[Vishesh]

Guyz,
I own two cars, SX4(May 2007) and i10(April 2008). Both have the same daily running and since both of them were bought during the same period of the year, their routine service falls at the same time.

The other day i was going through the service booklet of both and i realised that while Hyundai schedules the routine service of i10 at every 10k kms, Maruti suggest servicing after every 5k kms ! I owned a SantroXing before the i10, and i remember that even the Santro was supposed to be serviced at 5k kms, according to its service scheduling (Santro owners please re-confirm).

Guyz, Is Maruti extra careful or is it something to do with the quality of equipment, engine characteristics etc ?? Because i find this difference of 5k kilometers quite surprising..considering that cars are excellent in all respects and come from reputed maufacturers.Both cars cough up anyhting between Rs. 1k-2.5k per service. So, is it something to do with increasing the servicing revenue of Maruti ?? I know the last point is a little absurd..but still comes to mind often !

[live2drive]

My case is totally opposite to yours.
My Verna needs to be serviced at regular intervals of 10000kms or 6 months whichever occurs earlier.
My dad's Maruti Esteem needs servicing every 10000kms or 12 months whichever occurs earlier..
So maintaining an esteem works out to be quite cheaper and its a MARUTI.
These service intervals are mentioned in the service booklets of the respective cars.

[vikram_d]

SX4 has a 10k km service cycle. We own one so I know.

[nishantgandhi]

Hyundai (Getz) also has a 10k service interval. Of course, proactiveness always helps. So I change the engine oil (mineral) at 5k kms and clean the air filter every 2k kms.

[greenhorn]

the indica also has a 10k service interval. but i get a service + oilchange @ 5k anyway. the oil they use (GTD) is crap. planning to use something better from next time

[Swifty2008]

I usually do a general check-up and tunning every 5k and a fully service @7.5k for my Swift Petrol.
At every 5K I also do a balancing and alignment from MRF Tyre Tracks.

[Shan2nu]

Yup, it's really confusing.

Coz the OHCs had to be servicd every 5K/3months but the NHC iv heard needs it only once every 10K/6months.

Not sure what the interval for the ANHC is like.

I guess the issue is not with the quality/life of the oil, its how each engine responds to oil over a period of time.

The engine oil in the NHC wont be any different from the one used in the OHC but i guess the NHC engine design is such that it has a higher tolerence level wrt oil life.

Shan2nu

[Vishesh]

Originally Posted by vikram_d

SX4 has a 10k km service cycle. We own one so I know.

vikram_d, i double checked with a M.A.S.S works manager..he said that SX4 has a routine service scheduled for evry 5k and not 10k kms. Guyz, this is really getting very confusing now !!

[vikram_d]

Originally Posted by Vishesh

vikram_d, i double checked with a M.A.S.S works manager..he said that SX4 has a routine service scheduled for evry 5k and not 10k kms. Guyz, this is really getting very confusing now !!

User manual states 10k and that is what I follow. Check the service coupons attached in the manual.

[live2drive]

Originally Posted by Vishesh

vikram_d, i double checked with a M.A.S.S works manager..he said that SX4 has a routine service scheduled for evry 5k and not 10k kms. Guyz, this is really getting very confusing now !!

Which dealership do you take your maruti for service?
And follow the manual, don't go by the words of the advisors. They have some targets to complete.

[tsk1979]

Most new cars have 10K service intervals now. However its beneficial for the service advisers to have service intervals at 5K

[alpha1]

IMO, the service schedule is a part of pricing strategy.

When you have to sell you vehicle at lower than comfortable (competition) price, keep the service schedule more frequent, and vice versa otherwise to recover the lower initial margins.

[msvg]

Santro has a service interval of 10k kms.
I usually service my car Once its nearing 9k kms,
Wheel alignments every 5k kms and always make a point to go to Hyundai service before going on long drives for a complete general checkup.

[msvg]

previously when i owned Maruti 800 1986 model,service interval was around 5k kms .
But oil change and oil filter change was done based on thickening and blackening of oil.Brake pads were changed every 10k kms.Wheel balancing and steering balancing every 5k kms.Wiper change on yearly basis.

[BeamerBoy]

Humm...Let us first check upon the basis of engine oil changes.

The primary basis for engine oil change is 'Engine Hours' & not kilometers. Manufacturers plot the expected kilometers against the engine hours and corvert the interval to be displayed as 'kilometers/oil change' for the convenience of the user. (You may note that oil change interval on heavy earth moving equipment is still in hours. Reason being, we cannot take chances with expensive equipment).

The next influencing factor is engine rpm. The higher the average running rpm, the smaller the change interval.

Taking all this into account leaves us with a thumb rule figure of 25,000 kms per oil change. This figure is what the likes of Hyundai/Ford/Suzuki recommend in clean european climate. The biggest dent now comes with fuel quality. Again rule of thumb applies. If the sulfur content is >.05%, then the service interval must be halved. This now brings us to a 12,500 km change interval.

We go ahead and now take the tropical climate, the Asian stop & go traffic, dust & smog. This takes away your balance 2500 kms and your change interval is reduced to 10,000 kms.

From here...we next proceed to the quality of engine oils. The 10,000 kms oil change interval is applicable to an engine oil that has sufficient detergency (ability to hold soot into the body of the oil). If the detergency is lower (read poor quality oil) the oil change interval is lower...and can be as low as 5000 kms per oil change. Actually, there are so many parameters that the manufacturers use software + oil test report to itirate to a particular oil change interval recommendation.

My BMW as I know does it in a simple fashion! It simply has CBS