Haynes Press Release

This eighteen month sequence of events and actions demonstrates how it is possible to save as much as £1,000 by carrying out simple servicing and repair tasks yourself. This scenario is based on a typical mid-sized hatchback between 3 and 6 years old and doing roughly 1,000 miles per month.

Service prices from local franchise dealer. Other operations calculated from ICME (official labour) times and costed at £59/hr (national average for 2004). Parts and materials prices (all inclusive of VAT) correct at time of going to press.

Month	Dealer cost (parts/labour)	Operation		DIY Saving
1	£225	Intermediate service	Change engine oil and filter; fit new fuel filter; check all fluids and systems.	£192
3	£248	MoT preparation	Fit new front brake pads and shock absorbers.	£124
5	£145	Summer preparation	Lubrication service; change engine oil and filter; check all fluids and systems.	£122
7	£25	Flat tyre	Change wheel yourself instead of calling out breakdown service.	£25
11	£42	Winter preparation	Flush cooling system and renew antifreeze.	£35
12	£25	Flat battery	Jump start instead of calling out breakdown service.	£25
14	£222	Fit new alternator		£35
16	£320	Major service	Change engine oil and filter; fit new pollen filter, new air filter, new spark plugs; change brake fluid.	£243
18	n/a	Fuel economy	Should you have maintained your car carefully over the 18 months and ensured that your tyres were at the correct pressure throughout, you could have saved as much as £200 in fuel costs.	£200
			Total saving over 18 months	£1,001

Car servicing and maintenance is a lot easier than you think...

There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding modern cars. The fact is that modern cars are far easier to service than cars produced thirty years ago. The comparison overleaf demonstrates this perfectly, comparing a 60,000 mile service on an old and a new MINI. Also there are many simple tasks that you can carry out yourself - as long as you know what to do - such as replacing filters, changing the engine oil and coolant, and making sure your car is running efficiently.

This is where a Haynes manual comes in - check out the two simple tasks illustrated on pages 6 to 9. These are taken straight from a recently released manual and clearly illustrate how easy it is to follow the instructions. Nothing is left out - the guys that wrote the manual actually carried out all the tasks, on the actual car. So, if something is a little difficult to reach, we tell you. Considering that the average garage labour rate across the UK is now £59 per hour*, what's the price of a Haynes manual?

*Source: Warranty Direct press release, 14/06/05

Haynes Hint
Where a new car has been correctly serviced, car manufacturers are very unlikely to refuse a warranty claim on the grounds that an unauthorized person has undertaken the work. However, to avoid any possibility of argument, we recommend that the position is discussed with the car's supplier beforehand.