Two years in... Time to shell out some more cash

Sidney

Sidney

Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Posts
1,335
Likes collected
874
Location
Stamford
Funster No
24,452
MH
Benimar Mileo 282
Exp
Seven plus years
Expensive month with the MH becoming two years old:

Habitation check - £170.00
Road tax - £173
Insurance renewal - £258
Fiat short oil service £250 (TBC)

and the possibility that we'll buy a new MH at the NEC next week o_O
 
Oh and we should be replacing the antifreeze in the wet Aldi system too. I think this is around £70
 
We are going to NEC, no new motorhome though :( just (hopeful cheap) accessories.

Lin
 
Clearly you're a sellers dream

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Sidney, have you forgot Brake Fluid change or is that included in your short oil change, my Peugeot dealer insisted it was dangerous not to have it done at 2 years even though it only done 4k miles.
 
oh honestly! If you'd left the lid off for two year it will have absorbed some water but really...


off to check Fiat website now...
 
well apart from the insurance id leave it till Id decieded on a new van or not, unless your selling privatly it wont make a jot of differance youll still be offererd next to nowt in px
 
Gooney said:
Sidney, have you forgot Brake Fluid change or is that included in your short oil change, my Peugeot dealer insisted it was dangerous not to have it done at 2 years even though it only done 4k miles.
Click to expand...
I have never had the brake fluid changed in 53 years of owning vehicles,,,,am i missing something. BUSBY.
 
Worth changing the brake fluid if you do a lot of serious mountain driving otherwise I wouldn't bother, never changed it on the last van.
Never had a habitation service done, I'm quite capable of checking my own van to see everything is working, only get the annual damp check done for warranty purposes.
 
Right

At the first service 30k miles...

Type Description
Engine cooling system fluid Paraflu UP - CUNA NC 956-16, ASTM D 3306
Engine oil Selenia WR diesel P.E. - SAE 5W - 30
Brake fluid Tutela TOP 4 - DOT4 ISO4925 SAE J1704, CUNA NC 956-01

Short service = just oil change, new oil filter and fluid level checks


Personally I would change brake fluid if it looked dirty, had a soft pedal or if had any major work undertaken on the brakes. Otherwise it's fine for a good 6-8 years minimum.

Engine coolant (Anti freeze) I would typically change after six years.

Anti freeze in the Aldi system I am likely to replace at five years because the Aldi system is aluminium
 
SC 05 OUT said:
well apart from the insurance id leave it till Id decieded on a new van or not, unless your selling privatly it wont make a jot of differance youll still be offererd next to nowt in px
Click to expand...


To be clear I am definitely not buying another motorhome...

Unless of course I do
 
We bought a new M/H this week, after spending the winter doing our research, as this will probably be the last one we buy.

But I must admit to, once upon a time, going to a dealership to change a gas cylinder and coming away having ordered a brand new caravan.

Funnily enough, I have never regretted my purchases (caravan or M/H) whether they have been researched or bought on impulse.:smiley:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Gooney said:
Sidney, have you forgot Brake Fluid change or is that included in your short oil change, my Peugeot dealer insisted it was dangerous not to have it done at 2 years even though it only done 4k miles.
Click to expand...
LOL! You seriously need to find another "dealer" - preferably one that doesn't ride horses.
If you, or your rip off dealer, is that concerned about the brake fluid becoming dangerous in 2 years, then ask them why don't just carry out a hygroscopic brake fluid test. Any decent mechanic will do one as part of a service.
 
i am on my third m/home. but I have had this one 25 years. but I bought it at Birmingham. not going back again.
 
Gizmouk said:
LOL! You seriously need to find another "dealer" - preferably one that doesn't ride horses.
If you, or your rip off dealer, is that concerned about the brake fluid becoming dangerous in 2 years, then ask them why don't just carry out a hygroscopic brake fluid test. Any decent mechanic will do one as part of a service.
Click to expand...


