Mechanical Service

[CJB]

I have been sorting out a service for the Ford Transit, Ford are telling me I need a service every 15,000 miles or annually whatever comes first.

Now the van is out of warranty, I was wondering whether to have the annual service or not. I do around 5,000 a year, which does not seem a lot between services.

Just wondering what most people do.

 

[hilldweller]

I'm old school - make sure the oil and filter is changed annually. There are silly mileages specified today with some oils, it does not seem right to this old fart.

My bike is a pain in the other direction, a 3500 miles oil change limit, that seems ridiculous.

 

[DanielFord]

If you are mechanically competent, I'd suggest you drop the oil and change the filters every year. I do in mine, an oil change is very straightforward, as are the filter changes. Oil does break down over time, even the synthetics, and turbo charged engines burn oil, so doing a change makes sure you are all topped up, and ready to go every year

I only send my vehicles off to a mechanic when they need a job doing that I don't have time for, cam-belt changes for example.

 

[daveandsan]

Have my Tranny serviced every year but not by Ford.

 

[Neckender]

If you are mechanically competent, I'd suggest you drop the oil and change the filters every year. I do in mine, an oil change is very straightforward, as are the filter changes. Oil does break down over time, even the synthetics, and turbo charged engines burn oil, so doing a change makes sure you are all topped up, and ready to go every year

I only send my vehicles off to a mechanic when they need a job doing that I don't have time for, cam-belt changes for example.

I'm doing the same and my Peugeot (Ford Transit Engine) has no cam belt to change.

John.

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[gus-lopez]

For me ,the less mileage you do, the more often it needs changing.

 

[Goshawk]

me too service every year , peace of mind

 

[The Wino]

If it's the first year out of warranty you may find if you get it done by Ford you get the breakdown cover extended free worth checking.

David

 

[MitchandJenny]

Part of what lies behind "oil breakdown" is short runs.. But that aside, an annual oil and filter change is a fairly cheap and simple way to lengthen the life of your engine.. The term 'lifeblood' springs to mind and that is definitely true of your engine..
Peace of mind and a chance to "look over" things whilst your under there...

 

[ebo]

I'm old school - make sure the oil and filter is changed annually. There are silly mileages specified today with some oils, it does not seem right to this old fart.

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[ebo]

I'm old school - make sure the oil and filter is changed annually. There are silly mileages specified today with some oils, it does not seem right to this old fart.

My bike is a pain in the other direction, a 3500 miles oil change limit, that seems ridiculous.

I'm also old school, like to have it service annually regardless of mileage, I tend to have a major service every other year and a short service ( oil & filter) in between, but not at a main dealer, they charge far too much.[/QUOTE]

 

[ebo]

I'm also old school, like to have it service annually regardless of mileage, I tend to have a major service every other year and a short service ( oil & filter) in between, but not at a main dealer, they charge far too much.

 

[Zains Pops]

Just done mine, not difficult on a Tranny, just be sure to have a 22mm socket for the filter( or at least that's my memory of the size).
http://www.opieoils.co.uk Do a very good range of lubricants and filters to the correct specification delivered to your home at a good price. It is important to have the correct spec oil in modern engines.

 

[ebo]

Sorry for multiple post, cocked it right up

 

[hilldweller]

Sorry for multiple post, cocked it right up

You certainly did, in this place no-one notices odd posts.............. until some newbie owns up to it.

Next time, if you feel the urge....................... "Hey Jim, haven't they fixed that blank message bug yet?".

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[DanielFord]

Just done mine, not difficult on a Tranny, just be sure to have a 22mm socket for the filter( or at least that's my memory of the size).
http://www.opieoils.co.uk Do a very good range of lubricants and filters to the correct specification delivered to your home at a good price. It is important to have the correct spec oil in modern engines.

Yes, good point, correct tools are important. A lubricant and filter service can be done with very few tools, in my case: A socket wrench, an oil filter extractor and a phillips head screw driver.
The correct grade of oil is very important, can't stress that enough. Even if you don't buy the oil from them, Halfords put out little books to allow you to look up oil grades for vehicles, very useful
I buy all my service parts from this company: www.onlineautomotive.co.uk

 

[ludo]

For me, I would have it serviced every year by a franchised dealer, in this case Ford. I do not understand anyone who has spent tens of thousands of pounds on a new motorhome, wanting to save a quid, here and there, by going to a non franchised dealer, getting a mate to do it or carrying out the work themselves. Generally speaking Ford dealers employ technicians, trained by Ford to work on Fords. Getting the official Ford stamp in the service book will be worth its weight in gold when you come to sell.

 

[DanielFord]

I do not understand anyone who has spent tens of thousands of pounds on a new motorhome, wanting to save a quid, here and there, by going to a non franchised dealer, getting a mate to do it or carrying out the work themselves.

I can understand completely you sentiment. I do my own servicing, not to save a few quid, but because I spent many thousands of pounds on our motorhome, I want to be 100% sure that everything is done properly. I simply don't trust any mechanic to take as much care with my van as I do, but that is just me. Also, they always move the drivers seat, and that annoys me

 

[Techno]

Sorry for multiple post, cocked it right up

No worries but I see they were only minutes apart. Do you realise you can EDIT a mistake in a post for the following 60 minutes thus negating the need to post again? After 60 minutes the edit tab will disappear.

 

[Neckender]

For me, I would have it serviced every year by a franchised dealer, in this case Ford. I do not understand anyone who has spent tens of thousands of pounds on a new motorhome, wanting to save a quid, here and there, by going to a non franchised dealer, getting a mate to do it or carrying out the work themselves. Generally speaking Ford dealers employ technicians, trained by Ford to work on Fords. Getting the official Ford stamp in the service book will be worth its weight in gold when you come to sell.

I don't agree, I bought a new Harley Davidson Road King Classic in 2000, after the first service £350, I decided to service the bike myself from then on.

It cost me £85 in oils and filter to do myself, I also filled in the service schedual myself with mileage dates etc.

Regularly HD phoned and sent me letters saying that the bike would be devalued if not serviced by them.

In 2010 I took my HD which had now been triked for 2 years to a Triumph dealer with the intension of trading it in for a Triumph Rocket 3.
The dealer took one look at the HD said he had never seen such a machine in all his life and offered me a straight swap for a Brand new Triumph Rocket 3 against my 10 year old HD which I accepted.

The dealer was quite happy with the service manual and documents which he received with the bike.

John.

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