The short answer
Expect three early services at 1,000 km, 5,000 km and 10,000 km, or at 1, 6 and 12 months. Keep a log of fuel, services, repairs and anything that changes. Watch the steering and front end, the brakes and the tires. Record your findings so your own review is real, not guessed.
Track
- Fuel at each fill-up
- Each service and its cost
- Any warning light or noise
- Tires and brake wear
- Trips and conditions
Do not
- Skip early services
- Ignore a small noise
- Forget to ask about reported issues
- Write a review from memory
- Hide modifications from your insurer
The first year, stage by stage
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1,000 km or 1 month | First service. Reported as free of labour charge. Report any early noise or leaks |
| 5,000 km or 6 months | Second service. Check tires, brakes and underbody |
| 10,000 km or 12 months | Third service. Time to review fuel, costs and any trouble. See service schedule |
Check your booklet. Intervals and free-service terms come from reports and can differ for your car.
Things owners report
- Mileage of about 10 km/l in the city and 13 to 15 km/l on the highway, see real-world mileage
- A long-term automatic reviewer noted overtaking takes effort, and that rear seat belts must be buckled to stop the warning chime, even when the seat is empty
- A reported steering wobble bulletin, see common weak points
- Front hub and 4WD light behaviour at altitude, see 2WD and the 2L kit
Your ownership template
Copy this into a note and fill it in at 1,000 km, 5,000 km, 10,000 km and 1 year:
- Variant and gearbox: Zeta or Alpha, manual or automatic
- Odometer and date
- Fuel: litres and km at each fill-up, city or highway
- Services: date, km, cost, what was checked
- Issues: what, when, what fixed it, whether warranty covered it
- Trips: where, what terrain, what you changed
- Mods: what you fitted, and whether you told your insurer
- Verdict: what you love and what you would change
Be honest. A real review lists the bad as well as the good. Keep figures to what you measured.
Pick your stage
Tap a stage to see what to check.
Tap a stage (5 to try)
At 1,000 km
- Check
- -
- Details
- -
Common mistakes
- Writing a review from memory. Use your logs.
- Skipping early services. It affects your warranty.
- Ignoring small noises. They grow.
- Not logging fuel. You cannot know your real mileage.
- Forgetting to declare mods. It affects insurance.
A final word. Service stages and reported issues come from published reports and may differ for your car. Your service booklet and dealer have the exact terms.