Car servicing, what is included?

MountainAshIRL

Can you tell me what is usually done at a general car service or what should be done and about how much they should cost.
Thanks

Seth Brundle

MountainAshIRL wrote: »

Can you tell me what is usually done at a general car service or what should be done and about how much they should cost.
Thanks

If you just ask for a service it would probably be a basic oil service which would be oil, possibly oil filter, air filter and spark plugs. A once over of the car should also be made.
However, your owners manual probably won't refer to a general car service and will make specific service recommendations depending or the mileage, age or internal service check system

CiniO

The unwritten rule within Irish garages say that if customer asks for service it is just oil and oil filter.
If they ask for major service, air filter could be done as well if garage owner is in good mood.
I'd say that's about it.

Nonoperational

If you bring it to a main dealer they will service it as per what is due at the mileage, or at least advise about what should be done.

CiniO

Nonoperational wrote: »

If you bring it to a main dealer they will service it as per what is due at the mileage, or at least advise about what should be done.

I don't think so.

While I never personally brought any car for a service to any garage, but I heard many stories.

Earlier this year, I bought a 9 year old car (100k km), from person who purchased it a year before from main dealer (with 90k km).
Person said that main dealer sold it as being after full service. Stamp and signature in service book seem to confirm that.
And as it was a year before, I decided to service that car straight after purchasing.
What I believe that main dealer did a year before when selling this car to previous owner was changing oil, possibly oil filter (but I actually doubt it), and they changed air filter as well.
That was it. Spark plugs were definitely not changed, neither was fuel filter or pollen filter.
Pollen filter like it was still original one that came with the car from factory.


Another example - bought a car last month. Car was advertised by dealer (small trader - not main dealer) as just after being fully serviced.
Same thing - oil was new, oil filter was new, and air filter was new.
Nothing else. Spark plugs were in disasterous condition. Pollen filter was extremally filthy. etc...


I wouldn't trust no one, including main dealer that they would follow manufacturers servicing schedule. I don't believe they ever do, at least not for cars out of warranty.

CSU

The "Car Service from €69" ads will get you new oil & oil filter.

A Full-Service will get you spark-plugs (if required), new oil, new oil filter, air filter, fluids top-up, lights replaced(if needed), wipers replaced (if needed) and a once-over safety-check of the car (report on brakes etc.).

Full Service can go anywhere from €130 to €180ish depending on garage used and year of car etc.

Seth Brundle

I would speculate that the vast majority of Irish cars four years or more have never had a coolant or brake fluid change!

The_Honeybadger

I use a large independent garage. Standard service includes oil and filters as well as a bumper to bumper check of the car. If they spot anything off they give me a call and ask whether I want it addressed. On my last service they did brake pads and listed several other items on the invoice that I need to be aware of, e.g. Rear shock absorber is weeping, timing belt due in 40k km etc.

Charge is usually €150 without any extras. I find them extremely professional and good to deal with, and very good value when bigger items need doing. Not all garages are cowboys.

FortySeven

CiniO wrote: »

I don't think so.

While I never personally brought any car for a service to any garage, but I heard many stories.

Earlier this year, I bought a 9 year old car (100k km), from person who purchased it a year before from main dealer (with 90k km).
Person said that main dealer sold it as being after full service. Stamp and signature in service book seem to confirm that.
And as it was a year before, I decided to service that car straight after purchasing.
What I believe that main dealer did a year before when selling this car to previous owner was changing oil, possibly oil filter (but I actually doubt it), and they changed air filter as well.
That was it. Spark plugs were definitely not changed, neither was fuel filter or pollen filter.
Pollen filter like it was still original one that came with the car from factory.


Another example - bought a car last month. Car was advertised by dealer (small trader - not main dealer) as just after being fully serviced.
Same thing - oil was new, oil filter was new, and air filter was new.
Nothing else. Spark plugs were in disasterous condition. Pollen filter was extremally filthy. etc...


I wouldn't trust no one, including main dealer that they would follow manufacturers servicing schedule. I don't believe they ever do, at least not for cars out of warranty.

I worked in a main dealer for years. Cars were always serviced to manufacturers specification.

It's not in the dealers interest to not sell parts or charge labour. If it was an interim service it got oil and filter, major service is oil, air, fuel and pollen for the devils fuel or oil, air, pollen and plugs for those of a more refined nature.

jca

kbannon wrote: »

I would speculate that the vast majority of Irish cars four years or more have never had a coolant or brake fluid change!

