[snowcherry]

Snow is two years old!  no! 

anyhoo according to my last service the next was due at 30K or 6 months. 6 months was last month. but it will take me months to get to 30K, currently at 25K. if i get it serviced now it'll be a 30K service but in another 6 months what number are they going to make it then? like every service the numbers will be more out of wack.
yes i am confused. are you?

[meehalych]

snowcherry
6 months, are you sure? As the service is due either every 15000km or 12 months whichever comes first.
(If one goes to the service with 25000km on clock, then the next service is to be at 40000 km or in one year)

[Shambles]

Mine are all out of wack. However, I just tell them to do the next service in the book (I base my services on mileage, not time, as I seem to be having a 12.5k mile service every 30 weeks)

[asathorny]

Snowcherry, I see how you could got so muddled up.  Indeed so would if I hadn't prepaid for my servicing. 

My car is just about 18mnths old now and my mileage is only 7.000 ergo, not even one full years mileage according to most users.  Since the servicing is prepaid I am just getting on with handing it in based upon the time, rather than miles covered.

The only query I have with your situation snowcherry is, have you checked the dealership to make sure you have complied with the warranty????

 

The difficulty comes from trying to simplify a complex problem. The oil is recommended to be changed at some point during its deterioration due to its use in the engine. This point is a variable dependant on the type of use. High mileage highway driving is easier on the oil than many short trips which makes it difficult to specify a change by mileage. A compromise is to specify both a mileage and a period to change the oil. Neither of which is necessarily correct.

In any case, as I understand it (in Oz) you must change the oil at 15Km intervals or one year, whichever occurs first. This must be done, i.e., oil should be changed at least once a year.

The other service items should, to my mind, be done based on mileage. For instance if the car is parked for a year then there is no reason to change the spark plugs, as an example.

Ideally, if the oil change interval (based on that rule) is near enough to a year then the 15Km service items might just as well be done at the same time.

If you do much less mileage, then I'd do the oil change annually and the 15Km services as they fall. This can cause the oil changes to lose synch with the other service items. Hy might insist that there are other service items that are time dependant as well as oil, such as brake fluid which is hygroscopic (?) and requires periodic changes even if not used.

As I said, it's complex...

And just going back to the oil changes and other services getting out of synch... you can usually work out by your own situation a regime whereby the oil gets changed perhaps more often to allow every 2nd change to coincide with the 15Km period services.

If you do a higher than 15Km per annum then its easy... just do everything each 15 Km.

[Dazzler]

Hi SC

Pip has pretty much covered what I was going to say.. Sounds like you have been getting yours done every 6 months up to now at roughly 7500 km intervals (just how the Dealers like it .. more money in their pocket)

I would wait until 30,000 is up if your last service was only 7 months ago and you have only done 25K all up.. but as Pip says don't go part 12 months. And check your oil level every few weeks with the car parked on a flat surface   

[snowcherry]

thanks everyone, i'm not positive i'm any clearer 

@meehalych, quite sure as the sticker in my car says so 
had the same thing last service, i even got a letter reminder when i went a few weeks past the 6 months. after i had the service they said i didn't have to have it done as that was only a 7500 interval.....err wha?

but as this is supposed to be the 30K i'm wondering if i should just get it done now or i may be seen as not going by warranty.

[meehalych]

snowcherry
well, 7500km service interval is for driving in a harsh condition such as the sand regions or the ones with coldest temperatures and so on (that is what is said in my car service book).

[snowcherry]

hey guys

just to update i waited for the 30000K, so it was done last week. which is approx 4 months past the 6 month mark i think.

they said my next one is due at 45000, but i haven't looked at what the sticker says yet. the oil i had changed every 6 months or 7500k up to this point.

and for the record it cost approx $296 though i provided my own oil. (i actually had gained a full container of oil from all the previous changes so didn't even have to buy that this time - yay)
i'm unsure they did the wheel rotation though, no mention on my invoice so when it goes in (again) on wednesday to follow up my rattle issues i'll check on that.

re rattles. my dash rattles had returned and i had developed a funny clunk under the drivers seat when turning right around corners or roundabouts almost as if it wasn't clicked into place properly. they lined the right side of my dash with some foam which seems to have done the trick but the left still vibrates. they tightened the screw under the seat which appears to have solved that as well.

[Dazzler]

Hi Snowcherry.. Lovely to see you    I would go 15,000 intervals from now on.. They were a bit dear for a petrol seeing you supplied the oil but at least they seem to be trying to fix your rattles 

[snowcherry]

hey dazz 

they couldn't hear the rattle themselves but were still nice enough to put in the foam, which was a good result.
i think i agree on the 15000 from now on to. or 12 months i guess. it's taken a bit over two years to get to the 30000. might do a 40000 as a compromise.

the price - i wa slooking for the thread actually to see what others are charged. they quoted $350 inc oil on phone so they said approx $300. when it was booked i noticed the sheet said $350 without oil so made sure they corrected that prior to signing it. 

[Dazzler]

I reckon that is nearly $100 too much for the 30,000 petrol service considering you supplied the oil.. But that is dealers for you    Hopefully 2i30's sees this he knows the going rates and has 2 x petrol (he reckons his Dealer is good)

[snowcherry]

^yup. i found the other service thread and just updated it.
over twice the price of what i've paid before! i wonder why they suddenly charged so much more? 

..it's taken a bit over two years to get to the 30000. might do a 40000 as a compromise.

Rule of thumb... more than 15k a year then service intervals of 15k, else service annually. The only modifier would be harsh conditions. This is all by the book and no probs with warranty.

You've done the right thing by the car (and the dealer ) up to now but going by your history I'd agree with Daz and drop the intermediate oil change. Just buy good oil if you weren't already; you can afford it if you only buy half as much. 

[snowcherry]

..it's taken a bit over two years to get to the 30000. might do a 40000 as a compromise.

Rule of thumb... more than 15k a year then service intervals of 15k, else service annually. The only modifier would be harsh conditions. This is all by the book and no probs with warranty.

You've done the right thing by the car (and the dealer ) up to now but going by your history I'd agree with Daz and drop the intermediate oil change. Just buy good oil if you weren't already; you can afford it if you only buy half as much. 

thanks pip! sounds reasonable. and yep i already buy some good oil 

[i30niko]

thanks everyone, i'm not positive i'm any clearer 

@meehalych, quite sure as the sticker in my car says so 
had the same thing last service, i even got a letter reminder when i went a few weeks past the 6 months. after i had the service they said i didn't have to have it done as that was only a 7500 interval.....err wha?

but as this is supposed to be the 30K i'm wondering if i should just get it done now or i may be seen as not going by warranty.

It is quite simple - 'whichever comes first' either be the distance in Km or the time in Months!

Now the dealer sticker you mention - YOur dealer will include the 'intermediate' services which are ONLY optional.

If you have a look at the handbook you will find out that you do NOT have to take your car to the service centre even though your sticker says it so - as it only indicates the optional service.

One good way to remember is add 7,500km the Km of the sticker then you will get the major service intervals. For example if your sticker says 7,500km then add another 7,500 which is 15,000. Technically the intermediate service is half way between a major service. Also the major is yearly where the intermediate is 6months......