I have paid the deposit on a new MUX. Waiting on a towbar. The service intervals are 15000 klm. The salesman said to change oil & filter every 7500 klm. if towing. Makes sense to me. Cheers Pete

I purchased my Isuzu new in 2014 and it now has 100K on the clock. When I purchased the car the salesman enquired as to what type of use it would get and when I explained I would be towing the van he advised me to get the oil and filter changed at every 10,000 service. He explained if I was not towing then the oil is usually changed at 20,000 but any sort of extra use like hot or cold climates, towing or four wheel driving do it at 10,000.

He also advised me that as my DMax is a 5 speed manual, that I should tow in no higher gear than 4th and not to use cruise control when towing. He told me that most of his customers were either tradies or towing caravans so he gve that advice on most sales.

When I took my car in for services and explained that I wanted the oil and filter changed because I was towing they just told me that was a good idea.

I was pretty lucky that the salesman knew his product as otherwise I would have probably just dropped it off for a service and presumed they would know what to do.

I have read the manual for my car. Also read the workshop manual of 2720 pages, additionally electrical manual.

On simple packaging you open the other side & push flaps right back!

In defence of travelyounger, the Isuzu Owner's manual is not a short, small easy to read book as it is quite comprehensive (you wouldn't want to drop it on a bare foot) & it has references to other segments which again lead you to other sections, etc.
And yes, I was told by Isuzu that the service periods were 15,000kms - it is only by delving further do you find the bit about heavy driving conditions.
When I took our car in for it's first service at 12,500kms, I was questioned as to why had I brought it in so early. At that stage we had towed our van about 3,000kms.

A friend with a MUX discovered that if you miss out on one of the smaller services that basically is an engine oil & filter change that would be "normally done by the dealer" (this chap does his own at 10,000kms anyway) & you take it to the dealer for the next service, they sting you for both services!! Do they change the oil & filter twice then? Or you can have the option of no more "capped service costs". I haven't checked out the cost of independents doing the services.

Unfortunately, the warranty period for my D-Max is 6 years - 6 years that they have their hands squeezing my neck! Does one take a chance on negating the warranty - I'm not that game even though I have only had one warranty issue on our 1980 Subaru Leone 4wd wagon & that was covered by the dealer 5,000kms outside the close of warranty.
With today's technologies it could be an expensive exercise to play Russian roulette with a dealer.
I'd be interested in the thoughts of others.

Not sure why some vehicles specify synthetic oil and then want you to change it as if it was basic regular stuff. My motorhome in Germany specifies 25000km change interval, but here, I'm getting the Mazda serviced at 12000km instead of specified 10,000 and repco want to do an oil flush as well. In their dreams

 

As for whether independents are cheaper than dealers, Repco have managed to pad it up to more than Mazda, but once I get rid of the add-ons such as oil flush and safe-t-stop and a few dollars for wiper additive (reservoir is full) it will be significantly cheaper, but to my mind close to 300 dollars is way too much. 5 year warranty so I need to weigh up my options next timr

 

 

Yes Aus-Kiwi, I normally do but not much warranty left on most of my vehicles which are 20 to 40 years old. The Mazda is different and with roadside service included, I've ditched nrma so can use that saving to defray the service cost 

 

Was reading a facebook post today where a new motorhome owner was saying her annual habitation inspection was 350 British pounds and that was just to maintain warranty on the living space of the motorhome. 

-- Edited by Tony LEE on Saturday 31st of October 2020 04:09:51 PM

-- Edited by Tony LEE on Saturday 31st of October 2020 04:15:46 PM

I was of the understanding, that when a diesel engine works hard, un-burnt fuel can be forced back behind the piston rings, to slightly dilute the engine oil. Notice the level on the dipstick doesn't go down. That the synthetic oil can off set this dilution, but it may reach a point where the dilution is harming the engine, hence the early oil change when the engine is working hard.

When towing a fair bit I just do a mid service oil change..... don't bother with filter..... so 5k oil change and major as per book (10k).... 90+% of oil changed over.

-- Edited by Noelpolar on Wednesday 4th of November 2020 06:48:34 PM