Knowing how and when to service your car can be tricky when you’ve got several options to choose from. Below, we outline the different levels of servicing available, what each is for, and when you need to have each one done. We’ll also help you to decide when is the best time to have your car serviced in relation to your vehicle’s annual MOT.
How often should I service my car?
While servicing is a good thing for any car to have, the types of service you’ll need and how often you’ll need them will depend largely on the type and amount of driving you do. There are three levels of service available, and these are major, full, and interim. You also have the option of having just an oil and filter change (something which is included in each level of servicing), but an oil and filter change alone is too basic to be considered an actual service.
A major service is a comprehensive service that is intended to be carried out roughly once a year. While an MOT may spot issues, a major service will cover a wider proportion of your car’s components, therefore giving you greater peace of mind about the safety of your vehicle. It’s the most all-encompassing of the three levels of servicing, and is generally considered to be the ‘essential’ service. Regardless of your mileage or driving habits, all cars should at least get an annual major service.
Next, there’s the full service. A full service isn’t as comprehensive as a major service because it’s supposed to be carried out at the midpoint between two major services. You might think of it as a top-up in addition to your normal servicing needs. Full services are recommended if you drive often or for long distances, or if your driving typically involves lots of stopping and starting – for example, urban commutes.
After that, the next service type is the interim service. As the name suggests, this type of service is designed to check cars in the interim between a full service and a major service. As it is intended as more of a check up than a full-blown vehicle health audit, an interim service covers fewer components than full or major services, aiming to check the most vital areas, including the braking system. Interim services are recommended if you regularly drive more than 6,000 miles in the six months between a full service and major service.
However, if you find you do more than 6,000 miles between an interim service and a full or major service, it’s worth adding another interim service into your schedule. The more you drive, the quicker your vehicle’s components can wear out, including brake pads and other vital parts. Regular servicing that keeps up with the amount you drive helps to keep you, your passengers, and other road users safe.
Finally, an oil and filter change is the absolute bare minimum maintenance option you can choose if your car is due a service. It’s always better to get a proper service done, but if you can’t do that for whatever reason, an oil and filter change covers the vital tasks of changing your filter and oil to avoid these parts causing damage to the vehicle. If you do choose an oil and filter change in lieu of a more comprehensive service, it’s a good idea to get your car serviced properly as soon as possible to check the other aspects of your vehicle.
Do low mileage cars need servicing every year?
If you don’t get out much in your car, you might be wondering if having all these services is really worth it. After all, if you don’t use your car much, your vehicle’s components will wear out slower. It’s true that if you don’t rack up a lot of miles over the year, you probably won’t benefit from full or interim services. However, an annual major service is a good idea for a number of reasons.
First, even if you only go out in your car once a week, you’ll still be wearing out your vehicle’s components to some extent. Other conditions can also have an effect – for example, if you park your vehicle outside, rain and snow can cause corrosion to form on important parts of the car. Plus, some components will need to be replaced after a specific period of time has lapsed, regardless of how much you’ve driven, so getting in an annual service helps to keep on top of these things.
Secondly, servicing your car is a great way to help prevent problems in the future. You might think that you don’t need a service this year because no issues have arisen since your last service, but the chances are that good vehicle health is at least partly down to the effects of the service. Think of it as being similar to eating your five-a-day – you might not notice the benefits in the short term, but neglecting to service your car can lead to problems further down the road.
When should a new car have its first service?
Generally speaking, it’s fine to use the same timing guidelines for new cars as for older ones. Take your new car in for a service by the 12 month mark at the latest – and if it’s a second-hand car, make sure to have a service within 12 months of the last one by the previous owner. You may need to check the vehicle’s service history to be certain. It’s also a good idea to check your vehicle handbook, as this can sometimes stipulate when you should take your car in for its first service.
Should I service my car before MOT?
There are convincing arguments both for and against having your car serviced just before the MOT. On the one hand, having a service can fix issues that might have made the vehicle fail the MOT. However, as services and MOTs don’t cover exactly the same areas, there’s always the chance that a part that isn’t checked on the service could fail the MOT. This likelihood increases if you have a full or interim service before the MOT and not a major service.
Having your service after your MOT, on the other hand, can be more beneficial than you’d think. When it comes to older cars and high-mileage vehicles, it’s possible that the MOT may flag up issues that could be more costly to repair than to scrap the car and buy a newer model. If you have the MOT first, you can then choose whether or not you’d like to go ahead with the service afterwards, and potentially save yourself some cash. Plus, any service that is carried out can pay particular attention to any problems highlighted by the MOT.