Service Intervals

[CooperDee]

I'm a bit disappointed by the short service intervals I am seeing on my Cooper D. It's driven mostly on motorways, fairly stress free I'd have thought at 65-75mph. I'm getting high 50s/low 60s mpg so that confirms the car is not driven hard. The journeys are not short either, my daily commute is 33 miles each way, virtually all motoroway. However, the service intervals have been closer that I'd hoped for.

First = 12500 miles
Second = 24000 miles

Immeditely after the second service the OBC was showing only 11k miles to the next service.

What intervals are other people seeing? This is especiialy dissapointing given the fixed service intervals are longer on Ford, Citroen and Peugeot with the same engine.

[timp]

I've only got 600-odd miles on my Dooper but I paid the £185 for TLC which I'm reliably informed gives me 5 years / 50K miles servicing - so not too worried about what the actual interval is. I think from conversations with the sales droid, that the period (5 or 50) is only really 2 actual services and a brake fluid change - that would make me think that the interval is is somewhat greater than 12.5k miles

[caveman_dave]

I have to agree with timp. Considering you have only had to pay £185 for 50k of servicing it does not matter what the actual intervals are.

My wife had a VW Polo with sevicing every 10k or 1 year, she had that 2 years with totally service costs of just under £700

[roadster1_98]

My 2009 cooper D has just rolled onto 10,300 this morning and the OBC is telling 2,200 to go until service time so I guess it must be 12.5K service intervals. My car has been used almost all the time on motorways.

[M.O.S]

12.5k sounds about right for a PSA diesel

[IanT]

I had a Peugeot 308 with the same engine in before my mini and it needed servicing at 12k miles.

[Seamus Not Faster]

Modern servicing no longer takes places simply as a function of time and or distance.

The main factor determining 'conditioned based' service intervals is the degree of degradation in the engine oil. This is monitored by the ECM. This also monitors the diesel particulate filter. Likewise wear and tear of critical components such as brake pads is monitored by the DSC module.
There is good reason why the 'long life' engine oil for turbo diesels costs as much it does. It does its job very well. Remember it's nearly £100 worth for an oil change to a punter not on the tlc package.

It took to the end of month 23, ie. end of Oct 2009 for my car's first service to fall due, dictated by date rather than distance. For the record that was at 11,800 miles. OBC was still showing another 1200m in terms of distance to go.
Admittedly my Dooper is used as a second car, mainly short journey round town commutes.

Of much more concern from an owners perspective is you are not told what is NOT done. Did you know for example that the road wheels aren't even required to be removed to inspect and or clean the discs and pads at the first service ? After all, we all know how much dust the std. pads can generate. They simply use a torch and a mirror to assess this ! Outrageous. At least the brake fluid was changed as per schedule.

[Nick_from_Suffolk]

I suspect that the service interval is simply set by the amount of fuel used by the car. That is the parameter used in other BMW cars, such as my M3 and my wife's Z4. I don't expect that our runabout Dooper is more sophisticated than either of those 2 cars.

[CooperDee]

Quote: Originally Posted by caveman_dave (original)

I have to agree with timp. Considering you have only had to pay £185 for 50k of servicing it does not matter what the actual intervals are.

Isn't TLC based on the number of services and not the mileage?

I have 3 TLC service vouchers, I've used two of them in 24k miles and will use the final one at around 35k miles if the OBC is accurate. Yes £200 or whatever it cost is pretty cheap for the first 3 services.

Yes I'm fully aware about CBS, however if the car is driven lightly and needs serviced every 11-12k miles then I'm struggling to see the advantages of it. It's certainly not extending service intervals for a car that's not stressed. If I drove like a boy racer I wonder what the service intervals would be...? That's a rhetorical, no need for any answers!

Not a direct comparison I know but our other car in the house was a Passat TDI, it's CBS required servcing about 18-19k miles, again mostly motorway but as it was a company car with company fuel then a fair bit harder then our Mini.

Ignoring all the asides all I want to canvass opinion on is how often folks are servicing their cars? I'm not out for a debate on CBS vs fixed, TLC, etc.

[M.O.S]

Quote: Originally Posted by CooperDee (original)

Isn't TLC based on the number of services and not the mileage?

I have 3 TLC service vouchers, I've used two of them in 24k miles and will use the final one at around 35k miles if the OBC is accurate. Yes £200 or whatever it cost is pretty cheap for the first 3 services.

Yes I'm fully aware about CBS, however if the car is driven lightly and needs serviced every 11-12k miles then I'm struggling to see the advantages of it. It's certainly not extending service intervals for a car that's not stressed. If I drove like a boy racer I wonder what the service intervals would be...? That's a rhetorical, no need for any answers!

Not a direct comparison I know but our other car in the house was a Passat TDI, it's CBS required servcing about 18-19k miles, again mostly motorway but as it was a company car with company fuel then a fair bit harder then our Mini.

Ignoring all the asides all I want to canvass opinion on is how often folks are servicing their cars? I'm not out for a debate on CBS vs fixed, TLC, etc.

Its 5 years or 50,000 miles whichever comes first

[CooperDee]

M.O.S, all very well but remember the "up to" 50k/5 years and the asterisk pointing to the Ts & Cs. It's four service vouchers you get - details on Mini website. Driven sedately I'm seeing 11-12k between services, meaning I'll get 44k out my 4 vouchers. Still brilliant value at £185 even if it's not 50k.

However getting back on topic or shall I just give in....?

At what mileages have you serviced you Cooper D?

Not asking about cost, CBS vs fixed intervals, TLC.

Just want to know how often other owners are seeing their service come round. Given the (two) answers on topic so far it seems a 12k service interval for most.

Anyone gone further or shorter than 12k between services?

[M.O.S]

Quote: Originally Posted by CooperDee (original)

M.O.S, all very well but remember the "up to" 50k/5 years and the asterisk pointing to the Ts & Cs. It's four service vouchers you get - details on Mini website. Driven sedately I'm seeing 11-12k between services, meaning I'll get 44k out my 4 vouchers. Still brilliant value at £185 even if it's not 50k.

However getting back on topic or shall I just give in....?

At what mileages have you serviced you Cooper D?

Not asking about cost, CBS vs fixed intervals, TLC.

Just want to know how often other owners are seeing their service come round. Given the (two) answers on topic so far it seems a 12k service interval for most.

Anyone gone further or shorter than 12k between services?

The vouchers are only valid for 5 years or to the point when the car has covered 50,000 miles - whichever is sooner. Hence my comment 5 years or 50k!!! I think on the Cooper D if you go to 0 miles on the counter thing its 12500 miles (12500x4=50000)

The 1.6hdi is fitted to psa cars too - they need doing at 12.5k. A friend of mine has a cooper d, that needs doing at about 12.5k. As its a diesel, it'll need servicing more often than a petrol.

[CooperDee]

Jeeze, this is getting difficult. Very difficult.

I officially give up. Someone please have the last word and repeat the same thing over and over, I insist!

[M.O.S]

Quote: Originally Posted by CooperDee (original)

Jeeze, this is getting difficult. Very difficult.

I officially give up. Someone please have the last word and repeat the same thing over and over, I insist!

I'll be blunt. The computer says your car needs servicing. Therefore get it serviced - what else are you going to do? Stop being an idiot!

[timp]

Cooper Dee, did you not buy TLC? seemed like a no-brainer to me. Yes, having spent over 20K on the car, finding another 185 wasn't easy but like I said, it was a no-brainer. It should more than cover just 1 service and a brake fluid change so it was money well spent. Anything more than this is a bonus I guess. If you've got a warranty and want to keep it then like M.O.S says, bite the bullet and get it serviced.