Mini Service On Susiki Swift

[TonyV]

Car doesn't do many miles but not been serviced for a while, I am planning to do just plugs, air filter and oil and filter. Do you think that's sufficient?

[johnny.5]

maybe the battery if only short journeys have been made

[TonyV]

johnny just bought a new battery, old one was getting a bit tired when we had freezing nights.

[sunny-dave]

If it's diesel then you also need to give it a good hard run to clean the particulate filter.

[johnny.5]

that is what I was suspecting tony
what did you do with the old battery ?

[TonyV]

thanks Dave but it's petrol, but probably would appreciate a thrash on the motorway to clear stuff out. I'm only a mile away from the M1.

[TonyV]

Still got old battery, will probably weigh it in at local breakers.

[sunny-dave]

Most cars appreciate a good long run every now & then.

Gness's wonderful old Honda Civic spent several years just pottering around Kettering - never more than 10 miles at a stretch - and was 'OK' - nothing actually wrong, just a bit sluggish at times.

But after a quick service (as you're planning) and a 500 mile relocation drive to Ireland he is now running very sweetly indeed for a 15 year old car.

[davebro]

Most "service" items these days are just checks. So - check all the lights, check wipers, check tyres (condition & pressure), check brake pads. Maybe more?

[TonyV]

mines 2006 vintage around 57000 miles done so will stick with my plan.

[TonyV]

dave do most of those checks weekly apart from brake pads.

[Hymie]

I owned a 98 plate Mondeo from 6 months old (for 10years), after the manufacturer’s warrantee ran out, the only serving done was to change the oil and oil filter at least every year.

The vehicle ran faultlessly throughout the 10 years, with nothing other than the normal consumable parts needing replacing – although only having done 80k miles when I sold it.

[Buenchico]

Er, do you mean that you're meant to get cars serviced? I usually just wait until something goes wrong!

Having said that, on the very rare occasions that I get the garage to do anything that remotely resembles 'servicing', I only ask them to do the oil and filters. It would never even occur to me to get them to anything with the plugs if the engine was running smoothly anyway.

[davebro]

Yes - apart from the usual checks which I do myself I just get an annual MoT (any faults get fixed) and an oil & filter change. Any issues that crop up meantime get sorted as and when (fingers crossed nothing so far with my present car!).

[Ryzen]

Consider a brake fluid change.

[TonyV]

Yes Ryzen good suggestion know break fluid will degrade in efficiency with its ability to absorb water.

[bhg481]

Yes, every 2 years is the recommended time interval for brake fluid changes. Without the change an emergency stop can become an emergency slow down as the fluid boils due to the water absorbed in it lowering the boiling point.

[TonyV]

yes will get brakes bled in the new year. Hardly ever "stamp" on brakes use mostly road craft and gears to keep up with traffic always remembering "only a fool breaks the 2 second rule"