on thursday this week i had a car come in for a 40k service (this was not on variable servicing but the service delay was) i have attached a pic of one of the tyres i had to replace (i had to replace all four). this was last serviced at 25k and by the time it came into workshop had 45k on it. so 25k whithout having a service ! along with the 4 tyres i had to replace i had to replace front brake pads and discs, rear brake pads and disc's. along with front wiper blades and the 40k service her bill was over

by the way my pic was too big to send so can anybody on here explain to me (in clear english) as pooter skills not the best, how to get pic on here or would somebody like to do this for me .

Karl - email it to me nick(dot)carrington(at)ntlworld(dot)com and I will resize it and post it ...

There does seem to be a misconception amongst some owners that there is no need to check the engine oil level until the warning light comes on. Moreover, the fact that some cars burn a negligible amount of oil can lull owners into a false sense of security. But the lady big k refers to self-evidently lacks any mechanical sensibility! I know an 81-year old (man) who never checked his Mini's oil level, only had it seen by a garage when something major went wrong (eg the exhaust falling off), and even managed to drive it for 18 months with an out-of-date tax disc.

Clearly there are some out there for whom variable servicing does not fit the bill, including the lady in question. There again, I don't think any type of servicing schedule would have any great meaning to her! big k, assuming she lives locally, will you be writing to her every 12 months (or more often based on her annual mileage), to remind her that her car needs servicing? (And at worst the annual MOT should help to ensure that her car is put back into a safe condition each year). :1:

As some of my nicer friends are above a certain age ( ) - and as such have owned cars which burned oil, overheated and lost coolant (ie water not antifreeze), had porous tyres, plus hoses and heaters specifically designed to leak - I wish to put on record that the majority of them check their cars carefully and have them serviced on the dot every year notwithstanding the minimal mileage covered since the previous service. But thinking of my sons' friends, most of whom come from a generation or 3 later, their care of cars is mainly confined to that part which is visible to onlookers, including the interior, but excluding tyres which are only inflated when replaced or when they look flat. I can think of at least 3 of their friends who have run out of oil on longish journeys to the extent that their engines have seized. And my eldest son was fortunate not to suffer a seized engine when the engine oil warning light came on about 20 miles from home on a 100 mile return trip from Birmingham. An oil pipe to the oil cooler had split, and the light was indicating that there was no oil in the sump! Rather than stop and be recovered, he nursed the car home by taking care not to exceed the national speed limit.....

dennis i was refering to the oil word flashing on service indicator not oil warning light. and yes variable servicing is suited to some people more than others. But in my experience when ever mentioned people would rather stay with fixed. We will indeed be sending a annual service form every 12 mnths but can't predict her milage. By the way the car was in for a 40k service and a mot so when you get to see the picture you will know it obviously failed.

Tyre 1:

Tyre 2:

Disc:

Big K

what kind of car was it? Id hate to think of the damage a vRS could do with tyres like that! My car is still on variable servicing (currently showing SERVICE 800 miles) but it will be going in on july 7th (its 2 yr limit) , as I wont do 800 miles before then! (am now on 13500 odd miles in 22 months , my car since new)

big k

Having seen the pictures, words fail me! :shocked:

I suspect that this is gonna attract a lot of flames, but here goes, anyway:-

I think that the driving test should cover basic "mechanical knowledge". It doesn't have to be advanced - but it should at least include the skill to check (and correct) tyre pressures - and preferably an understanding of important fluid levels.

The car manufacturers have gone a long way to set up a standard colour code for important under-bonnet fluid indicators - so there's no excuse for (non-mechanical) drivers not to know how.

the car in question was a octavia 2.0 auto. dennis r u lost for words ? lol. klb yes there are my sentiments exactly only has to be basic "mechanical knowledge" the times we have cars in for servicing and the owner says can you fill up the screenwash please as it's run out i wonder if they new it was illegal to drive without screen wash or washers actualy working. But i would go further on reversing/parking skills the times i have seen people get them selves in trouble trying to reverse and park it's dreadfull. The best one the other day was a lady (and i'm not getting on at ladies) in a 25ft 7.5 ton hire lorry trying to get round our fuel pumps i felt so sorry for her i went out on forecourt and jumped in drivers seat and did it for her (asked wots the biggest car youv'e driven she replied and escort, (now that makes alot of sense then dosen't it) . time to gop and top some screenwash bottles up.

