Is a main dealer service really necessary?

[Thar]

Hi, my 1.6 53 plate with 25K on the clock is currently SORN for the Winter. When I put it back on the road in the Spring it will be due an MOT and service. My service record isn't exactly up to date...not my fault but due to the dealer not providing the correct service manual.

I was wondering whether it was worth taking it to a main dealer for a service...not the local one though as they're too expensive!...or if my local garage could do just as well. If so, apart from the obvious, oil, air filter etc. what would need doing, does the roof need specialist maintenance for example?

TIA

Wishing everyone here a Happy New Year!

[GrandadMonkey]

You'll be (or should be) doing your weekly checks as the owner: engine oil, coolant, brake & clutch fluid, power steering fluid, washer fluid levels; tyre pressure and condition, lights & horn, wiper blades.
Additionally, every 12 months I renew my engine oil & filter (but the book says every 2 years), and I check driveshaft gaiters, lubricate hinges.
Every 24 months I reset the service indicator, check the pollen filter, check the auxiliary drivebelt condition, check the brake pads (can be seen through the wheels on ours), check handbrake operation (you use it every time you drive the car - so what's to check if it's working OK), renew brake fluid (very important).
Every 4 years the spark plugs, fuel filter, & air filter should be renewed - but on a low mileage car like yours I wouldn't unless I was aware of trouble. The air filter is easy to check anyway.
The MOT test will check emissions, exhaust system, steering & suspension components for you.
So as you can see, there is not a lot of work and any garage familiar with 206's should be capable of doing it. The advantage of using a Peugeot specialist is that they'll know their way around the car better supposedly. However, I've found that my local main dealer doesn't even use the fully synthetic oil specified in the handbook. Consequently I do my own servicing which costs me about £40 a time, maximum.
I doubt if much servicing takes place on the roof but I'm prepared to be corrected on this if anyone knows better.

Why not ask your local garage to quote you to service it and MOT it at the same time now you know what needs to be looked at. Or consider doing the service yourself with the help of Haynes Workshop manual no. 4613.

I hate our car being looked at by a garage, except for the compulsory MOT test. They don't know the car as well as I do and would consequently renew stuff that doesn't need renewing in my opinion. The only thing that has gone wrong with ours has been the reversing light switch on the gearbox, and I diagnosed that and replaced it with the genuine Peugeot part from the main dealers at a cost of about £7.

A Happy New Year to you too Thar.

Ron

[Darth Bourj]

Agree.

Up until this year and apart from its first, warranty requiring, service I have done all the servicing on our CC. Oil and filter changes once a year. Brakes when required. Our car is low mileage, but in its 9th year.

Had a cam belt and brake fluid change this year, which is pretty late. Should be every 5 years. I got it done by Peugeot. For older cars they do a cheaper service plan. I am glad I took it there. I requested the water pump be checked and got a price before the service. The water pump was ok, but it did require a new tension bearing. Would another garage have been experienced of said car to check? Who knows?

My mechanic skills are pretty simple. I was having a discussion the other day about servicing of cars with a trained dealership mechanic. Some interesting things. He criticised service schedules of 2 years. These are ridiculously long and can cause lots of problems. He also stated he has never seen a cam belt break without another fault on the car. Be it a bearing seizure or other mechanical device seized that’s being driven by the cam belt.

Happy new year!

[Thar]

Thanks for your replies guys. The MOT isn't actually due until April it seems, so I have a bit of time to get some quotes for services. I suspect the cambelt has never been changed...she has had a few owners according to the log book despite the garage assuring me two previous lady owners...so I bet nobody took responsibility for that, still can't complain, and she has done me proud so far!

[GrandadMonkey]

Cam belt should be OK for another year. 80,000 miles (according to Autodata) or 8 years (I believe) on the 1.6, whichever comes sooner. However you might want to play safe as it is being left standing over the winter.

[Thar]

Thanks again GM!