As a time served Mechanic I am fully aware of the Hygroscopic properties of brake fluids, that's why when the receptionist was insisting that a fluid change was a necessity I eventually had to tell him to swivel, lots of these main dealers put pressure on their customers with letters advising of intermediate servicing requirements, under the guise of maintaining warranty rights.
 
One of my cars does quite low mileage too. I had ServicingStop call me and put me under quite a bit of pressure to add an engine flush to the service.

I know they're targeted to make these calls but I really wanted to tell the young lady where to go. Sales by fear is not something I buy into (consciously anyway)
 
Sidney said:
To be clear I am definitely not buying another motorhome...

Unless of course I do
Click to expand...

I always have said that and also say this will definitely be the last ( don't know why) ! now on our 10th motorhome over 35 years.
Terry
 
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, this means it absorbs water from the atmosphere. Water has a much lower boiling point than brake fluid so any water in the system lowers the fluid's boiling point. On long steep descents using a lot of braking the water in the fluid can boil and turn to steam, this gives a spongy pedal and reduced clamping force at the discs/drums. Ideally the fluid should be tested but failing that it should be replaced as a matter of course at four years old (some manufacturers will call it at two). The longer it goes between changes the more damage can occur in the hydraulic system.

D.
 
Pal got charged £6 for screen wash when getting his Audi serviced at the main dealer, next service, he brimmed the washer bottle before he took it in. Paying the bill, he saw again he'd been charged again for screen wash. Told the receptionist that they couldn't possibly have put any screen wash in, she said "the bottle of screen wash will be in your glove box sir" Robbing gits !
 
dave newell lvs said:
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, this means it absorbs water from the atmosphere. Water has a much lower boiling point than brake fluid so any water in the system lowers the fluid's boiling point. On long steep descents using a lot of braking the water in the fluid can boil and turn to steam, this gives a spongy pedal and reduced clamping force at the discs/drums. Ideally the fluid should be tested but failing that it should be replaced as a matter of course at four years old (some manufacturers will call it at two). The longer it goes between changes the more damage can occur in the hydraulic system.

D.
Click to expand...
I think we've already established we know the meaning of Hygroscopic D, what we have difficulty coming to terms with is Main Dealers telling us we must have fluid changes without taking into consideration the individual driving situations we employ. As to two years with 4K on the clock some tosser telling me it's dangerous not to have fluid changed really is the proverbial Piss take. I appreciate your in the business D, but even you can't defend this.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
I wasn't trying to defend this, what I was attempting to do was redress the balance of comments where one poster has said "I have never had the brake fluid changed in 53 years of owning vehicles,,,,am i missing something." And several others have suggested its not required. You may understand Hygroscopic but many don't so a quick explanation may help to clear the murk. Also mileage is not a major factor in brake fluid's ability or likelihood of absorbing moisture, age is.

D.
 
We are just about to go to our fourth van in five years...

If we keep this up it might mean changing the things when they get dirty...
 
strange how many people change van so regulary, Ive had mine just under 6 years and yes i have thought of changing it, but only to a longer version of the same van ( I would have gone for one about the same age), but now the more i think about it my suits us just great and the longer lenght would probibly be more hastle then its worth.

whos had thier van the longest and why
 
Sidney said:
Expensive month with the MH becoming two years old:

Habitation check - £170.00
Road tax - £173
Insurance renewal - £258
Fiat short oil service £250 (TBC)

and the possibility that we'll buy a new MH at the NEC next week o_O
Click to expand...
That's a hell of a price for a short oil service-- typical fiat dealer. Habitation check seems high
 
busby said:
I have never had the brake fluid changed in 53 years of owning vehicles,,,,am i missing something. BUSBY.
Click to expand...

Yes you are, it absorbs moisture and becomes less effective because it is harder to compress hydraulically. Have it changed and you will notice quite a difference in braking, I did both on my motorhome and my car.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top