09-10-2015, 05:10 PM
Some aspects are more related to elapsed time than to mileage.
On a low mileage car, with infrequent journeys, the brake calliper pistons get little exercise and can be prone to seizing up as well as causing rust patches on the discs if the pads were wet when the car was put away. Pitted discs can be an MOT failure. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, so over time can absorb water and degrade. Hence, if the service schedule says 'replace every three years' it makes sense to do so. If you look at old brake fluid in a jar, it's also full of minute bubbles which can make the brakes loose their efficiency.
It's well worth jacking the wheels up to see if you can remove them as the wheels - certainly if alloy - can seize onto the hub boss. A year or so ago, when my car was less than a year old, I got a puncture when returning home from London to Hull. Managed to get to a motorway Service Area where I could fit the spare. (I'd paid extra for a spare wheel when I bought the car new as I'm disinclined to rely on those 'get you home' cans which seem to be standard issue with cars these days. When I jacked the car up, the wheel was stuck solid on the rear hub. Luckily, I had a boot full of tools, which - unusually - included a large rubber mallet. It took a lot of whacking to get the wheel off. The car is covered by a three-year RAC breakdown cover, so if all else failed, it wouldn't have been the end of the world - just more delay to the journey.
When I got home, I spent the next morning removing each wheel in turn - mallet job again, and lots of whacks. Cleaned up the hob bosses and the allow wheel aperture to make sure each wheel was an easy fit, then applied 'Copperease' so the wheels would be easy to remove in future if need be.
Due to set off from Hull for a couple of weeks down in London last Friday, and when on Thursday I checked the tyre pressures, blow me if a front tyre didn't have a nail in it. Fitted the spare - no hassles getting the wheel off this time - took the car to the local top class tyre/exhaust/clutch battery etc firm. Tyre not damaged, but it was false economy to pay for a puncture repair as there was only just over 1mm tread left down to the legal limit. Car's done 26,000 in two years, so ended up with two new front tyres (actually moved to the rear as that's where you need most grip on a front wheel drive car, so the rears were moved to the front). Together with re-tracking due to speed bumps, plus balancing, etc - not to mention VAT, £220 in all.
Glad I took the precaution of checking the tyre pressures before I see off on the 240 mile trip down here. Front offside tyre would have been a tow-truck off the motorway to a Service Area. Breakdown services might change a nearside wheel at a pinch, but not offside - far too dangerous. Major hassle.
One job not to skip on higher mileage cars in the timing belt change - usually something like 48,000 miles/4 years. Ignore that at your peril - a shredded timing belt writes off the engine, and hence, in most cases, it write off the car as beyond economic repair.
Happy motoring!
On a low mileage car, with infrequent journeys, the brake calliper pistons get little exercise and can be prone to seizing up as well as causing rust patches on the discs if the pads were wet when the car was put away. Pitted discs can be an MOT failure. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, so over time can absorb water and degrade. Hence, if the service schedule says 'replace every three years' it makes sense to do so. If you look at old brake fluid in a jar, it's also full of minute bubbles which can make the brakes loose their efficiency.
It's well worth jacking the wheels up to see if you can remove them as the wheels - certainly if alloy - can seize onto the hub boss. A year or so ago, when my car was less than a year old, I got a puncture when returning home from London to Hull. Managed to get to a motorway Service Area where I could fit the spare. (I'd paid extra for a spare wheel when I bought the car new as I'm disinclined to rely on those 'get you home' cans which seem to be standard issue with cars these days. When I jacked the car up, the wheel was stuck solid on the rear hub. Luckily, I had a boot full of tools, which - unusually - included a large rubber mallet. It took a lot of whacking to get the wheel off. The car is covered by a three-year RAC breakdown cover, so if all else failed, it wouldn't have been the end of the world - just more delay to the journey.
When I got home, I spent the next morning removing each wheel in turn - mallet job again, and lots of whacks. Cleaned up the hob bosses and the allow wheel aperture to make sure each wheel was an easy fit, then applied 'Copperease' so the wheels would be easy to remove in future if need be.
Due to set off from Hull for a couple of weeks down in London last Friday, and when on Thursday I checked the tyre pressures, blow me if a front tyre didn't have a nail in it. Fitted the spare - no hassles getting the wheel off this time - took the car to the local top class tyre/exhaust/clutch battery etc firm. Tyre not damaged, but it was false economy to pay for a puncture repair as there was only just over 1mm tread left down to the legal limit. Car's done 26,000 in two years, so ended up with two new front tyres (actually moved to the rear as that's where you need most grip on a front wheel drive car, so the rears were moved to the front). Together with re-tracking due to speed bumps, plus balancing, etc - not to mention VAT, £220 in all.
Glad I took the precaution of checking the tyre pressures before I see off on the 240 mile trip down here. Front offside tyre would have been a tow-truck off the motorway to a Service Area. Breakdown services might change a nearside wheel at a pinch, but not offside - far too dangerous. Major hassle.
One job not to skip on higher mileage cars in the timing belt change - usually something like 48,000 miles/4 years. Ignore that at your peril - a shredded timing belt writes off the engine, and hence, in most cases, it write off the car as beyond economic repair.
Happy motoring!
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
