Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row

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Mon 18 Oct 2021 13:04
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - Domina29

Hi.

I have a Vauxhall Zafira tourer 2015 (DS65 JPY).

I also have an account with motor easy and the car has a Plan A 4-year warranty with them.

The service and mot was due this weekend and the motor easy booking gave me two options to choose from at Halfords autocentre Chingford:

Option 1: Vauxhall manufacture service £384

Option 2: basic service £129

I picked option 2 because I thought it was a main service not using Vauxhall products and oil etc. Anyway, turns out it was an interim service. So now the car has had an interim service for the last 2 years.

The service record looks like this.

Interim service on 15/11/2016 @ 7417 miles- nothing changed. Vauxhall repairer

Main service on 28/11/2017 @ 14323 miles - pollen filter and brake fluid changed. Vauxhall repairer

Interim service on 8/10/2018 @ 20262 miles- nothing changed. Vauxhall repairer

main service on /10/2019 @ 28369 miles. Pollen filter, air cleaner, brake pads front and rear, spark plugs and coolant changed. Vauxhall repairer

Interim service on 12/10/2020 @ 34146 miles - brake fluid changed. Vauxhall repairer

Interim service on 16/10/2021 @ 35933 miles - nothing changed. Halfords autocentre

(Engine oil changes at each service).

Halfords said interim is similar to main. Interim is 50 or so checks and main is 77 or so checks, they offered for me to bring the car back to get additional checks.

Motor easy say the interim service the car had this year will not invalidate the warranty. Fine. But I'm worried the car needs a main eq qservice this year. Can anyone advise?

Also, on another note. I paid for the service and mot via motor easy. However, Halford autocentre charged me an additional £78 when I went to collect the car.

On the receipt, the charge breakdown is £48 for service and £30 for MOT... I queried this charge as the car did not have any additional work and I already paid for both service and MOT via motor easy. They refunded the money, but the whole motor easy/ Halfords process has given me some doubts as to whether either of them knows what they are doing.

Should I be getting a main service for the car this year, or will it be ok until next year? I will likely do less than 3000 miles within this time frame.

Thanks in advance.

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Mon 18 Oct 2021 14:30
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - Andrew-T

Can't comment on any financial arrangements between H@lfords and MotorEasy, but looking at your details of previous servicing I would say that nothing is likely to fail - brakes have been looked after (probably more than needed, given the mileage). Perhaps you should check the schedule recommended in the car's handbook (presumably you have one). Like many others, you have only done 1800 miles in the last 12 months. The only thing which some people worry about is the cambelt, which is likely to last 10 years or 100K miles anyway.

How long does your warranty last, and does it cover everything ?

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Mon 18 Oct 2021 19:01
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - John F

Six oil (and presumably filter) changes in 36,000 miles? Such devotion!

Now that it's into MoT territory, which checks the important things an annual 'service' checks (no point in paying twice) it should be fine till 50,000 miles.

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Mon 18 Oct 2021 20:34
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - Domina29

Thank you for your advice!

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Tue 19 Oct 2021 12:31
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - Deryck

Now that it's into MoT territory, which checks the important things an annual 'service' checks (no point in paying twice) it should be fine till 50,000 miles.

I was in the same thought process for my car! MoT and service at the same time. Last year I had just the oil change service as most other items are covered in the MoT. This year I decided on the main service but not sure it was worth the extra expense. Might go back to just the oil change service and pay for additional items as required

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Mon 18 Oct 2021 20:33
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - Domina29

Motor easy plan A warranty is the top cover they offer. I just about scraped getting plan A with them as car was 5 years old at purchase. Also I think car has a timing chain not cam belt. I could be wrong though. Edit. I just googled and think you may actually be referring to timing chain as it is suggested to be replaced approx every 10 years/ 100,000k. Presumably this is why the engine oil is changed yearly? I've only had the car 1 year so previous owner did seem to look after it well.

Edited by Domina29 on 18/10/2021 at 20:44

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Tue 19 Oct 2021 06:18
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - Bolt

I just googled and think you may actually be referring to timing chain as it is suggested to be replaced approx every 10 years/ 100,000k. Presumably this is why the engine oil is changed yearly?

Belts usually have to be changed at about that time, but chains with regular oil filter changes should depending on car last its engine lifetime ( I know that isn`t always the case ) if parts are poorly designed...

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Wed 20 Oct 2021 01:23
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - John F

I just googled and think you may actually be referring to timing chain as it is suggested to .....Presumably this is why the engine oil is changed yearly?

