Servicing paradox

[andyc1988]

Hello,

So as not to side track my other thread on V40 driveability I've created a new one .

I come from a car with condition based servicing so it does not require a service on the same day every year, or at a fixed mileage. I'm having trouble understanding the service costs when buying a used car, perhaps someone can help?

I buy a 1 year old V40 T3 that has 54k miles and has just had its 3yr/54k service. I then drive only 5k miles in 12 months, the car is 2 years old and has covered 59k miles so it receives its 4yr/64k service based on mileage. The next year it reaches 64k miles and 3 years of age...does it need its 4yr/64k mile service again as it is within both measurements, or does it need to continue sequentially onto its 5yr/90k service? All numbers are theoretical but the principle applies to any purchase.

I ask this because I plan to keep the car for some years, and I will put less annual mileage on it than the previous owner. I'm trying to compare service costs to other vehicles and there are some hefty milestones in Volvo servicing that I will/won't reach depending on this scenario. For example £740 at 8 years/144k - I will only have the car until it is 6 or 7 and will not do 144k miles - but I will be starting 2 years ahead on servicing...essentially will it need its 8yr/144k service when it’s only 6yrs old and has covered 80k miles?

I hope this makes sense, I've re-written it a few times!

Thanks,
Andy

[volvorocks]

From my understanding, servicing is a yearly thing, or done on mileage. So if you did 64k in one year it would have had many services in that time.

Ref the 64k mileage example, I would probably do the 64k service again.

Regards

[Ninja59]

Volvo use 3 parameters usually the last one is not obvious to the owner which is running time.

In regards to servicing by year or mileage, so if you don't do the mileage it is by year (or age depending on how you phrase it).

Taken from your example in regards to the 4th year/64K scenario if you did not do the mileage then you would do a 5th year when it comes to it.

Condition based servicing alongside every other yearly servicing I think brings about it's own failings that some German manufacturers love, and personally I think with the downsizing of engine with turbo's where oil quality (and condition) is critical is going to cause problems in later life of the car - oil, filters and plugs are cheap in comparison to turbo's and other components.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

Taken from your example in regards to the 4th year/64K scenario if you did not do the mileage then you would do a 5th year when it comes to it.

Wouldn't that mean waiting until year 5 therefore missing a service, or do you mean do the year 5 service instead of the year 4 64k service, at the time the next service is due?

Regards

[Rooster]

if its had just had its 54k/3rd year service then next one will be 72k/4th year in a years time or 18k, regardless if its done 3k or 15k

[Ninja59]

As in 4th yr done forget about it, if the OP did not do the required mileage it would still be a 5th year service.

I do happen to know cars with one or two exceptions to this where parts are done by mileage year irrelevant however they are not Volvo's.

[tt82]

If you want FVSH then you will have to do the 5th year service, then 6th year, etc regardless of mileage. Dealers may agree to not do Aux/Cam belts at various services if they have plenty of life left in them. As you are 2 years ahead of your service schedule, and belts can last for 10 years/108k miles, changing a belt on a car with only 6yrs/80k miles doesn't make financial sense.

[tickedon]

Originally Posted by andyc1988

I buy a 1 year old V40 T3 that has 54k miles and has just had its 3yr/54k service. I then drive only 5k miles in 12 months, the car is 2 years old and has covered 59k miles so it receives its 4yr/64k service based on mileage. The next year it reaches 64k miles and 3 years of age...does it need its 4yr/64k mile service again as it is within both measurements, or does it need to continue sequentially onto its 5yr/90k service? All numbers are theoretical but the principle applies to any purchase.

I have a somewhat similar situation. The first service was done at 6 months on my car, and I just had my 'year 2' service with the car being 18 months old. It follows the milestones on the Volvo site - essentially, just think of each as the '1st service', '2nd service' etc. There are some parts that are time-based, others that are mileage-based. I had a chat with my dealer and we decided how to handle different bits - for example, brake fluid, often changed at the 2nd or 3rd service. Given we're at 18 months, decided to wait until the next service (when the car will be at most 30 months old, if not done sooner).

That said, I'd be hesitant to buy a 1 year old car with 54k miles on it, unless it was a very very good deal!