[Klrversa]

Hey all, haven't posted anything in quite a while due to being busy with school etc., but I was wondering if anyone could help me out with some information for the service end of the Versa.

I got my 1.8SL Hatchback in March 2009 and have serviced it regularly since. However, I have quite a unique situation in that I only have 13,916 miles on it to this day! My boyfriend and I drive his car almost daily so I only drive the V about 4-5 days out of the week, if that. I want to keep low miles on it so I can make it last for many years to come because graduate school is not going to be cheap and I would like it to last.

Unfortunately, since my mileage is SOOOOOO low (according to the dealership service department), which it is, they always turn me away when I try to get the next scheduled service done when it specifies AT 35,000 MILES OR 36 MONTHS...whichever comes first!

At this point, I have a suspicion that the dealership has been charging me for service appointments and haven't actually touched anything except the oil!

What I want to know, is for having low mileage on an almost three year old car, what actually needs to be done???

I have looked through the manual and it's mostly checking fluids/changing oil etc. but I want to go in with clear intentions about what needs to be checked/changed.

Anyone have any ideas or experience with this situation?

Any help is useful, I'm not great at owning a new car...only ever had 100K+ on my previous vehicles.

Thanks and I apologize for the length...Cheers!:spiral:

 

[fukuyama310]

With that kinda mileage, and considering the age of the car....mandatory servicing would really only be: Changing Oil/3,000 miles, checking fluids(tranny, radiator, brake fluid, power steering fluid), and maybe rotating the tires if they need it. They keep turning you away i think is because for that kind of mileage you don't need to hook up the car to the computer for diagnostics, almost everything is a visual check.
The main thing you need to remember is that you have a Versa, take it in for the main services when you hit 35k miles. Otherwise I would just take it to Jiffy Lube or any other small oil/lube place. They are a lot cheaper than a dealer and they don't take nearly as long to service the car.
Hope this helps!

 

[Underscore_Hero]

My Nissan dealership charges me $25 per service, oil and filter change and rotate tires only. I go every 3 months no matter my mileage, I know it may seem weird and unnecessary, but I like to make sure my car is running 100% at all times. I drive pretty hard, especially on the brakes. I'm not an angry driver, but I like to get where I'm going quickly.

 

[Klrversa]

Thanks guys, I just wanted to double check with everyone on here because y'all are a lot more knowledgeable than the dealership IMO. I'm going to bring it in for a general service/check up on everything next week.

I hope everything is in good shape!

 

[sooner4x4]

If the service department is "turning you away" from paying for unnecessary services, consider yourself lucky that you are working with a reputable dealership.

If you go into a dealership and tell them you want the 3 year, 36,000 mile service or whatever, you are going to get bent over. Most will charge you many hundreds of dollars for checking a few things or replacing some stuff that is probably not necessary.

Miles are not the only issue when looking at maintenance. Time plays some factor also with some fluids.

With the miles you drive, get the oil changed every six months. You may not be at the 3000 or 5000 mile oil change interval you want, but change the oil at least every six months. If you have a good dealership that is charging a reasonable price, go there instead of a jiffy lube type of place. Tell them you just want an oil change. A good service department should look at the levels of the other fluids to make sure you aren't low on something, ask them. Suggesting a speedy lube or Wal Mart type of place to change your oil (or anything else) is the worst advice you could possibly follow. Do your Versa a favor and don't ever do that.

At 13,000 miles your other fluids are fine from a quality standpoint. Just verify they aren't low. I think the coolant is supposed to be changed at 4 years, but you should check the book. When your Versa gets to that age, when you take it in for a routine oil change, tell the dealership you want the coolant changed. Simple.

If the air filters (air and cabin) are original, change them. Your service receipts should indicate if these have been changed. These should be changed at approx every 15,000 miles. The Versa has the simpliest air filter in the world to change. Do it yourself, takes all of 30 seconds. The cabin filter is only slightly harder to do, but still very simple. You will find instructions on websites and in youtube videos. Search. Buy them at a local auto parts store or go online to amazon. If you go to amazon, a good choice is a wix air filter and a tyc cabin filter. You will save quite a bit over the dealership prices for air filters. On the other hand if the dealership is changing the air filters for just the cost of the part, that would be acceptable. However, many will charge a 1/4 to 1/2 hour labor charge for this one minute job.

Otherwise, look under the car every now and then to make sure something isn't leaking, and listen for weird noises. If you notice anything strange get it looked at before something more expensive happens.

 

[stanz]

A 3,000 mile oil change is overkill. That was the standard based on old oil technology. New motor is vastly superior to that and anything under 5,000 miles between oil changes is wasting your cash. If you use synthetic you can go to at least 7,500 miles. (7,500 is the new standard for Ford's recommended oil change interval.)

Since your car has such low miles you really should have any oil contamination, a big concern in high-mileage cars. On the other side of the coin, you should change the oil at least once a year. Why, I don't have a good answer except that it's a good way to make sure there isn't any contamination from moisture or hydrocarbons.

