Service My Car

[Big_E]

Hi all, I am thinking of servicing my car before the winter sets in.

I want to change discs and pads all round, Oil, Air Filter and maybe the brake fluid if it needs it.

I am not sure where to start, do I buy it all from VW or from a normal supplier ?

Are the discs all one size and what Oil would I need for GT 110 98

[onzarob]

Get a haynes manual, it will explain what needs to be done and how to do it. A good investment for £15 in Halfords.

[bora(ing) nick]

Hi all, I am thinking of servicing my car before the winter sets in.

I want to change discs and pads all round, Oil, Air Filter and maybe the brake fluid if it needs it.

I am not sure where to start, do I buy it all from VW or from a normal supplier ?

Are the discs all one size and what Oil would I need for GT 110 98

I recently changed the discs and pads all round on my Bora. replaced them with mintex ones. I bought them from ebay for £67 front discs (288mm iirc) and pads, and £42 for the rear discs (232mm iirc) and pads. Fitted them myself, it took around 3/4 hours (with the windback tool).

With regards to servicing, my kid brother works at a VW specialist in Gorton, called lodge motorsports. Had it's second service (longlife) @ 37K miles. I paid just short of £150 (not sure if that was mates rates;))

If you want any more info, PM me, (i'll even let you borrow my windback tool:D)

Nick

[phil76]

The service bit genuine arent expensive anyway or you could use eurocar parts etc & could do same for discs n pads i was suprised how cheap gen items were n would have got them if i hadnt put grooved discs on

[redmax90]

use the haynes tip ..cant go wrong ;). As for the oil ..ur engine is (AHF) 110hp non pd..use 10W 40 semi synthetic.. castrol or any decent brand..that complys to vw 505.00 good luck ! :o by the way dont worry about that long-life thing ..it doesnt comply to ur car.
:beerchug:

[Big_E]

Thanks all for the great advice.

I'll be giving it a go myself, not just because of the cost but due to learning new things about the car it's self. Can only make things easier for when I do it in the future.

Thanks again for the advise, Good Rep given.

[nel636]

is this the best way to learn your way about a car by doing it from a haynes manual? im a complete numpty when it comes to my cars and would love to know more about them (fixing wise) and actually be able to fix the problem myself if its pretty straight forward.

on the servicing question - is it a good thing to change most of your parts for yourself? what happens when it comes to the service history? is it worth getting the stamp anyway even if you done your own servicing?

Cheers

[redmax90]

hey ..the haynes manuals are very good.. bought one for £15 ..was money well spent. If your not the most experienced mechanic..id only advise oil change and filters for now..anything more important like timing belts and components leave to the mechanics ..gives ya peace of mind too :o. By all means do ur oil and filters (air, pollen, fuel) its a doddle. just take ur time and you'ill be fine :D
:beerchug:

[onzarob]

is this the best way to learn your way about a car by doing it from a Haynes manual? im a complete numpty when it comes to my cars and would love to know more about them (fixing wise) and actually be able to fix the problem myself if its pretty straight forward.

on the servicing question - is it a good thing to change most of your parts for yourself? what happens when it comes to the service history? is it worth getting the stamp anyway even if you done your own servicing?

Cheers

Haynes are a great way of servicing your, I agree with doing the minor servicing stuff yourself and getting a good garage to do the more involved stuff, cam belt etc.

With brakes it fairly straight forward and i personally like doing them, but its your neck on the line if you get something wrong.

I learnt allot from my Dad who is a trained mechanic (retired), been looking over his shoulder for years, so my advice is get someone who nows what there doing first time round and learn a few tricks.

Also try and work out what tools you need for each job and make sure you've got them, any job is only easy when you have the correct tools;)

I usually factor i the cost of special tools when I'm doing a job and the cost at the garage. sometimes its easier for them to get dirty:D

[bora(ing) nick]

The service bit genuine arent expensive anyway or you could use eurocar parts etc & could do same for discs n pads i was suprised how cheap gen items were n would have got them if i hadnt put grooved discs on


I was quoted £212 for the discs and pads all round from VW.... Thats why i went down the Mintex route...£118 (inc P&P) from a recogneised performance manufacturer.

oh, and i paid £20 for the windback tool. Helped massively with the front callipers, and the rears are impossible to do without the windback tool.

Nick

[nel636]

Thanks for the replies. Ive heard so much about the haynes manual but have been slightly put off touching my motor at all because of my lack of experiance!

So how would you recommend trying to learn a few pieces for other components? because i dont have any mates who are mechanics and sadly a cant afford to buy a banger to practice on lol! its just sometimes it bugs the life outta me how much some garages charge for labour etc !

[Big_E]

Just called local place near me for supplies.

Got the Pollen filter, oil filter, Air filter, pads front and rear.

The pads Front were £13+vat and the rear £12+vat. VERY reasonable I thought.

