I have the first two services free on the Sportage, and will buy the following 3 year service pack, saving a bit of money in the process.

Many first year services are inspection only nowadays, and 2nd year services consequently look a lot dearer.

Personally. I'd pay the extra for the hydraulic fluid change, but each to their own choice.

Seems to me most dealers services are change oil and filter then a myriad of check this check that and you get a largish bill for what was basically an oil change. FIL used to run new Rovers and had this thing about changing the tyres/wheels round for even wear, he asked for this on a service and was duly charged. The embarrassed service manager was shown the chalk marks FIL had put on the wheels before he gave them the car and they were in the same place. It's not a great story but it makes you think every thing on your bill may not have been done, glad I've got a good indie.

Many modern cars "recommend" a 2yr brake fluid change interval post warranty. Although they are nominally "sealed", they do breath to atmosphere through the reservoir cap due to thermal expansion and brake application, not much, but constantly. My experience of leaving fluid changes a long time are the first symptom is that callipers tend to stick on. Partly due to corroded surfaces stopping callipers sliding but also pistons refusing to retract correctly. When I change pads, I push the pistons back with the bleed nipple open and often find the piston is full of black fluid with visible quantities of corrosion and crud. I attribute this to either water/air ingress though the piston seals or through the flexi hoses. Tiny amounts, but again constant.

In todays modern cars, not only abs but lots of traction control, esp etc are dependent on very fancy and fine clearance electrohydraulics in the brake system. So, ignore fluid changes at the risk of some big bill repairs down the line as well as accelerated brake/disc wear.

Warranties will require cars are serviced correctly, if you have brake related issues, not having changed fluid as recommended may be a get out.

....t is a clutch/brake fluid replacement really necessary with just 9k on the clock?

Of course not. Classic example of garage sharp practice.

John Your examples are fascinating to read.

But as you hardly drive your cars- and certainly most of them not on a daily basis - I tend to regard what you say as interesting anecdotes irrelevant to the real world.

My two cars are driven regularly, albeit not daily. I live in the real world, and am a typical example of pensioners who regularly drive, albeit not very far. My son, who also lives in his real but different world, now has our old Focus, which has had its brake fluid changed possibly twice in its twenty one year and 154,000 mile life. Its coolant is original - and still pink (I serviced it and changed its oil last weekend). I have advised him that the cambelt, with its design life of 150,000 miles, now needs changing ;-)...