[volvoid]

This technobabble is worse than star-trek.
I fear the point is being missed.
Most UK cars are either repmobiles doing lots of main road driving, or are stuck doing lots of short journeys and grinding commutes.
The repmobiles are probably fine on long-interval servicing.
All the rest are being used to far less than ideal conditions, so need servicing at lower mileages. Servicing is not just an oil change.

The long service intervals recommended these days are aimed at the NEW car buyer/user, the fleets. Most new cars are owned by companies, lease- or otherwise. These businesses are interested in costs to run for 3 years, not longevity after 10 or more. When they get to the used market typically after 3 years the vehicles usage pattern often changes, and so should servicing.

Those of us with cars over 10 years old should do our best to ascertain what servicing has happened prior to purchase, in the hope of having some clue as to how long the car might remain as worthwhile transport.

True, as a previois poster said, we dont see many totally clapped-out bangers grumbling around on knackered engines (remember the ford sierra+pinto), many things have improved over the years; its the increasing complexity and cost of repairs that are scrapping cars. The tell-tale cloud of oily smoke pouring out of the back of a junker is a rarity, thankfully.

I am in no doubt that every car I have ever done an oil change on runs better for the clean oil, smoother and less noise. It seems to me highly unlikely that there is some disadvantage in doing basic maintenence.