My 09 car has had 2 brake fluid changes. With modern coolants you don't need to change it regularly. Most are for life.

FortySeven

jca wrote: »

My 09 car has had 2 brake fluid changes. With modern coolants you don't need to change it regularly. Most are for life.

I'd still change it after that amount of time. As I would lifetime gearbox oil.

Seth Brundle

jca wrote: »

My 09 car has had 2 brake fluid changes. With modern coolants you don't need to change it regularly. Most are for life.

What you did to your car is irrelevant. I'm talking nationally so you are just one in a 2.5 million.

I don't think many manufacturers are using lifetime coolant now. Correct me if I'm wrong.

jca

FortySeven wrote: »

I'd still change it after that amount of time. As I would lifetime gearbox oil.

It's a 7 speed DSG ( dry clutch type) the oil doesn't degrade as it's only used for control circuits, it was changed in 2014 as part of a recall so I'll leave it alone. The coolant passes the hydrometer test and is still orange so I might change it next year.

FortySeven

kbannon wrote: »

What you did to your car is irrelevant. I'm talking nationally so you are just one in a 2.5 million.

I don't think many manufacturers are using lifetime coolant now. Correct me if I'm wrong.

We did brake fluid changes every day. A lot of cars out there are pretty well looked after, I was surprised when I worked in the dealers just how many people follow the specified maintenance schedules.

Plenty don't of course but nowadays most independents and all dealers know the value of using a vhc to upsell. A brake fluid change is money in the bank and it's sold as a safety measure.

There's not many ignore a warning. Especially since its not too expensive.

jca

kbannon wrote: »

What you did to your car is irrelevant. I'm talking nationally so you are just one in a 2.5 million.

I don't think many manufacturers are using lifetime coolant now. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm sure there's more than one like me despite your speculation. According to my handbook which I'm sure you'll dispute the coolant is for life, actually being called "for life coolant"

brembo26

FortySeven wrote: »

We did brake fluid changes every day. A lot of cars out there are pretty well looked after, I was surprised when I worked in the dealers just how many people follow the specified maintenance schedules.

Plenty don't of course but nowadays most independents and all dealers know the value of using a vhc to upsell. A brake fluid change is money in the bank and it's sold as a safety measure.

There's not many ignore a warning. Especially since its not too expensive.

I agree, I work in a dealer at the moment and every day without fail I would be changing brake fluid on about 3-4 cars if it was due regardless of the cars age. Now thats just me, there are 7 other mechanics in the garage and they would be at the same.

I used to work in an well known nationwide based independent, whole different ball game. In my 2.5years there I think I only seen 1 or 2 brake fluid changes, it simply wasnt even offered to a customer.

FortySeven

brembo26 wrote: »

I agree, I work in a dealer at the moment and every day without fail I would be changing brake fluid on about 3-4 cars if it was due regardless of the cars age. Now thats just me, there are 7 other mechanics in the garage and they would be at the same.

I used to work in an well known nationwide based independent, whole different ball game. In my 2.5years there I think I only seen 1 or 2 oil changes, it simply wasnt even offered to a customer.

The nationals aren't worth a ****e. Tis true. All volume, tyres, pads, exhausts etc. Fast jobs, high margins and keep the ramps clear for the next job. I'm in the UK now, kwik fit comes to mind. Free brake checks and free tyre checks to get you in the door. Fluids never seem to get mentioned.

jca

brembo26 wrote: »

I agree, I work in a dealer at the moment and every day without fail I would be changing brake fluid on about 3-4 cars if it was due regardless of the cars age. Now thats just me, there are 7 other mechanics in the garage and they would be at the same.

I used to work in an well known nationwide based independent, whole different ball game. In my 2.5years there I think I only seen 1 or 2 brake fluid changes, it simply wasnt even offered to a customer.

The way I think of it, a simple brake fluid change is much cheaper than an abs control unit.

FortySeven

jca wrote: »

The way I think of it, a simple brake fluid change is much cheaper than an abs control unit.

We sold quite a few of those too.

Glen_Quagmire

I got my car serviced yesterday in a well known chain of garages.

I paid 175 for a full service. I told the lad at reception that the front headlight bulb was gone he said no problem that would be picked up on the service.

