Servicing a little-used car?

[Freddyfruitba...]

Just found out that my elderly mum has put her 10-year-old Golf through its MOT which it passed without issue. However, it turns out she apparently declined any form of servicing because she 'only drives about 1000 miles a year so it's not worth it'; and not only that but she did the same thing last year too, FFS (though not the year before!).

I've explained the error of her ways; ie that the need to service a vehicle is not just based on distance driven, etc and she's going to get it sorted out. However - I'm curious - under these circs, rather than just having a 'full annual service', what stuff that can legitimately and safely be omitted from that if you do bugger all miles?
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KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[Easy-X]

Let's start by say a "service" may entail actually changing things like replacing the oil but it should also be an inspection of wear parts like the brake pads. There's some overlap with what you'll get as advisories on the MoT but not necessarily the same things will get checked.

Personally I wouldn't panic, Golfs are solid cars, but you could help out by checking things like the oil and water levels and top them up if necessary.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[hellkat]

When you say its a little used car...

But its also a little-used car.
So ... a car which is used but is very small (Golf, quite compact) but also not used very often.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugGsgwJL8b8
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[chickenstrip]

Start with an MOT, deal with anything that might turn up, then do a basic service.
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[Easy-X]

I suppose another way of looking at it is "what are catastrophic failure points with active neglect?" and that would be lack of oil, lack of water, lack of brakes, fucked tyres and filling up with the wrong fuel. Everything else is pretty much fix it when it falls off.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Polarbear]

I wouldn't worry as the safety stuff is checked by the MOT. Then do the oil, water, other fluids. A 10 minute check if you have a cup of tea while doing it.

Wifie wouldn't open the bonnet from one year to the next if some warning light didn't shout at her. (then she'd expect me to open it ).
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Nobby the Bastard]

One would hope that the worn ball joint would be picked up on an mot long before it became fucked. That is the point of an mot in the first place.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[MarJay]

I'm more inclined to service by mileage than I am to service by year, however such short journeys will be harder on a car. On that basis, I'd book a service every two years. Tell her to drive the thing more, or get rid. It's pointless keeping a car and doing such few miles in it.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[blurredman]

Mmmm I am also reluctant to change oil yearly now on the cars I don't use often. They also get 5 year coolant to save bothering with 2 year intervals. Probably won't go beyond 2 years on oil.

The 4t bike burns a 750ml in 500 miles so It gets new oil very often as it is.. So that just gets done on mileage regardless of time.
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Current: 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (bored to 295cc) - 38k, 1990 MZ ETZ251 - 49k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 9k, 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 17k.

[ThunderGuts]

Presumably it's stored outside. So that can introduce corrosion on brake discs, although probably not likely to be massively bad. Brake fluid; it'll need changing every few years irrespective. Oil obviously. Tyres might be perishing - I'd check these for cracks before and after taking it for a drive (as in my experience they sometimes don't present themselves until it's been driven). Although not an essential, and it might not even be fitted, but air-con generally benefits from regular use or else the seals can dry and fail. If the air-con is already broken then no use worrying over it, but if not it's worth getting your mum to use it regularly. Added benefit is it helps to dehumidify the interior of the car too (which may well be a bit damp, especially if it gets used for shorter journeys especially if when the weather is naff).
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TG.

[kawakid]

My Z does about 1000 miles a year, think I last dumped the oil 3 years ago.

My Zafira which does about 12000 miles, I dump the oil twice a year.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[blurredman]

[weasley]

Time-based stuff that shouldn't be skipped IMHO:

- brake fluid
- cambelt.

The rest is distance-based and anything going wrong should be caught at an MOT (like degrading tyres, ineffective brakes and so on).

I took a similar approach to servicing my last bike - with lockdown it barely moved through 2020 so I wasn't going to shell out for a service to replace near-new oil and filters; the last service was a major one so the brake fluid and valve check were done.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[MCN]

CBS FTW.
Condition Based Servicing.
Change when worn.

Critical item: brake fluid due to water absorption and 'sometimes' the fuel filter if diesel. (If water in tank it can grow bacteria that form a film/sludge which can block filters.

If run regularly as opposed to frequently then brake discs should stay rust free. As long as the brakes are actually used during regular infrequent trips.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.