How Often Should I Get My Car Serviced?

Despite the fact that it’s one of the most important requirements of car maintenance, there are still millions of drivers out there who don’t know how regularly their vehicle should be professionally serviced. Many drivers think that regular servicing isn’t necessary if a car is less than three years old or if it has just passed its MOT. Others believe that the frequency of servicing is linked to the mileage of a vehicle and how much it has travelled since its last service. 

The truth is that servicing your car should be a regular thing – no matter how old it is, or how ‘plucky’ you reckon it is. Some cars are sturdier than others and can last a lot longer without a check-up, but it is still recommended that all cars over a year old be sent for servicing at least once a year, twice is possible. If you travel a lot, you’re going to need to get your vehicle checked out more frequently than a person who doesn’t drive very much at all. If you’ve had a serious crash or your car has broken down in the past – again, it’s probably a good idea to take it for twice monthly servicing. 

What Should Be Covered In A Service? 

All safety related issues must be covered in a professional service. This means the brakes, the steering, the tyres, the suspension, the lighting and the windscreen wipers, says forensic engineer John Dabek. After these items have been checked an engineer should cover the oil filters, air filters, spark plugs, fuel filters and fuel tank. However, it’s important to remember that just as all cars vary – all services vary too. As long as all of the aforementioned items are checked first, you shouldn’t need to worry about the quality of your service. There may be things that your car needs that others don’t, or things that your car doesn’t need but other vehicles might. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your car’s servicing is in any way substandard or unprofessional. The best thing you can do is talk to the engineer before he starts the service – ask him what will be included and then check this with your vehicle handbook. 

Where Should I Get My Car Serviced? 

Always take your vehicle to a garage that you know is VAT registered like Balgores Motors. Only registered establishments will have the genuine manufacturers’ products that you might need. In order to avoid a hefty bill – make sure that your engineer knows what he’s being paid to do. Politely inform him that you don’t want him to undertake any additional work on your vehicle, without asking for your permission first. If anything extra is needed – the garage must contact and inform you first, say the experts at Privilege.com.  

Can I Service Any Part Of My Car Myself? 

Yes, you can but only if you’re sure of what you’re doing, say the experts at Elephant.co.uk. Checking the tyre pressure, the engine level and the coolant level are three things that all drivers can learn to maintain for themselves. All of these processes are relatively easy but they can cause great damage if you don’t know how to undertake them correctly. There are thousands of handy guides online and hundreds of books dedicated to car repair in your local library – read them. Learning to personally maintain these three things can save you a significant amount of money in service time and repairs.