Time or distance based vehicle service

My understanding is that only LONG periods of inactivity can cause damage - eg 4-6 months plus. Damage such as battery failure; moisture in oil becoming acidic and attacking bearing surfaces etc; tyres forming flat spots that later - on the road- blow; lack of lubrication on seals (esp air conditioner seals).
Running 8,000 klms per year equates to around 300 Klms per fortnight. Assuming the vehicle is started every few weeks, I would also maintain it by klms. Our Subaru Forester is 1998 with 70,000 Klms, so in similar position as you.
.............imo................Regards................Keith

Hi Strzelecki,
I deal with this matter almost every day at work as I look after warranties. The issue is that whilst under warranty (all Manufacturers are the same), it must be serviced according to mileage or time WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. There would be no significance by extending the times other than when you need to make a warranty claim and the manufacturer or extended warranty provider has the right to decline to pay.
Once out of warranty, it is up to you. What we do at our dealership is offer an 'intermediate service' for about $100 which includes oil change, filter and check all levels, brakes etc etc. Good value but doesn't replace major type services.
Hope this helps,
Steve

Strzelecki,

I am the exact opposite, over 22,000km in 4 months. I always try and change oil and filter every 5,000km at home, but when I am away that is not always possible.

At home because the vehicle only does a 60km round trip to work I change the oil every 5,000km. The acid build up is greater just doing short trips. On my last trip away, I averaged 1600km a week, so that the acid build up in the oil was not a big problem. In that time I have changed the oil 3 times and is due now before my next trip.

The best way I would think would be engine running time. I wounder if the likes of Nissan or Toyota have that type of information. The number of hours between oil changes?

How ever this only applies to the motor, but like the other post have said there are a lot of other things that can fail through lack of use.

Wayne

hI Strzecki,
If the vehicle is doing short trips I would do it on a time basis, but if it is doing a 100k trip once a week it should be ok to go by mileage
Cheers Pete

Thanks guys,the lc usually does a couple hundred klms per trip every week or so.
It seems as if its only a warranty issue.An hour meter would be a good option,has anyone fitted one ?

I've heard a lot of heavy machinery manufacturers are starting to sevrice on a fuel burn rate, so if the machine is worked hard, it uses more fuel and gets its service at less hours than a machine not working as hard and burning less fuel. This is probably the best way if the vehicle is used regularly at operating temp, but the biggest problem with passenger vehicles is probably short trips, and lots of starting and stopping the engine - have a look at the amount of k's taxi's get out of them, they are started, an run for a lot of k's (probably an entire shift) befor e switching off.

The short trips etc would negate the fuel burn theory, possibly should get more local oil testing places and subsicise the practice to reduce wasteful early servicing, and damaging late servicing. How much does it cost for an engine oil test?

Cheers Andrew

I reckon it's a crock... and I've told Subaru and Toyota as much, not that it's going to change anything. The dealers don't make much on the car apparently, so need to try to get you to return twice a year at least to keep the till ringing.

As for is the warranty void if you don't get it serviced by time when not doing many K's, they should spell it out in plain english... either it's a fact or it's bulldung. And, what if the cars a day late.. there goes your warranty, like to see that tested in court!

Would they service it sitting in the yard? (in the dealership or holding yard, after being at sea for X months)... yeah sure!

Also, what do they do for their 'delivery fee'. That's a crock too!

I own a garbage truck running around Brisbane and I have my service interval's based on hours because in a 12 hour shift I would've only covered 180-200 k/m
I could drive it to Sydney in less time but cover 1000k/m
depends on how many stop/start and hot/cold routines your gunna do in relation to oil longetivity.(hot/cold are the biggest engine killers)
my service intervals are 300-350 hours (5000-6000k/m)
Any longer and begins to use oil, indicating to me that that's pushing it
I also have a 4cyl diesel ute that is 5 years old and showing 74000k/m
Dealer service every 10000(per book)and I change the oil & filter every 5000.

According to service manual,'severe' service intervals should be halved and that journeys that are less than 5 k/m is severe It also says k/m or time whichever comes FIRST ,If a mechanic gets under a vehicle and see's it's done stuff all work, that's what he's gunna do(you will pay for the works I bet) STUFF ALL.
My opinion is that If the vehicle is parked for a week/fortnight,then driven on a good drive(all mechanicals get hot) then leave it on km
If it gets started multiple times a day on short journeys.that's when the acid begins to built up (motor needs to get hot to burn them off)and oil disintegrates
If it is out of warranty It is none of their concern
Once warranty runs out they have lost a big stick(to hit you in the wallet with)

It makes me cringe when a question like this is asked.

Yes Service the thing by Time not by K’s Travelled.