Thoughts on servicing
Discussion
Thoughts if you will, chaps. Looking at buying a car with exceptionally low mileage for the year. Body in excellent condition, owner knows his stuff (in some areas). Never failed an MOT, MOt history shows it has only ever since the first few years of its life done very limited mileage. Car in question is a mk3 mx5 with 28.5k on it.
But from looking at the service history, it appears it has only ever had 3 formal services with the car being servicing on mileage rather than annually. It seems it was dealer serviced in 2009 at 8k, 2010 at 15.5k to 2016 at 22.5k but there is no evidence of other service work between. The owner seems fairly knowledgeable (if a tad naïve) and seems to think that this is within servicing recommendation if not exceeding them.
I suppose the question is, with the mk3 having a bit of reputation for a requirement to carefully monitor oil level/condition, what do you lot reckon? The car itself is really very nice but with the apparent lack of servicing I fear it may be a popped engine waiting to happen.
But from looking at the service history, it appears it has only ever had 3 formal services with the car being servicing on mileage rather than annually. It seems it was dealer serviced in 2009 at 8k, 2010 at 15.5k to 2016 at 22.5k but there is no evidence of other service work between. The owner seems fairly knowledgeable (if a tad naïve) and seems to think that this is within servicing recommendation if not exceeding them.
I suppose the question is, with the mk3 having a bit of reputation for a requirement to carefully monitor oil level/condition, what do you lot reckon? The car itself is really very nice but with the apparent lack of servicing I fear it may be a popped engine waiting to happen.
Ive a 2 litre Mk3. 41k miles. Full service history upto me buying it 4 years ago. Its done 4k miles in the 4 years Ive owned it and this year I might change the oil as its just starting to turn a murky colour from a nice golden colour. I have no worries about the engine. The only annoying thing is the drop links for the anti roll bars and a clunk from the brakes when hot. No idea what that is all about ???
Oil surge is the only thing that will kill it off.
Drive it like you stole it :-)
Oil surge is the only thing that will kill it off.
Drive it like you stole it :-)
It hasn't done enough miles to have much negative effect and presumably falls within Mazdas recommendations. I wouldn't be worried about buying it and I work on engines.
Oil change intervals have nothing to with letting the level run low, I do my own changes so it's once a year or about 6k, my car doesn't use any oil in that time. They have shallow sumps and not a massive total oil volume so if they are run low you'll know all about it - it'll knock its tits off.
I'll be writing a thread in the Readers cars section on my recent exploits, but I can tell you the Duratec is a good hardy unit. I bought a basic 2 litre 75k mile one cheap on Ebay and expected to find all sorts inside, I stripped it down for analysis, it was in perfect condition and almost a shame I took it apart, it had many more miles in it.
Oil change intervals have nothing to with letting the level run low, I do my own changes so it's once a year or about 6k, my car doesn't use any oil in that time. They have shallow sumps and not a massive total oil volume so if they are run low you'll know all about it - it'll knock its tits off.
I'll be writing a thread in the Readers cars section on my recent exploits, but I can tell you the Duratec is a good hardy unit. I bought a basic 2 litre 75k mile one cheap on Ebay and expected to find all sorts inside, I stripped it down for analysis, it was in perfect condition and almost a shame I took it apart, it had many more miles in it.
Evoluzione said:
It hasn't done enough miles to have much negative effect and presumably falls within Mazdas recommendations. I wouldn't be worried about buying it and I work on engines.
Oil change intervals have nothing to with letting the level run low, I do my own changes so it's once a year or about 6k, my car doesn't use any oil in that time. They have shallow sumps and not a massive total oil volume so if they are run low you'll know all about it - it'll knock its tits off.
I'll be writing a thread in the Readers cars section on my recent exploits, but I can tell you the Duratec is a good hardy unit. I bought a basic 2 litre 75k mile one cheap on Ebay and expected to find all sorts inside, I stripped it down for analysis, it was in perfect condition and almost a shame I took it apart, it had many more miles in it.
I see. Thanks for your input, it is appreciated. Oil change intervals have nothing to with letting the level run low, I do my own changes so it's once a year or about 6k, my car doesn't use any oil in that time. They have shallow sumps and not a massive total oil volume so if they are run low you'll know all about it - it'll knock its tits off.
I'll be writing a thread in the Readers cars section on my recent exploits, but I can tell you the Duratec is a good hardy unit. I bought a basic 2 litre 75k mile one cheap on Ebay and expected to find all sorts inside, I stripped it down for analysis, it was in perfect condition and almost a shame I took it apart, it had many more miles in it.
My main concern with the intervals was the possible effect of potentially not having had a proper oil change in 6 years really. From what I can gather it has only ever had 3 and for an 11 year old car that makes me wonder about whether the oil would have degraded in some way in those 6 years with it being used so infrequently.
Is it really a duratec based unit in the mk3?
The Nur said:
I see. Thanks for your input, it is appreciated.
My main concern with the intervals was the possible effect of potentially not having had a proper oil change in 6 years really. From what I can gather it has only ever had 3 and for an 11 year old car that makes me wonder about whether the oil would have degraded in some way in those 6 years with it being used so infrequently.
Is it really a duratec based unit in the mk3?
It'll be ok, the rust which you can't see underneath would worry me more - get it inspected on a lift by someone who knows what they are doing.My main concern with the intervals was the possible effect of potentially not having had a proper oil change in 6 years really. From what I can gather it has only ever had 3 and for an 11 year old car that makes me wonder about whether the oil would have degraded in some way in those 6 years with it being used so infrequently.
Is it really a duratec based unit in the mk3?
No I lied, it's a Pinto.
STOP....STOP....STOP
Oil surge does not kill thies engines, lack of oil does!!!
Poor servicing results in oil control rings carbon ing up & resulting in oil use thus running low and then the big bill.
They MUST be serviced regularly and if done right will go for many many miles.
PGD on here has one that has done 170k trouble free, on the other hand we have just done a 37k 2012 rebuild
Oil surge does not kill thies engines, lack of oil does!!!
Poor servicing results in oil control rings carbon ing up & resulting in oil use thus running low and then the big bill.
They MUST be serviced regularly and if done right will go for many many miles.
PGD on here has one that has done 170k trouble free, on the other hand we have just done a 37k 2012 rebuild
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