Petrol vs diesel – which fuel is cheapest in the long run?

Servicing costs are very variable. Phone a few dealers. Many offer packages up-front for very reasonable prices, e.g. £350 for 5 years on a BMW 3-Series or £400 on a 5-Series.

These typically only cover the basics, like oil, brake fluid, spark plugs and filters. You’ll still have to pay for brake discs and pads, etc. The packages are transferable, I think, so if you sell before the 5 years are up you have a powerful selling tool.

Several manufacturers offer free servicing for a number of years. Phone or visit a few dealers or check manufacturer websites.

Keep in mind that service intervals are longer than they used to be. Many modern cars have variable intervals and advise you via their displays, based on the sort of driving you do, when the next service is due. In the case of BMW, you can go anything up to 18,000 miles between services, if your journeys are mainly long ones on the open road.

18,000 miles between services?? That’s plenty of time for damage due to stone chips, split CV joint boots, etc to go unnoticed. I wonder how many cars are unfit to be on the road.

Of course users know that they are responsible for ensuring that their car is roadworthy at all times.

Thanks for the advice on checking what dealers include with the cost of a car.

Are you telling me you’re not smart enough to spot stone chips for yourself? In any case, do you really believe that garages check for stone chips, or even boot splits, as part of an oil change service (which is all many services are)? As for all those unfit cars, what do you imagine the MoT test is for?

Do you realise that many people do 18,000 miles in 6 months? Their cars will be serviced twice p.a. Those who take much longer than a year to do 18,000 will be told by their OBC that a time-based (rather than mileage-based) service is required. And, between services, cars over 3 years old need annual MoT certificates; a split boot means a fail. Just how often do you reckon should safety checks be carried out?

I’ve had my 5-Series diesel for 6 years from new and it’s had nothing other but four routine services. There have been no split boots…no faults at all, in fact. The extended warranty I paid for was a waste of money. It sailed through its MoT yesterday. I suspect the battery is on its way out, but that’s about it…apart from some stone chips, not that my garage has ever pointed them out.

You say your car is 10 years old. It sounds as though your thinking may be out of date. I took the trouble to reply with what I imagined was good news but you don’t want to hear it. How sad.

Sorry Aitch, I meant stone damage rather than stone chips to paintwork or glass.

I may be out of date and only an amateur mechanic but my life depends on my car being in a safe state. The mechanic who has occasionally done repairs on my car deplores the infrequent servicing recommended by manufacturers and I trust what he and others who hold the same view have to say. Look a the percentage of cars that fail the MOT.

I do not know how often safety checks should be carried out and perhaps we should be guided by those who carry out MOT inspections.

Anyway we have a different outlook, so let’s end the discussion.