I got the car back and assumed all was grand. When I got home I checked the headlight and it was never fixed. I then checked the whiper blades and they were never replaced although they clearly needed to be. I then noticed the tires weren't inflated to correct levels as the front right was low. I wanted to go back up and ask what was the story but I was heading out with the family and didn't have the time.

Am I right or wrong to assume these things should have been included in the full service?

dev100

kbannon wrote:

I don't think many manufacturers are using lifetime coolant now. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Depending on if your coolant is driven on timing belt system then it gets drained / changed when timing belt is being done

dev100

Glen_Quagmire wrote:

I paid 175 for a full service. I told the lad at reception that the front headlight bulb was gone he said no problem that would be picked up on the service.

What's on the invoice ?

Toyotafanboi

I'd expect regular bulbs to be included in a service. Wipers, not without requesting them.

Glen_Quagmire

dev100 wrote:

What's on the invoice ?

Invoice says, spark plugs, oil filter, and oil. That's all

Glen_Quagmire

Toyotafanboi wrote:

I'd expect regular bulbs to be included in a service. Wipers, not without requesting them.

What annoyed me was the lad in reception say yeah no bother that'll be picked up during the service. The fact that they didn't even put air in my tyres doesn't give me a lot of confidence they do the checks they say they do on their website

Toyotafanboi

Bare in mind tyre pressure readings can vary a lot as cheap pressure readers and analogue gauges are rarely accurate, so there could be a decent variance between say what the garage seen as correct and what you see as correct.

What car is it? Does it have a bulb warning indicator on the dash?

colm_mcm

Ah now, it's very likely that they just didn't bother with the tyre pressures. Whether the car has a dash warning or not, a full check of bulbs is a basic check that should have been done. The fact that the OP specified it needed changing suggests they half-arsed the job.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

colm_mcm

Yeah, but the garage should ring the customer and tell them it needs wiper blades, offer them when it's being collected, or at least note somewhere that they're needed.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

colm_mcm

Someone dropping €175 for a basic enough service in a non main dealer is worth chancing a few extra items on.

Toyotafanboi

colm_mcm wrote: »

Ah now, it's very likely that they just didn't bother with the tyre pressures. Whether the car has a dash warning or not, a full check of bulbs is a basic check that should have been done. The fact that the OP specified it needed changing suggests they half-arsed the job.

I wouldn't be defending it, just saying there's no concrete proof that the tyres weren't checked.

The bulb is poor practise. I'd be of the opinion that most customers will tell a garage that they need wipers when they are dropping off rather than wait to be told they need them. They're pretty much the only consumable that the customer can see the efficiency of.

I'd say 75% of people who are offered wipers decline. People will know they need a set and ask for them when they can't see in the rain anymore. That said, it sounds like the OP wouldn't have got them even if they asked.

jca

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

I wouldn't be defending it, just saying there's no concrete proof that the tyres weren't checked.

The bulb is poor practise. I'd be of the opinion that most customers will tell a garage that they need wipers when they are dropping off rather than wait to be told they need them. They're pretty much the only consumable that the customer can see the efficiency of.

I'd say 75% of people who are offered wipers decline. People will know they need a set and ask for them when they can't see in the rain anymore. That said, it sounds like the OP wouldn't have got them even if they asked.

I'd decline wipers if suggested by a garage as they usually put the cheapest crap on and charge top dollar. It would never happen to me as i change my 3 wipers every year.

Glen_Quagmire

Sounds like I got a poor service then. Going by the Atlas website these things should have been checked under a Full Service and I should have at the very least been notified if there was an extra charge associated with replacing them. Sure they basically handed the car back to me with one headlight bulb gone. That's hardly a good service.

I won't be using them again for a car service that's for sure.

biko

http://www.atlasautoservice.ie/car-servicing-2
Even under oil service there many checkpoints, incl "Check operation of interior and exterior lights"

dev100

Glen_Quagmire wrote:

I paid 175 for a full service. I told the lad at reception that the front headlight bulb was gone he said no problem that would be picked up on the service.

Glen_Quagmire wrote:

Invoice says, spark plugs, oil filter, and oil. That's all

50 Euro for labour and 50 or 60 for oil and filter and 60 or so plugs ? I know some plugs can be expensive especially if they are long life plugs ...