I need to get my Almera serviced

U

usaidr

Can you do it yourself? To be honest I'm too scared to.

So, (the option for me) to get it done with a receipt, where's the best place to go in sort of general (e.g. chain/private garage) and more specifically in Ashford, Kent; Uxbridge, Middx or sort of West London area?

There's no major rush, but I would like it done soon.
 
Servicing is relatively simple and easy if your mechanically minded.. Can save you a few bucks too :)
What model is it you own?
I'd only take it to Nissan if it has full previous service history and you want to maintain that.
Joe
 
@Corbs: I've never got a car serviced before (as my Almera is my first car). I think I want a full service whatever happens.

@Shaggy: I'm not mechanically minded :( , but I am electronically minded :D .Also, I haven't got a garage and stuff. I own a N15 Si. It has not got FSH, but some. I'm planning to get the service history back to par!
 
its easy as hell to service


drive the car up on to a set of ramps, put blocks behind the wheels and the engine in first so it doesnt roll back.

undo the bolt on the sump and let the oil drain out.

while its draining, locate the oil filter and remove, (add many swear words, cut knuckles etc here)
run a smear of new oil over the seal and put new one in,

remove the spark plugs, fit new ones.

refit oil sump bung.

fill with oil


you may be a bit tired/beaten/bruised/pissed of after all this, but the hundreds of ££££££££££££ it saves, its worth it
 
sorry but that is not a service. thats a oil and filter change ,and changing the spark plugs
there is much more to a service. so if i was you i would take it to a local garage and let some one who knows what they are doing do it
 
well would you like to tell me what else they would do in a service? apart from have a look at everything and charge you money for the privilege? and unless its a garage you trust, whats to say anything they look at and say needs replacing, is really fucked?

ok possibly air and fuel, but a basic service is basically oil and filter.

used to work at mercedes, and there where 3 types of service, a b and c.

on an A, oil and filter change, and a visual check of everything, and then you give them like £300 for the privilege of that.
 
Like you say air filter, isn;t a fuel filter, and brake fluid change, check power steering fluid. I would strip calipers specially the rear.


Obviously this is a major(P3) service.

Matt
 
philbradf said:
sorry but that is not a service. thats a oil and filter change ,and changing the spark plugs
there is much more to a service. so if i was you i would take it to a local garage and let some one who knows what they are doing do it
Click to expand...

Totally agree.

Go to an independent garage and ask what they do for a full service, expect no less than this...

Oil + Filter change
Air filter
Spark Plugs
Fuel Filter
All brakes stripped and cleaned
The whole car should be checked for current or upcoming defects/problems which would involve checking free play in all the wheels and bushes/links
All hinges lubricating
Tyre pressures checked
Screenwash
Anti freeze and battery tested
All lights checked
Washer jets aim correct
Check all under bonnet fluids, brake, p/steering

There's probably some bits ive missed out but thats the important stuff.

We charge £169 for a full service at my garage so thats something to go off.
 
shaggy_master said:
Servicing is relatively simple and easy if your mechanically minded.. Can save you a few bucks too :)
What model is it you own?
I'd only take it to Nissan if it has full previous service history and you want to maintain that.
Joe
Click to expand...

dont matter shaggy my son!

nissan service is pointless now! in fact any "service history" is. only thing it helps with is if your selling privately and even then its bollox
 
i dont see the point in paying through the nose to get a stamp in my book.

the car is a 11 year old 1.6 almera thats not worth anything anymore...

so i would buy a haynes manual and try yourself :D
 
I used to be worried about servicing a car myself and keeping it's service history, but after doing it once and with that practice I'm confident now when it comes to tinkering about and doing a full service. Cost me over £300 at my local nissan specialist when I got a FULL service after I bought the car, but that was before i knew anything. I do it all myself now and it's hundreds cheaper too.
 
lets be honest... if i couldn't service a car i wouldnt be trying to build a turbo motor.

haynes manual explains all so buy one and use it as bog reading to boost your knowledge :D
 
stufagti said:
dude bring it round to me if you dont wanna do it your self :)
im only live 20 mins from you tops too :)
txt me 07801643271
Click to expand...

I think I'm an hour from Romford Stu, Uxb (parent's) to Stratford (I went to Queen Mary, Uni of London in Mile End) takes ages, usually an hour easy. Bombing it up the M20 from Ashford (I work in Kent) is also going to take about an hour! A40 is gay, Blackwall Tunnel is gay.

Props to Sim for the list of bits.

@RAJackson: My car may be 11 years old, but it's only done 36 k, so it should be worth something to the right person :) . Maybe not on this forum, but some mug who I don't like.

@Quickdraw: I don't plan to keep my car really, really long maybe a couple of years tops, then I want a GTi :D . Bollox still talks though, sad fact, I suppose.

Hmm, now I'm not sure what to do. I don't have ramps and blocks, or a proper place (aside from public roads) to do it myself. I'm worried since it's my only ride, if I balls it up I can't go to work the next day.
What about parts then (new oil/air filters)? What's the best place to get them?

Thanks for the posts so far guys, quite helpful.
 
best place is a motor factors!

here are all your local ones!
http://www.yell.com/ucs/UcsSearchAction.do?keywords=motor+factors&companyName=&location=Romford&x=4&y=17&ssm=0&scrambleSeed=35496210&M=0

you cant really bugger it up if your only doing a mini service!

just do as advised and buy a haynes from halfords

you should have a jack in your tool kit! along with wheel brace!

to do a mini service you dont really need one!
your car isnt lowered so you can still reach the sump plug!

just undo that and drain the oil into an old washing up bowl or something!

whilst that is draining - take of your air filter (and fuel if your doing fuel at the same time) and replace these!

use a spark plug remover and undo all the sparks - undoing 1 HT at a time if you not sure were each goes! and replace then hand turn the sparks as your putting them in first then just nip them up with ratchet. stops you cross threading a sparky

once the oil is drained take of the oil filter and top the new one up with fresh oil and lubricate the rubber seal before putting it on the car.

put your plug back in and top the oil up going bit at a time if your not sure how much to put back in! judge to start by how much you took out!

**service note - if your changing the HT leads and dizzy the take the dizzy off with all the HTs attached to the sparks put new dizzy on!

then transfer each HT to the same position as the previous one was.

turn the car over and let it run for a minute!

stop it and let it cool down for 5 minutes!

recheck your oil! and top up as required!

that should get you going for a bit

but best advise

BUY A HAYNES MANUAL
 
monka said:
well would you like to tell me what else they would do in a service? apart from have a look at everything and charge you money for the privilege? and unless its a garage you trust, whats to say anything they look at and say needs replacing, is really fucked?

ok possibly air and fuel, but a basic service is basically oil and filter.

used to work at mercedes, and there where 3 types of service, a b and c.

on an A, oil and filter change, and a visual check of everything, and then you give them like £300 for the privilege of that.
Click to expand...

ok, but how much do merc charge just to bring the car in to the garage?
it will be over £100
i said go to a local garage cos there rate is much much cheaper. i worked at toyota for about 3 years and the minimum cost if the car was in the garage was £50 + vat,it didnt matter how long it was there for(2 min - 30 min)
but if the mechanic does what he is meant to do .there is quite alot .
dont get me wrong if the car is new ish and not done many miles you can get away without checking a lot of things. but this is 11 year old so a lot that could be going or even knackered.and if you dont know what you are looking at your not going to know if it is ok or not.
anyways just my opinion .it up to you in the end cos its your money
what ever you do i hope it doesnt cost too much
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom