Servicing outside of warranty period

[Feng]

I just had my 70k service and I'm days away from my warranty expiring. Good thing I've started the process with the rusty suspension bolts.

I'm now wondering how frequently I'll be servicing the car once it's out of warranty. Maybe 15k, 20k or annual intervals. The recommended interval just feels like too much. The main maintenance item is brake fluid and overseas they recommend every year or 24,000kms whichever comes first. Interestingly the interval for the Volt is ten times this for both. The rest of the stuff I can just do myself.

When shopping for a used ICE car, having an incomplete service log would raise alarm bells. Would people care as much with an EV besides the battery capacity? Wondering if the already dismal resale value would also be affected.

[EVangelist]

We get our Leaf serviced annually only, because that's what Matt from SJN (who sold us the car) advised us. He said 6 monthly was unnecessary unless you are in an extreme climate (hot or cold) or drive it >20 Mm per year.

It annoys the SJN service department no end, who chastise us for not keeping it up 6 monthly, but tough, there's very little that can go wrong with an EV. Servicing is optional for Tesla and does not invalidate warranty.

Out of warranty I might continue with annual inspection, or maybe every 2 years.

[jeffjl]

I think anybody who is looking for a second hand BEV will know the servicing situation and accept 12 monthly as an acceptable servicing period.

[gabzimiev]

annual service and pink slip is the minimum I think most of the pink slip tests would cover what you want in a service anyway. by the way anyone had their car pink slipped yet ?

[Phoebe]

Jun 11, 2016 10:07:32 GMT 11 gabzimiev said:

annual service and pink slip is the minimum I think most of the pink slip tests would cover what you want in a service anyway. by the way anyone had their car pink slipped yet ?

No, Jim's was the first in July 2012, so I guess it will be July next year, and mine will be that November.

[duncan]

No we haven't needed a pink slip yet (Jim will be the first I think), but 100% they cannot require you to have a service to get one. Just a specified check and under $30ish. (BTW that is NSW, may be different in other states).

Our LEAF is going to the local mechanic from now on; the HV system doesn't need servicing and the rest of the mechanicals are just Tiida or similar. I'll service it 6mnth/10,000klm because things can go wrong mechanically in that time and it is better to get someone to check it over regularly before something more expensive goes wrong.

Any local mechanic can deal with error codes etc, the only reason to pay Ni$$an prices would be an HV system problem.