keeforelli said:

have fiat changed service requirements since my car was new last summer?..so many conflicting views here.

no where in my service guide can i find any annual requirements-
focus is given to your own personal car maintenance in between the service intervals.

what made you feel your car needed a service after 8000 miles?- the 18000 mile one may already have been done? (at 14000)- who stamped the book?..there will be a record of this service in the cars fiat history i would think.

i suppose im tring to work out if there is a feeling fiat service requirements arent comprehensive enough...

im also up for not spending money i dont have to!

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At 14k - the person did do a 18k service. In the year that followed, the car has done around 9k miles.

However, the manual does state an annual requirement on pg 25 .. I quote

"Your 500 should be serviced a minimum of once a year. This can either be: (a) The Low milage service for caars travelling less than 10,000 miles a year (see page 39) or (b) For annual mileages in excess of 10,000, the above must be carried out"

No version number on the service book - but states "Valid from Janurary 2008" on the front


It does not mention whether you chop and change between low-milage and standard service schedules. But the low milage is primarily a visual inspection with a couple of filters changed - with the 18k service, all filters are changed, as well as spark plugs.

YouKnowWho said:

At 14k - the person did do a 18k service. In the year that followed, the car has done around 9k miles.

However, the manual does state an annual requirement on pg 25 .. I quote

"Your 500 should be serviced a minimum of once a year. This can either be: (a) The Low milage service for caars travelling less than 10,000 miles a year (see page 39) or (b) For annual mileages in excess of 10,000, the above must be carried out"

No version number on the service book - but states "Valid from Janurary 2008" on the front


It does not mention whether you chop and change between low-milage and standard service schedules. But the low milage is primarily a visual inspection with a couple of filters changed - with the 18k service, all filters are changed, as well as spark plugs.

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mine is valid from feb 09

page 25 updated- does not contain the more rigid annual requirements.

so, back to the earlier question- do the ealier 500s require more servicing?

at least it may in some part explain the confusion....

As far as I am aware they servicing did change from approx sept 08 and the once a year minimum was changed to once every 2 years or mileage related. What did you end up getting quoted in the end youknowwho?

I'll prob get the brake fluid done shortly

I've just had an 18000 mile service carried out after 2 years and 12000 miles (had a low mileage at 6000 1 yr). Garage recomended the 18,000 but said would check if they thought it needed 2 year 36000 one, it didn't. Have now put a small sticker in the screen which states next service due 19/3/2011 or 30,000 miles. so they seem to be sticking to the same as my early manual which states yearly.

nebrog23 said:

As far as I am aware they servicing did change from approx sept 08 and the once a year minimum was changed to once every 2 years or mileage related. What did you end up getting quoted in the end youknowwho?

I'll prob get the brake fluid done shortly

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I was quoted £200 for the 18k service, including brake fluid.

I might have to ring Fiat CS and ask them .. I can see them saying that as the service booklet states yearly, it must be carried out yearly whereas newer cars are every 2 years.

On a personal note, I do think that yearly services are a good thing - but this is very confusing :bang:

Spoke to customer services today and they say there is no requirement for servicing every 12 months, it is mileage based and they said just use the computer to identify service requirements.

Think somebdy has originally rang and they where told earlier cars yearly,later cars every 2. Personally with the mileage we do it works out at about 18k every 2 years so I'll alternate between low mileage next year and then the 36k at year 4.

Alfatastic, thats the same advise I got. What did you pay in the end and did you get brake fluid done?

It's looking like £150- £200 seems the price.

I didn't get the brake fluid done. It should have been £158 but due to being ripped off by garage I bought the car from on a brake issue I had a fiat voucher for £50, so when the lady from the dealer called to take payment she said, £158 less £50 call it £100, so all round happy we second dealer and won't be going anywhere near the 1st again. (I got a letter from original dealler saying service was due, did I still have the car and could they phone or email their prices, I sent it back asking for Email, but true to form have still not heard anything, I only wanted the email so I could reply telling exactly what I thought of them and their service anyway)

I have spent 30 minutes speaking to Fiat Customer Services, and unfortunately there is still not a definitive answer. However, below are the main points

1. At some point in 2008, service schedules changed to remove the 1 year mandatory limit
2. Cars with the older schedule must adhere to it - i.e. a 2008 car IS required to be serviced every year
3. Items such as brake fluid MUST be done after 2 years
4. Once you start on a schedule (low/high milage) you must stick to it

In summary, I will still go for the 18k service but with the 2 year requirements e.g. brake fluid - and then this time next year, I will do the 36k service

If 7 garages, and Fiat Customer Services can not agree .. what hope do we have?

YouKnowWho said:

If 7 garages, and Fiat Customer Services can not agree .. what hope do we have?

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None ! This is the most confusion Ive ever experienced owning a car.
Im also confused as to what mechanical differences were made to the car to differntiate them for the 1yr - 2yr change.

I do low mileage so I'll stick to the yearly service which tbh is what ive always done with all my cars and I will change the oil. Why you would take a car in for a service and NOT change the oil baffles me.

Selling cars based on the 18K service interval but then adding in a time element doenst seem to make sense to me. It should be either time or usage not both.