline the RPMs for the craic. Let the car warm up and drive it easy and smooth and gentle, for a half an hour or so to give it a chance to get warmed up and all it's fluids moving.

If it's a Diesel car, especially one with a DPF, then I'd advise bringing it out for a motorway spin. Again, gentle easy driving for 20-30mins then get it to a motorway and slowly raise the speed/gears and the revs until you've got it marginally higher than it'd normally be at (don't bounce it off the redline) and hold it at that for 20 minutes or so. Take you an hour all in all but it'll help clear out built-up particles from the filter and exhaust system. Again, stressing - don't turn the engine on, rev the bollocks out of it whilst it's still cold, and then park it up again. That'll just add wear and tear.
 
Got the vehicle serviced, and did require a few repairs, so probably best to do it regularly regardless of mileage,, making me think of the money pit cars,
 
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