Servicing My Mini.
#1
Posted 19 February 2012 - 10:42 AM
I want to give it a go and do it myself but am not 100% sure on what exactly gets done!
Can someone list what i should do/change etc.....
Thanks guys!
#2
Posted 19 February 2012 - 10:44 AM
And well done for wanting to save £120, even if you have to buy a grease gun for the suspension you'll still have change from £50.
#3
Posted 19 February 2012 - 11:22 AM
#4
Posted 19 February 2012 - 11:34 AM
For this sort of thing, it's best to consult a Haynes manual, it has all the procedures and the times at which they should be done laid out.
And well done for wanting to save £120, even if you have to buy a grease gun for the suspension you'll still have change from £50.
my grease gun was £22 from machine mart and its a good one too!
Edited by oltonlad, 19 February 2012 - 11:34 AM.
#5
Posted 19 February 2012 - 11:54 AM
For this sort of thing, it's best to consult a Haynes manual, it has all the procedures and the times at which they should be done laid out.
And well done for wanting to save £120, even if you have to buy a grease gun for the suspension you'll still have change from £50.
my grease gun was £22 from machine mart and its a good one too!
Mine was a unipart special, £10 including a cartridge of grease!
#6
Posted 19 February 2012 - 02:20 PM
#7
Posted 19 February 2012 - 02:33 PM
#8
Posted 19 February 2012 - 02:50 PM
oil nice halfords classic £16.99
Plugs £10.99
air filter £3.49
oil filter £3.49
engine flush £5.99
rocker gasket £2
that will get you on your way,then a bit of grease some brake cleaner and some wd40 on your way, i do a basic service for £85 inc the above
#9
Posted 19 February 2012 - 08:56 PM
You can get an adequate manual (Haynes will do, the downloads available are better if the suit your model), sufficient tools, a can of oil, a tube of grease, oil and air filters, and oil drain can, spark plugs, points and a new drain plug washer for less than the garage will charge. You may want other consumables such as brake shoes/pads, but the garage would charge extra for those anyway. And, you keep the tools for next time.
Anyone with a modicum of common sense, i.e. nearly anyone (except politicians!) is going to be able to learn to service a Mini. I guess you have to want to do it, and not everyone will have the desire...
You don't have to do it all at once, e.g, change oil and filter one day, grease suspension and inspect CV boots and other underneath items another day, wheels and brake drums off to check shoes and wheel cylinders on another day, and oil door hinges and locks, accelerator cable and other minor items as and when convenient.
#10
Posted 19 February 2012 - 09:01 PM
cost of a service well the bits
oil nice halfords classic £16.99
Plugs £10.99
air filter £3.49
oil filter £3.49
engine flush £5.99
rocker gasket £2
that will get you on your way,then a bit of grease some brake cleaner and some wd40 on your way, i do a basic service for £85 inc the above
Probably worth adding dissy cap, points, rotor arm to that, may as well do the lot if you are doing it yourself?
#11
Posted 19 February 2012 - 09:58 PM
I don't know if you can still get them easily, but an electronic conversion such as Sparkrite, with no points, eliminates one maintenance item, and probably allows plug life to be extended somewhat.
#12
Posted 19 February 2012 - 10:18 PM
£120 isn't bad from a garage if they are doing a proper, full service.
For that sort of price these days , a lot of garages just change the oil and call it a service!
As said, get a Haynes manual and do it yourself. It will be much cheaper, and you'll know it's been done properly and not just an oil change.
#13
Posted 19 February 2012 - 11:17 PM
#14
Posted 19 February 2012 - 11:44 PM
- i always recommend an engine flush as it helps "flush" all the oil out when draining its just like using shampoo in your hair helps clean it out. and for a bit of proof do a service on a car that has not had one for over 15,000 miles (grubby oil on dip stick) add the flush, run up to temp then drain and add new oil, then look at the oil in the dip stick (it will be clean due to the old grubby oil being flushed away )
- not having a moan at everybody but i get a bit frustrated when people say things along the lines of "garages only do half a job" or "mechanics don't care about our cars" and "garages don't do the job properly" i love my job and treat every car as if its my own, i like to do things right the first time and don't cut corners with other peoples cars (sometimes my own though ) i don't like to rip people off and like the satisfaction of a job well done even if its un-seizing a bolt, i love to work with cars and just get i bit annoyed when people make comments that only apply for the "cowboys" of the trade .
-take the front grille off to get better access to the oil filter
brad.
Edited by brad-the-bear, 19 February 2012 - 11:45 PM.
#15
Posted 20 February 2012 - 12:21 AM
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