I don't recommend going to the lube chains simply because they don't always hire the most qualified technicians. Find a good local garage and stick with them. Dealerships aren't a bad choice, especially if they run a $19.95 oil change special. I see them a lot around here. It's hard to justify doing your own oil change if you can get it done for $19.95.

 

[BluV3R18]

if its not broke, don't fix it.

just keep doing what you're doing and what the dealer says because it is still under warranty :thumb2:

and congrats on the low mileage :thumb2:

 

[iluvmyVersa08]

Like everyone else has said, just keep doing your oil changes regularly; no need to spend on their services, especially at that low of mileage.

All I've done is oil changes every 3 months, nearing 70K w/ no major issues that haven't been taken care of under warranty.
I will be changing my brakes soon as they are starting to shake when I drive on the highway, but I'll be changing those at home. Dealership charges too much in labor costs!

 

[Klrversa]

Thanks, all! I'm glad to hear that our Versa's hold up so well! One of the major reasons I love the car so much is because it's easy to own, cheap to maintain, and is a great little hatchback at a fraction of the price compared to others. I am bringing it in for service today and will update!

Cheers!

 

[Klrversa]

I got my car serviced this afternoon and everything (all fluids, etc.) was fine except they said that the battery was likely going to need replacement soon because it isn't exactly on par with the factory output level. They said it was slightly below according to their machine but not dire at this point.

I'm not sure if anyone else has run into any battery issues with their V within a 3 year period, but I may have gotten a bad battery from the factory or the intense heat here (usually 98+ for 8 months out of the year) may have something to do with it. Not sure :/

I did notice some corrosion around the connection element but they said I didn't have to replace it just yet if I haven't noticed any problems/slow starts. Is it better to buy a new battery from an auto parts store and replace it when it starts showing signs of failure or just get the dealership to do it on the next service? I've never had any trouble starting it or any signs of a low battery.


Also, I would like to change all of the air filters myself when the weather gets better. Recommendations for engine/cabin air filters or specific part numbers? I'd like to replace my wiper blades as well.

Thanks again for the help guys! NVF rocks!

 

[bigdaddychia]

pshhhh synthetic oil every 10k miles u will be fine. I should know

 

[sooner4x4]

I'm not sure if anyone else has run into any battery issues with their V within a 3 year period, but I may have gotten a bad battery from the factory or the intense heat here (usually 98+ for 8 months out of the year) may have something to do with it. Not sure :/

Recommendations for engine/cabin air filters or specific part numbers? I'd like to replace my wiper blades as well.

Thanks again for the help guys! NVF rocks!

I replaced my air filters yesterday as part of my annual maintenance regimen and this is what I used (2007 Versa):

Air filter: Wix 49225
Cabin Filter: Tyc 800101P

I have used Purolator air filters also, but I can't recall the number. My main criteria in selecting air filters is trying to avoid Chinese parts. The Wix I put in was made in South Korea and the Purolator I pulled out was made in Mexico, both appear very well made.

I replaced the battery in my V at about 4 1/2 years. It wasn't dead yet but the engine was showing signs of cranking over slowly, and since my daughter is the principal driver, I didn't want her left stranded somewhere. When I did my search for batteries online, there was some confusion at different web sites of what battery was in the V. Specifically the actual size of the battery and the orientation of the posts. When I went to the store, I just made sure the one I bought matched the original one in size and terminal placement. The one I ended up buying was an Everstart Maxx-47 (from Wal Mart). Heat is the biggest problem with batteries. Most batteries that have failed me were during the summer.

 

[Klrversa]

I replaced my air filters yesterday as part of my annual maintenance regimen and this is what I used (2007 Versa):

Air filter: Wix 49225
Cabin Filter: Tyc 800101P

I have used Purolator air filters also, but I can't recall the number. My main criteria in selecting air filters is trying to avoid Chinese parts. The Wix I put in was made in South Korea and the Purolator I pulled out was made in Mexico, both appear very well made.

I replaced the battery in my V at about 4 1/2 years. It wasn't dead yet but the engine was showing signs of cranking over slowly, and since my daughter is the principal driver, I didn't want her left stranded somewhere. When I did my search for batteries online, there was some confusion at different web sites of what battery was in the V. Specifically the actual size of the battery and the orientation of the posts. When I went to the store, I just made sure the one I bought matched the original one in size and terminal placement. The one I ended up buying was an Everstart Maxx-47 (from Wal Mart). Heat is the biggest problem with batteries. Most batteries that have failed me were during the summer.

Thanks a lot! Great info! :thumb2:

Luckily for me, my boyfriend is really good with cars and found the Wix/Puralator filters for me and changed them in less than 5 minutes...they had never been changed. But, it's a very easy fix so I wasn't too upset!

Also, about the battery...intense heat must be the culprit because I have never had any trouble prior to the hottest summer we have had with record high temperatures (heat index of at least 110).

Exactly what you suggested, I am going to go ahead and change it before it decides to leave me stranded somewhere like school or work! I will make sure that I find the right battery and that it runs well. Gonna keep an eye on the corrosion too!