We are seeing the long term results of long life servicing every day of the week . The long life service interval was introduced to benefit sales of new vehicle making them more attractive with the cost of running per mile dramatically reduced but is this really the best for the long term longevity of your vehicle? Usually by the time we see the vehicle for servicing long term damage has already been irreversibly been done. If we have the opportunity to start from new or very low mileage we explain the benefits of correct regular serving and a correct maintenance program. This week we have just inspected a Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSI which has a full history but on a long life basis . Typically all the wheels were seized onto the hubs not great if you are unfortunate enough to get a puncture . The rear brake drums had never been removed and inside there was a large build up of brake dust and the shoes required adjustment .
Excessive brake dust build up inside the rear brakes..
When removed the air filter was very dirty as the manufacturer seemed to think that this would last for a vast amount of miles .
New and old air filter..
The customer was complaining of a hesitation on acceleration the plugs had never been changed and were badly worn away .
Badly worn spark plugs..
Lastly the fuel filter when removed was the original unit from when the car was made six years ago .
If you look carefully you can see the manufacturers build date in blue..
A thorough service made the world of difference to this vehicle but i would suggest damage has already been done in fact this engine already has timing chain rattle which although is a common issue on this application it may have lasted longer with more regular maintenance.