David Lock

My dauhter drives my 206 1.9 non-turbo diesel. She used to do a high mileage but now on short work commute. Car has around 150k on clock.

She's off on a longish UK trip and wants car service but being a bit Boracic at present just wants some basic things checked and not the full Monty.

So what checks would you include on short list?

So far I have said: -

Change oil and filter but refill with decent quality oil but not super expensive top of the range stuff

Check brakes and look for any exhaust holes/damage

Check all fluid levels

Check tyres including pressures

Check all lights/indicators function

What else would you include?

David

legb4rsk

Check all fluids.Coolant & break.clutch.
Gearbox/Diff if separate.

hodgy0_2

Do you really need someone to check fluids and lights? Not rocket science, lights actually give a strong visual clue if they are faulty (indicators can be tricky as the on/off pattern can confuse some people)

I would check belts and brakes

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Timing belt age since it was last changed (not just mileage)...every 4 years on a XUD

Suspension - ball joints, rear beam mounts, broken springs, leaky shocks etc, steering - track rod ends.

Steel brake lines for rust, as well as rubber for perishing (Our works 206 has had to have all of its brake pipes replaced as they had perished quite badly....so worth checking).

Clean rear drums and readjust, make sure self adjusters work (they probably don't LOL )....AND check brake bias valve linkage hasn't seized (Berlingos/Saxos and 206s had a nasty habit of the rears grabbing before the fronts...interesting on emergency stops in the wet! )

Also locking wheel bolts condition....OEM peugeot ones are crap...the pegs fall out on the key! A garage may "forget" to tell you that.....fine, until you are stuck at the side of the road with a puncture. And make sure the spare wheel hasn't been stolen


Old 1.9 XUD engine will run fine on 10w-40 semi synthetic. Although the book does say 5w-40 which will be a more expensive full synthetic.

dpb

Has the spare wheel got air / actually legal

Mine wasnt when I bought car. Not so easy to get to when it's slung underneath

( xsara )

David Lock

Now I don't wish to be rude about my daughter's mechanical skills but put it this way - if I bought her an old VW she would be on the phone telling me the engine was missing Actually it is easy to put fluid in the wrong reservoir as, for example, power steering and brake reservoirs look similar when covered in gunge.

Cambelt was changed this year and brakes will be checked.

I'll mention spare wheel check - good point. I lost 2 brand new wheels on a 405 when the ******* just cut through holding bar with bolt cutters. I had a special anti-theft holding bar fitted after that.

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ALI - all good points but out of the budget this time I'm afraid. But will get garage to have a good poke around underneath and it is also due an MOT which will pick up many of the items you mention.


Thanks all, David

hodgy0_2

ah OK point taken - I assumed it was local and you could assist

maybe tell her to get a boyfriend - :-)

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

To be frank...what I listed is what I'd expect a mechanic to check and inspect as part of protocol when a car is properly "serviced", especially when knowing common faults on particular models. What you initially listed as being a "services" is typically what we in the trade would call a quick "check over" or "pit-stop", with a "oil+filter chanage". Which is not a "service", so thought I'd just clarify that. Granted MOT covers it, but it doesn't allow anything invasive, like removal of wheels to properly inspect brake linings etc...MOT only checks brake linings if they are visible, quite often the pads can't be seen due to teh wheel and wheel trims and rear brakes aren't visble anyway, so they'd only fail a MOT if the wheel cylinder had a major failure and was peeing fluid everywhere (which ruins the shoes).

Ergo: I'd stick in the cheaper oil and pay a bit more money to have the safety items properly inspected. Those XUD engines will run on anything.


Oh....another worthy thing to check, if its the older non-electronic injection pump: The accelarator cable...notably the fixing on the injection pump...easy to see, the linkage (and damper thingy) seizes, stretches/frays the cable and suddenly one day the end breaks off the cable. It's some I'd look for on a service, but I wouldn't have the time alloted to inspect it on a check over/pit stop. (You won't thank PSA when you come to replace it...even a genuine OEM cable is like assembling an IKEA flatpack )

David Lock

Thanks ALI. Clearly I am not going to argue with all your valuable tips and they are all useful items to remember.

But yes she will have what you call a "pitstop" and will have to leave some of the things in your post.

With due respect to yourself I don't trust garages in general and am not convinced that many will have the detailed knowledge for a particular marque/model that you obviously have. Going to a main dealer is expensive so then it becomes pot luck. Fingers crossed she has found a place in the "Good Garage" guide who do seem genuine and helpful.

Thanks again, David

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PS. On a separate question entirely which has nothing to do with above what do you do if you get a diesel in which is running poorly and has a blocked DPF?