No, it's because garages like to do unnecessary work. They convince gullible customers that oil somehow goes off and stops being oily after 365 days. My TR7 does very few miles now and goes several years between oil changes. Its 41 year old timing chain remains well lubricated and in good working order. Just change the oil and filter every 10,000 miles, no matter how long it takes to do them, and it'll be fine.

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Wed 20 Oct 2021 07:43
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - Bolt

I just googled and think you may actually be referring to timing chain as it is suggested to .....Presumably this is why the engine oil is changed yearly?

No, it's because garages like to do unnecessary work. They convince gullible customers that oil somehow goes off and stops being oily after 365 days. My TR7 does very few miles now and goes several years between oil changes. Its 41 year old timing chain remains well lubricated and in good working order. Just change the oil and filter every 10,000 miles, no matter how long it takes to do them, and it'll be fine.

Forget the TR7 thats in a different age, and chains were made properly then so would expect the TR7 chain to put up with any cheap oil as not many used expensive oils to lubricate them

modern chains need regular changes around the 10k ish mark if not 5 to 6K due to timing chain tensioner and guide wear which a lot do not take into account, and wait to 20k to do the oil/filter change as some manufactures claim, but by that time the damage may have been done so its not just the chain, but its running gear as well to take into consideration which some don`t

so imo 5 to 10k for a timing chain is about right, I do my Civic oil/filter change, which is chain, every 5k though last year and this year its only done 8k all in so far but had 2 oil filter changes

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Wed 20 Oct 2021 11:59
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - galileo

I just googled and think you may actually be referring to timing chain as it is suggested to .....Presumably this is why the engine oil is changed yearly?

No, it's because garages like to do unnecessary work. They convince gullible customers that oil somehow goes off and stops being oily after 365 days. My TR7 does very few miles now and goes several years between oil changes. Its 41 year old timing chain remains well lubricated and in good working order. Just change the oil and filter every 10,000 miles, no matter how long it takes to do them, and it'll be fine.

I have a friend who runs his garage with his brother (he started as an apprentice mechanic back in the day when Morris Minors were still being turned out in thousands) and has long experience of both old and modern cars.

He has shown me modern timing chains which hardly look strong enough for a child's push bike, no comparison with the duplex roller chains you would find on 1960s cars, they may well need pampering for long life.

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Wed 20 Oct 2021 14:42
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - Bolt

I just googled and think you may actually be referring to timing chain as it is suggested to .....Presumably this is why the engine oil is changed yearly?

No, it's because garages like to do unnecessary work. They convince gullible customers that oil somehow goes off and stops being oily after 365 days. My TR7 does very few miles now and goes several years between oil changes. Its 41 year old timing chain remains well lubricated and in good working order. Just change the oil and filter every 10,000 miles, no matter how long it takes to do them, and it'll be fine.

I have a friend who runs his garage with his brother (he started as an apprentice mechanic back in the day when Morris Minors were still being turned out in thousands) and has long experience of both old and modern cars.

He has shown me modern timing chains which hardly look strong enough for a child's push bike, no comparison with the duplex roller chains you would find on 1960s cars, they may well need pampering for long life.

Its highly possible they are not heat treated to harden them like the old ones were, depending on car company and how much they want to scrimp

I remember having to change timing chains and sprockets on some Volvos as some didnt last 70k but that was in 90s

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Wed 20 Oct 2021 18:04
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - John F

He has shown me modern timing chains which hardly look strong enough for a child's push bike, no comparison with the duplex roller chains you would find on 1960s cars, they may well need pampering for long life.

I too was surprised by the thin frail-looking chains on the W12 cut-away demo engine seen on a pedestal at the Dresden Glass Factory in 2007. I suppose the component metal(s) would be of far superior quality than those in my TR7's chain.

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Thu 21 Oct 2021 14:52
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 2015 - Two interim services in a row - galileo

He has shown me modern timing chains which hardly look strong enough for a child's push bike, no comparison with the duplex roller chains you would find on 1960s cars, they may well need pampering for long life.

I too was surprised by the thin frail-looking chains on the W12 cut-away demo engine seen on a pedestal at the Dresden Glass Factory in 2007. I suppose the component metal(s) would be of far superior quality than those in my TR7's chain.

I guess your TR& chain is a duplex Renold type with hardened rollers on each pin, quite different to the flimsy modern ones I've seen.

Bean counters leaning on engineers to save pence and/or generate replacement business. Planned obsolescence not based on styling but on limited durability?

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