K

Could you help me find the screenwash filler please - I've tried squirting it in through those little holes under the bonnet but it takes ages and you need a syringe..... if I bring my car to you for servicing would you do it for me? :p

lol nick and thanks alot for posing pics for me (i think has flabbergasted as few people on here nearly ripped my fingers to bits changing tyre !)

Those tyre pics are scary. You normally associate that sort of thing with an old banger, but as this was an Octavia its obviously fairly new.

However, i wouldnt say its a failing of extended service intervals as such. Its more a case of sheer mechanical ignorance on the part of the owner.

Makes you wonder if certain people should be banned off the roads for sheer stupidity

One other point....

If it had been a younger driver in a more "sporty" car, you can bet they would have come into contact with Mr Plod at some point, and rightly been hammered for it. But as it was a lady of "above average age", she would probably have been ignored by the boys in blue.

*Edit*

I just saw the brake disc...

the mind boggles :eek:

couldn't agree more monkey hanger.

Driving with tyres in that condition is scary, and I would have thought justified a "driving without due care and attention offence" at teh least.

I always wonder were all the black rubber goes as it wears from tyres - you would think there would be piles of rubber by the side of roads - If the companies getting rid of old tyres could do the same the problem of polution would be solved.

John

John

It does go down on the road , untill it rains and it all gets washed off , hence the greasiness of the roads afterwards! I suppose it depends on how soft a compound your tires are , as to how much goes on the road , and how long the tire lasts! All i know is I would never ever drive a car with a tire that looks like the one in this thread!!!

Originally posted by KLB in this post

I think that the driving test should cover basic "mechanical knowledge". It doesn't have to be advanced - but it should at least include the skill to check (and correct) tyre pressures - and preferably an understanding of important fluid levels.

That is actually being introduced shortly in the future - you

wouldn't believe how many learner drivers I know who are now

panicking at the thought of needing to know "mechanical stuff"

about cars!

It has been open to "Chinese whispers" though - one told me

that it would include having to demonstrate changing your oil!

It seems pretty simple though, it's just doing the checks you

should do every week or two.

Those tyres look pretty scary though, if the driver had been

pulled they'd be looking at points on their licence!

Rob.

Isn't there a fine per illegal tyre? I think the max was

Originally posted by SkodiRS in this post

Isn't there a fine per illegal tyre? I think the max was

Penalty:

A fine not exceeding level five on the standard scale if in respect of goods vehicle or vehicle adapted to carry more than eight passengers.

A fine not exceeding level four on the standard scale in any other case.

Obligatory endorsement - licence endorsed three points.

Discretionary disqualification.

Time limit for prosecutions:

6 months

Fines on the standard scale:

Level 1 - 200 pounds

Level 2 - 500 pounds

Level 3 - 1,000 pounds

Level 4 - 2,500 pounds

Level 5 - 5,000 pounds

Go out and check your tyres, people! :eek:

For anyone driving thru Cleveland in the near future, Traffic Plod are doing random tyre checks.

U have been warned

It does indeed beg one to ask WHY!

re all the above points, totally agree and I to have heard the basic mechanical test, however, once they are passed, you can't enforce the check each week etc.

Re the variable servicing, I'm not convinced its good for a car that has a hard life, or a very light one for the above reasons of not been checked often. Although the technology of the oils is quite possibly ready, somthing deep down.

This story is not unique, I had a chat who said on a number of occasions variable service cars come in and they are in a bad way. Does this stem from a thought that the car needs no attention? Maybe.

Who knows, maybe you should show the woman some pics of children playing and then let her know how long it would of taken to stop...then again a patch of standing water would of had the same effect.