Annual service recommendations

[johnboro]

Hi there,

Just registered, hello all . I've a 2004 1.4 SE 5-dr which I've had since 2006 (20,00 miles ish), now at 75,000 miles though with much rarer usage than it used to be. I've not been taking the car to Honda dealers for ages since it's only worth about £2000 anyway. Instead, I take it to what seems like a pretty good local place each year and get the service and MOT done at once.

The service always seems to still be kind of expensive -- around £300 each time at least, a bit more when tyres are involved. I wondered if there are any things I can avoid having done, things I can request/questions I can ask to reduce this. I'd like to keep the service book tidy, but I'm also planning to more or less run the car into the ground eventually and would like it to be as cheap as possible to do so.

Thanks for any advice you can give. I'm one of those people who can't have any confidence a garage isn't screwing them because I know very little  .

Cheers
J

[dg]

welcome!
from servicing it myself:
a) once a year oil replacement £20-40 oil, £9 filter, half an hour labor
b) every two years:
- spark plugs £15, 30mins;
- air filter £16; 15 mins
- (?) pollen filter £16, 3 min

(other) 
-brake liquid every 3 years ( optional according to culzean ) £15, 40 min?
-transmission oil for automatic box not sure what interval
-break pads/disks/tyres when needed (once in 5 years?)

also they are supposed to check suspension, brake pads/disks wear/lines, bushes, battery, do test drive?
so calculate it according to ur local labor cost

http://www.hondafitjazz.com/manual/A00/HTML/AJ/SAA2EAJ000000000000JBAT01.HTML

[chrisc]

You are not compelled to go to the agents.  If I don't feel like doing it myself, we have a local mechanical workshop who do all kinds of cars, right from swopping the tyres to major engine overhauls.  The workshop cost is less than 1/3 what Honda workshop want.

Changing the oil can be messy.  I drive the car up a steel ramp so there is plenty of room underneath and then position a 5 litre bowl under the sump.  Over the years I have managed to take out the drain plug with minimum mess.  Then you need a strap spanner for the oil filter...

PS:  Welcome to the forum.  Questions like yours are what we want

[madasafish]

I have serviced my Toyota Yaris since it was out of warranty in 2006.

I plan to do the same with my Jazz when out of warranty/service plan in 2017 (!)

A Haynes manual is invaluable - it gives loads of info so you can become a source on information...

This thread on the Accord owners forum  http://tinyurl.com/cmbvhnr is very useful with pictures in colour.. of most diy items.

[olduser1]

Remember also the UK tyre market is quite competitive - so check before you pay garage prices,
mytyres.co.uk
blackcircles.com
camskill.co.uk
event-tyres.co.uk

[guest1521]

I like mytyres range and prices and have used them. I've just recently used ATS/Euromaster and found their range not bad, prices surprisingly good and tracking/alignment service excellent.

[madasafish]

I second ATS: highly recommended. They know what they are doing - or at least our local branch does. Unlike Slowfit at times.