Just got to get the oil now.

Looks like It'll work out a hell of a lot cheaper than taking it to VW.

I suspect the oil to be around £15/£20 So under £90 for all parts.

[bora(ing) nick]

With Pads, you usually get what you pay for..... Better pads = better stopping, but the proof will be in the pudding.

Be sure to bed the pads in as per the instructions inc with them.

The rears should have sticky pads on them.... clean the areas where the pads stick to thoroughly and only peel the sticky backing off of the "outside" pads.

Have you got the windback tool? (laser 1314 c/w adapter no1/2)

Nick

[Big_E]

With Pads, you usually get what you pay for..... Better pads = better stopping, but the proof will be in the pudding.

Be sure to bed the pads in as per the instructions inc with them.

The rears should have sticky pads on them.... clean the areas where the pads stick to thoroughly and only peel the sticky backing off of the "outside" pads.

Have you got the windback tool? (laser 1314 c/w adapter no1/2)

Nick


Aye, I'm not after super great performance, just something which does the job like.

I have no idea about putting on the pads and such like, but my old man does, so I'll be doing it with his guidance.

[Big_E]

Spoke with the old man tonight, said do you have one of these tools, he said. Nope. never had. He's been using his own methods of doing it and doesn't need one.

I'll wait and see....

[onzarob]

Be careful Big_E the Wind back tool nick mentioned is for the mechanical self adjusters found on rear disc's.

Your Old Man may be talking about pushing the pistons in on front disc's or disc's without a handbrake ;)

[Big_E]

Be careful Big_E the Wind back tool nick mentioned is for the mechanical self adjusters found on rear disc's.

Your Old Man may be talking about pushing the pistons in on front disc's or disc's without a handbrake ;)


Aye that's what he said, You can just push the pistons back in, is this not the case for the rear discs ?

[bora(ing) nick]

Aye that's what he said, You can just push the pistons back in, is this not the case for the rear discs ?

No, the rears wind back clockwise as they retract.... You don't need it for the front callipers, but it makes life a lot easier.

As i said, you can happily borrow my windback tool. I live in Clayton, but the girlfriend works at the Trafford Centre so i'm all over manchester really. PM if you want ;)

Nick

[chris.fulton]

Sorry for hijacking your thread. I'm going to be doing an oil change in my Golf sometime this week and need to know, apart from tools, PD oil and an oil filter, is there anything else I need before starting? I've done oil changes before but this is the first time on the Golf. It's a 2001 GT TDI Golf, 115bhp PD engine.

[bora(ing) nick]

new washer for the sump plug ;) available from vw direct at about 50p

[Big_E]

No, the rears wind back clockwise as they retract.... You don't need it for the front callipers, but it makes life a lot easier.

As i said, you can happily borrow my windback tool. I live in Clayton, but the girlfriend works at the Trafford Centre so i'm all over manchester really. PM if you want ;)

Nick


Ah right, thanks for that, could have ****** us right over, if we'd started doing them.

I've sent you a PM.

[Big_E]

Sorry for hijacking your thread. I'm going to be doing an oil change in my Golf sometime this week and need to know, apart from tools, PD oil and an oil filter, is there anything else I need before starting? I've done oil changes before but this is the first time on the Golf. It's a 2001 GT TDI Golf, 115bhp PD engine.

Make sure the oil filter you have has two rubber bands on, which will need putting on, before the the oil filter is back together.


I found my oil change one of the easiest things to do. (once I had the oil filter cap off with a clamp and a towel haha ) It was easier.

[chris.fulton]

Cheers guys, much appreciated

[aarif]

I was quoted £212 for the discs and pads all round from VW.... Thats why i went down the Mintex route...£118 (inc P&P) from a recogneised performance manufacturer.

oh, and i paid £20 for the windback tool. Helped massively with the front callipers, and the rears are impossible to do without the windback tool.

Nick


Hi,

Will this windback tool fit my vw golf gt tdi 2002 (130BHP)??

Is this the only tool that I would need in order to change filters and the oil??

Many Thanks!

[chris.fulton]

You may need the tool to help you to remove the top of the oil filter housing if its screwed on particularly tightly, I did anyway. Bought it from VW dealer for £10

[bora(ing) nick]

Hi,

Will this windback tool fit my vw golf gt tdi 2002 (130BHP)??

Is this the only tool that I would need in order to change filters and the oil??

Many Thanks!

Hi,

The windback tool is for the brakes.... and is needed to wind back / retract the rear callipers.

To change the oil and filters, you'll need a socket or spanner for the sump plug, a new sump plug washer, new oil (be sure to get the right spec), and the filter.

If you struggle removing the oil filter, stick a flat blade screwdriver through it for leverage. Not ideal, but works.

Only tighten the new filter by hand, ensuring the gaskets are secured in place. Smear a bit of oil around the seal.

Nick