General Servicing (again)
- Thread starter RUI
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General Servicing (again)
The world needs more foolz like that
Keeps mechanics and breakers yards in business when it goes bang, His lesson encourages others to do what they should be anyway...
Its two years or 18,000 miles. I am sure Fiat have every confidence in their modern engineering!
As maxi says ,yearly mine was in at only 7500 miles
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That reminds me....
A few years ago the company I was working for treated me (and several others) like cr*p so I thought I'd treat their car the same. With a brand new car (Focus) I thrashed it every day from new whilst cold and generally treated it badly wherever possible. After 18 months and 120,000 miles it was as good as when it was new - or maybe better.
The thing is, most modern cars are pretty well built and can take a lot of abuse. There's no longer any merit in the dealer response to a problem of "you must have been thrashing it". The only thing to be really careful about is the oil running out which will quickly ruin an engine.
Personally, I think that changing the oil more regularly than recommended is a good idea but a waste of money. It's normally older people like myself that do that sort of thing. We remember having to de-coke an engine every 40,000 miles, so anything to keep it running longer was a good idea. But it's not necessary these days. Cars have become the same as white goods to most people. You just use them as a tool to do a job. And they are designed to run with only modest servicing.
It says should not must. According to Fiat CS when I checked its recommended.
Fiat CS don't know their arses from their elbows.
It also has a ** note on the oil changes for DPF engines which says "The engine oil and oil filters should be changed when the warning light comes on together with the message in the control panel or every 2 years" and we all know that the engine oil MUST be changed when the warning light comes on even if it only says "should" rather than must.
I'm sorry, but you really couldn't be more wrong. If you do less than 6k miles in a year then you MUST have the oil and oil filter changed to maintain warranty. Even if the clueless morons at Fiat CS don't know their own product.
I could not agree more on this one..
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Sorry Maxi I am just being pedantic tonight.
I agree re Fiat CS, they have a mixed record as far as I am concerned and always take what they say with abig pinch of salt. And I do not disagree with the need to change oil etc on a regular basis
For the record I have both my Fiats serviced and maintained by a Fiat main dealer (my mates) and I always take their advice on both servicing and warranty.
Never had a problem with either.
. I agree re Fiat CS, they have a mixed record as far as I am concerned and always take what they say with abig pinch of salt. And I do not disagree with the need to change oil etc on a regular basis
For the record I have both my Fiats serviced and maintained by a Fiat main dealer (my mates) and I always take their advice on both servicing and warranty.
Never had a problem with either.
I reckon it'd be a whole lot easier if they'd just kept the intervals at 1 year or 12k (whichever is first) alternating between minor & major, and told the dealer network that Minor Services must not exceed £170 and Major Services must not exceed £220.
That way everyone would know when the service is due and knowone would get ripped off by being charged more for these 'Low Mileage Services' than some other smart ar*e has been charged for an all singing all dancing Major Service, which is what seems to go on with Fiat's current 'Menu Pricing' system.
The amount of services i could've picked for my Stilo last year was staggering, as were the price differences. It's one thing that Fiat really need to get a grip of quickly, especially considering the genuine fixed price servicing offered by rivals like Citroen & VW, which is far cheaper.
Liam
That way everyone would know when the service is due and knowone would get ripped off by being charged more for these 'Low Mileage Services' than some other smart ar*e has been charged for an all singing all dancing Major Service, which is what seems to go on with Fiat's current 'Menu Pricing' system.
The amount of services i could've picked for my Stilo last year was staggering, as were the price differences. It's one thing that Fiat really need to get a grip of quickly, especially considering the genuine fixed price servicing offered by rivals like Citroen & VW, which is far cheaper.
Liam
Well I think a max service of £220 is a bit optimistic for a major service. To get the tappets done, all filters, oil, plugs and brake fluid cost me about £250-270 iirc. But I was quoted something like £450-500 so it was a pretty good price IMHO.
ahmett
Prominent member
I am going the independent way for my 2nd service (2nd year ownership service at 36 k). I think the warranty runs out at 36k so I will do all thats needed at the independent because the 36k service is where fiat really kills you. I will get a quote from them but still go to the independent, change the brake fluid, filters,sparks, oil etc.
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I'm running 14k pa in an MJ and service schedule recommended by the local garage is small/small/big (and repeat). Although TBH the merrit of changing brake fluid is dubious at best IMO.
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Why? It absorbs moisture from the atmosphere over time, and if water was a good substitute for brake fluid I'm sure all manufacturers would use it...
I'm doing low miles in my Caddy and the service schedule for that has so far been intermediate, intermediate with the next service being a main, so it's interesting to see that even garages servicing different marques can have a similar servicing ethos.
As for the brake fluid, I believe there are many who think that changing it 2 yearly is a good idea. Personally I'll just go with what the garage/maintenance plan suggests. Let's face it, brake fluid is an extremely important fluid and it must have a working shelf life?
As for the brake fluid, I believe there are many who think that changing it 2 yearly is a good idea. Personally I'll just go with what the garage/maintenance plan suggests. Let's face it, brake fluid is an extremely important fluid and it must have a working shelf life?
...the small garage didn't design, test & build the car so go with manufactures schedule.
2 years is plenty between brake fluid changes.
2 years is plenty between brake fluid changes.
Even if the brake fluid doesn't need to be changed every two years I really don't see the harm in doing it early.
