If you are the owner of a brand new car, you may have the first few car services for free if you take it back to the dealer you bought it from, but what if you have a used car or if your car is out of warranty and out of free services?
Servicing your car is crucial to the efficiency and longevity of your car and it is something you definitely do not want to skimp on. If you have a car warranty, whether that is through your car manufacturer or a used car warranty, not servicing your car will void its warranty, and potentially result in costly repairs down the line.
A well maintained car is, less likely to break down because of a common fault, and if a fault does occur and is caught earlier on, it is often cheaper to fix. A well maintained car is also likely to have a higher resale value and a longer life.
What is a car service?
A car service involves a number of maintenance procedures to check, refill, and replace different vital components on a vehicle.
Once the car service has been completed, it will be recorded in the car’s service book which is stamped by the service provider.
What’s included in a car service?
The work on the car will vary depending on the age, but it will include a change in motor oil and air filter. There are different levels of car services, and these are normally an interim service (every 6 months or 6,000 miles), a full service (every 12 months or 12,000 miles) or a major service (every 24 months or 24,000 miles).
Typically, a full service will include a comprehensive vehicle check and changing selected filters. A major service will include a lot more, such as, changing all the filters and a spark plug replacement.
Why should I have my car serviced?
The main reason to have your car serviced is that it protects your car warranty. Failure to regularly service your car will result in the warranty becoming void.
Vehicles require regular maintenance to keep them in good working order and prevent any dirt or dust getting into the engine’s oil, which can cause major issues, therefore it is essential to get your car serviced.
If you are outside the manufacturer’s warranty, it might be time to protect yourself against costly repair bills by purchasing an extended car warranty.
How do I check my car service history?
If you are purchasing a used car, it is important to check up on its service history. If it does not have a full-service history, you may run into some trouble after you have driven off as the car may not have been maintained or serviced correctly. Having a well maintained log book with recorded services will increase the vehicles value. You can easily check a vehicle’s history by requesting information from the DVLA.
Will a car service improve my mpg?
Routine basic maintenance such as regularly servicing your car will provide a significant fuel saving, along with checking your tyre pressure and improving your driving habits. Old spark plugs will often misfire, whilst oil degrades over time making it less effective in doing its job of lubricating moving parts of the engine. Keeping on top of car servicing will reduce the burden on the engine and provide you with improved mpg.
Is it worth regularly servicing your car?
Regularly servicing your car will save you money in fuel efficiency and help prevent costly repairs. The most expensive car repairs we saw in 2018 were due to engine failure and having a used car warranty would protect these faults against these hefty repair bills of up to £8,928.
If you would like to protect your pocket from costly car repairs, click here to get a quote from the UK’s best car warranty.