Discussion
This year I am hoping to use a local mobile mechanic to service the car. I have known him for a number of years and he has serviced the wife's car before. He used to work for Ford around the time they were building the Cologne engines so he should know what he is doing!
I have bought an oil filter (under £4!) and he is supplying the oil (20/50). Apart from the obvious things like oil, plugs, air filter, brakes, are there any other things I should get him to check?
I guess he will know what to look for but just want to make sure everything is covered by the service
Is there a check list anywhere on PH?
I have bought an oil filter (under £4!) and he is supplying the oil (20/50). Apart from the obvious things like oil, plugs, air filter, brakes, are there any other things I should get him to check?
I guess he will know what to look for but just want to make sure everything is covered by the service
Is there a check list anywhere on PH?
wiz 1 said:
Just serviced mine myself and can understand where the tvr indys get their prices from. Lots of parts and labour. There was an article in Sprint a while back where someone rekoned on servicing an S for £40, There's no way that will even pay for the parts. Oil and filter only maybe?
That was me. At that time I was paying £17 for oil, about £3 for a filter, and about £18 for spark plugs, all from my local motorfactor, retail prices (I don't get discount but I get good service there). I wasn't including the fuel filter, because that's every other service I think. I also wasn't including consumables like brake fluid, etc because mine has never needed any.
tvrgit said:
wiz 1 said:
Just serviced mine myself and can understand where the tvr indys get their prices from. Lots of parts and labour. There was an article in Sprint a while back where someone rekoned on servicing an S for £40, There's no way that will even pay for the parts. Oil and filter only maybe?
That was me. At that time I was paying £17 for oil, about £3 for a filter, and about £18 for spark plugs, all from my local motorfactor, retail prices (I don't get discount but I get good service there). I wasn't including the fuel filter, because that's every other service I think. I also wasn't including consumables like brake fluid, etc because mine has never needed any.
Filter £6
Spark plugs NGK of ebay £11
Fuel filter Motorcraft £18
Rocker gaskets £10
Air filter service kit PiperX £10
Gearbox and diff oil £30
£129
----
Gearbox/diff wont need doing again for a while.
Air filter kit will use again.
Fuel filter and plugs will get changed in two years time.
Coolant and brakes were ok.
Then there's Hammerite and under body wax £45
Dread to think what my hours are on the car doing the service but at least i know whats done and its to my satisfaction.
wiz 1 said:
Oil, Fully synthetic as reccomended by Opie £44
Filter £6
Spark plugs NGK of ebay £11
Fuel filter Motorcraft £18
Rocker gaskets £10
Air filter service kit PiperX £10
Gearbox and diff oil £30
£129
----
Gearbox/diff wont need doing again for a while.
Air filter kit will use again.
Fuel filter and plugs will get changed in two years time.
Coolant and brakes were ok.
Then there's Hammerite and under body wax £45
Dread to think what my hours are on the car doing the service but at least i know whats done and its to my satisfaction.
Oil, semi-synthetic as used in previous Granada from 56,000 miles to 194,000 miles when I sold it as good as new: £17.00Filter £6
Spark plugs NGK of ebay £11
Fuel filter Motorcraft £18
Rocker gaskets £10
Air filter service kit PiperX £10
Gearbox and diff oil £30
£129
----
Gearbox/diff wont need doing again for a while.
Air filter kit will use again.
Fuel filter and plugs will get changed in two years time.
Coolant and brakes were ok.
Then there's Hammerite and under body wax £45
Dread to think what my hours are on the car doing the service but at least i know whats done and its to my satisfaction.
Filter £4
Plugs £11
Fuel Filter (every second service) £10
Rocker Gaskets (not required on S3C because you don't adjust the tappets) £0
Rocker Gaskets (other models) £8
Air filter not required every service: negligible
Gearbox / diff oil - one bottle of each lasts for years: negligible
Takes it up to £50 if you include the fuel filter and/or rocker gaskets.
I've never spent £129 on parts for a service for any car in my life.
Still stick by my cost, but the main thing as you say, is it's not about saving money, it's about being sure what's done.
I agree with TVRGit's costs - my service costs around £25 for a year without fuel filter and plugs and £45 with. The rocker cover gaskets don't need changiong everytime either as long as you are careful removing them and don't over tighten.
Having done a gearbox and diff oil change when the body was off I have enough oil left over to last years of topping up and probably enough to do a full change again.
I do use 0W30 semi-synthetic engine oil though, as recommended by my friendly mechanic who knows the cologne engine well through his garage and hill climbing hobby.
The above of course would soon add up if you put an hourly rate to the time to do the work.
Mark
Having done a gearbox and diff oil change when the body was off I have enough oil left over to last years of topping up and probably enough to do a full change again.
I do use 0W30 semi-synthetic engine oil though, as recommended by my friendly mechanic who knows the cologne engine well through his garage and hill climbing hobby.
The above of course would soon add up if you put an hourly rate to the time to do the work.
Mark
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