Hi all So just asking for general opinions here...I brought a 00 VT Berlina over the weekend and at the moment all the services have been done professionally at a shop. My question is do I continue taking it to a shop to get the 170k service or do we just do it at home like we do usually? If we do it at home is there anything in particular that we should be looking out for. It does have just the standard ecotec motor v6. Would appreciate this being answered by anyone who does own this model Thanks
In speech it isn’t always clear whether someone says brought or bought, but I really hate seeing them written in the wrong context so here are definitions to help people get them right… bought: to have purchased something. It is the past tense of the word buy. They bought their car from a registered dealer brought: to have carried or taken something/someone with you. It is the past tense of the word bring. She brought a friend with her to the conference ‘After you bring something you’ve brought it’ is a handy reminder of which is which as many people get confused over these two words.
Just do it at home like you usually do unless you have some sort of warranty, then you would probably need to get it done by a licensed mechanic or where you bought it. In the back of the owner's manual you will see what is done at each particular service interval, just follow that. I don't own that particular model but they all get pretty much the same service anyway.
the 170,000 km service only includes oil change. how ever brake fluid must be flushed every 2 years, coolant should be changed every 60 months. 180000km 190,000km are just the same. 200,000km will require you to change the air filter element, fuel filter and spark plugs along with the ordinary oil change
Since You just bought the car, REPLACE EVERYTHING, Coolant, Trans Service, Plugs, Leads, Filters, Oils, Power Steering Fluid. Never trust a service book IMO, This way you just know its all done and dont have to wonder if its actually been done. Just because its been done at shop, If they just asked for a service, Most places just do a Oil filter and Oil change.
Cheers for the feedback guys, post is quite old but just fyi we did end up doing everything ourselves
I must admit professional servicing is expensive, I have had my VX SS from new, as it is a very low km car (80k in 13 years) I just get my workshop to do a minor service each time, oil and filter change and a general look over, but I keep track of all the main items like brake fluid changes, coolant, various filters, spark plugs, diff oil, auto trans etc, and as they fall due ask for that particular task to be done as well. I do find that the workshop does at times find items that are on the way out and we fix them before they become an issue, thinks like link pin bushes, radius rod bushes, exhaust hangers, leaks starting etc. It is nice to get them up on a hoist and have a good look around underneath, there is only so much you can see lying on the ground with the car on stands. BUT the down side is as I said it is rather expensive getting the pros to service them, all my cars prior to the VX SS I serviced myself, this one probably because I bought it new and started out getting it serviced and the fact I am getting a bit older and probably lazy I get it done, it is going through my mind to do it myself as it seems to be getting dearer and dearer as the years go by.
