Annual servicing for low mileage question

[D3DSL]

Out 57 plate Jazz has given sterling service over the last 6 years, dispute me driving into it twice with my LR  :oop: , however it is only doing 3,000 miles a year tops last year and is mostly me driving back & forward to the gym, 12 miles round trip.  It's due a minor service (£145 from Honda dealer) in Sept but was wondering if it would cause problems if I leave the serving to every 2 years & 6,000 miles.  Last service was a major service at a Honda dealer.

We are planning to keep the car til it goes to the scraper so how it affects resale is not an issue.

Any thoughts on this?

[guest255]

Well the engine oil has to be changed every year or 12500 miles whichever comes first.

Choice is yours at the end of day but would rather change the oil rather than have to change the engine.

[VicW]

There is a very good reason for having low mileage cars serviced every twelve months and that is have them examined for other signs of wear and tear other than the engine oil.
Engine oil should be changed at least annually on low mileage vehicles because it never gets hot enough for long enough to burn off all the contaminants that otherwise collect in it. It one of the jobs of the engine oil.

Vic.

[D3DSL]

Point taken re low mileage cars and changing oil.  Have got the local(ish) dealer down to £99 for minor service so considering just an oil change at likes of Halfords is £40 will prob go with that.

[guest4078]

The Honda '12' £145 service includes oil and filter change. Are they just deleting that part of the service and charging £99? If so you might as well get it all done at one time, save you having to take it else where for the oil change later.

[D3DSL]

Will check that they're not just deleting items from the service.  Good thinking.

[chrisc]

The detergent additives of the oil break down after a period due to contaminants, so changing the oil is a requisite to prevent excessive engine wear

[D3DSL]

Was looking at the service book last night and the type of driving I do (very short trips) then I should be having an interim oil change at 6 months as well as annual servicing. Also should have changed the gearbox oil 12 months ago. 

As a slight aside, how easy is it to fit an oil filter on a GD Jazz, is it just a screw on job?  I tend not to do DIY stuff on cars (as I usually screw it up) but this might be a good time to start.

[guest255]

Yes just a simple screw on filter located at the front of the engine.

[D3DSL]

Cheers, just been out & seen where it is.  Access doesn't look too difficult, even without a ramp.  Just found about 10 ltrs of 5W30 oil (all API SL) in various containers (mostly Ford "high performance" type plus a few litre top up bottles I've accumulated from services) so will have enough or a couple of interim oil changes between services.

How are dealers at servicing the car with me providing the oil?  Seems a logical way of saving a bit as dealers charge £9+VAT per litre. 

[chrisc]

Before you fit a new oil filter, wet the rubber seal with a thin film of oil, or it won't seat properly

[madasafish]

My wife has driven cars over short distances - average journey length 1 miles - for the past 40 odd years. I have serviced them all myself. Annual service is to change oil and filter. And check everything and change air filter when dirty.

It costs very little and we've never had an engine do anything but run perfectly. (Even a Peugeot 106 diesel we kept for 17 years).

On the other hand I have seen engines run like that which after three years with no oil change but "only" some 6-7k miles miles had thick sludge under the rocker/engine cover due to condensation and oil mixing. Not ideal for prolonged use.

[chrisc]

A well-known fault on some 1300cc Toyota engines driven for short periods is that sludge builds up on the grating over the oil pump in the engine, compromising lubrication and the engine seizes.  My motor workshop owner friend repairs 5 to 10 engines like this a year.  He showed me this grating, it measures 150mm x 80mm and was completely covered with this slimy black sludge, such that you had to immerse it in petrol and scrub it with a brush

[D3DSL]

Just got the oil change done today. Cheap as chips with £20+VAT at a local garage for the change, me providing the oil & Honda filter.  Sorted. 

[eagle123]

nice one mate, thought you may have gone to the local chains, national do a oil change and filter as well, I got a 57 reg Honda Jazz too, my servicing is with the dealer fixed to £18 per month, for the next three services, for that money the dealer provides a courtesy car, a valet and also check list to how much wear is left with the tyres brakes just to let you know how long it be for complete replacement