Car Servicing - What's It All About?

It can be frustrating and very inconvenient when your car is out of action. That’s why getting your car serviced regularly is one of the best ways to keep your wheels on the road and running smoothly.

Here we break down what’s included in a vehicle service, how often you should do one, who should service your car and how long it should take.

Servicing your car is just like a regular check-up at the doctor’s office. It’s when a professional checks the mechanical and physical condition of your car, replacing the products you wear out, such as oil and filters, and repairing or changing out any broken or damaged parts.

Not all parts get replaced every service, as they deteriorate over various times and mileage, which is why it is important to stick to the recommended service schedule.

Apart from protecting your investment, having a full service history can help your car keep its value when you sell it. It’ll show potential buyers that it’s been well looked after and could even help you get a better price for it.

What's Included in a Car Service?

Here’s a general guide on the things they check for in a service:

• Engine oil and coolant
• Transmission oils
• Brake and clutch fluid
• Suspension, wheels and tyres
• Horn, lights and indicators
• Hand-brake and pedals
• Drive belts
• Air conditioning/pollen filter
• Wiper blades and washer fluid

If you have an electric or hybrid car, checks will include your battery, charging port, cables and connections.

What’s included in a car service depends on the garage you go to and the type of service you pay for. Garages or service centres usually offer a basic, minor and a full car service with the price adjusting according to the number of checks, adjustments, top-ups and part replacements. To avoid any surprises, make sure you know how much your car service will cost you when you book it in.

It can be a worry to find the money required all at once, so some dealerships and manufacturers offer a pre-paid service plan to cover the first 3 to 5 years’ worth of services. This is normally paid for at the time you are buying the car and can be included within your regular payments if you are paying it off by finance.

How Often Should You Service Your Car?

For the best results you should get your car serviced according to the manufacturer’s owner’s manual. This is once a year or if you are a frequent user of your car, then when you have a travelled the set amount of kilometres.

Even if you don’t drive frequently or for long distances, it’s still wise to regularly service your vehicle, as some parts such as engine oil and brake fluid, can deteriorate over time as opposed to how far you have travelled. In fact, a lot of short distance driving is actually harder on your vehicles engine oil than if you travel longer distances regularly.

The service schedule in the manual gives you a good idea of when some parts need closer attention, especially if you’ve been driving in extreme conditions over a period of time.

Here's a list of a few driving conditions where you need to pay extra attention to your servicing:

• Idling in stop-start traffic
• Most of your journeys are shorter than 6kms
• Driving in muddy or rough terrain
• Driving through dusty areas
• High engine revs and travelling at high speeds
• Driving in the cold and/or salted roads
• Most journeys are less than 16km and the outside temperature is below freezing
• Towing your trailer 

Who Should Service My Car?

If you can find a garage or service centre recommended by your car manufacturer, then that’s where you should go. They have highly trained technicians with all the latest diagnostic and technical tools, as well as up-to-date information and training on the make and model of your car. This includes access to all the latest software updates for your vehicle and details of any recalls. They also have access to the manufactures representative for information and advice if needed.

These qualified technicians can precisely spot any issues or irregularities early on and identify parts that need replacing. Using authentic manufacturer’s parts as per your make and model, will keep your vehicle performing at its best.

How Long Does A Car Service Take?

It’s best to ask the garage how long it’ll take when you book your service. As a rough guide:

• An minor service is less extensive and includes fewer checks on your car. It may take around 1.5 hours.
• A full service is a check of the whole car, so will take longer. It may take around 3 hours.

Depending on the garage, the service could happen while you wait or you might need to drop your car off and pick it up later in the day.

If you have any concerns about how your car is performing and wish to discuss this with the mechanic, pick a quieter time such as late morning or early afternoon. Let the service receptionist know when you book it in, and they’ll allow extra time to go over the specific problem.

When the service is complete, you should receive a fully itemised invoice, detailing everything done to your car, how long it took and how much the parts cost. If you’re not happy with the charges, ask the service receptionist to explain. Remember that oily rags, antifreeze, engine oil and tyres are all classed as toxic waste and the garage has to pay for this to be disposed of – so it’ll be on your invoice as an environmental charge.

Is A Service Different to a Warrant of Fitness?

Yes - a service is different to your Warrant of Fitness (WoF). You can have both done at the same time and many garages or service centres offer a package for your service and WoF.

WoF
A WoF is an annual or 6 month test (depending on the age of your car) to check your car’s safety and make sure it's roadworthy. It’s a legal requirement to get it done if your car’s over 3 years old. You can’t drive your car without a valid WoF.

Service
A service isn’t a legal requirement, but is likely a condition of eligibility for an extended warranty. It looks at wear and tear on your car and is recommended to keep your car performing its best. The car manufacturer will detail which checks should be included in the service.

While many of us have been guilty of putting your cars servicing off, it’s never too late to get it checked! And when you pick it up from the garage or service centre, make sure you ask them to set up a reminder for the next one.

If you’ve got more burning questions on how to take care of your car at home, we’ve got a few tips to help you look after it. For more information on finding the right car for you, download our Complete Guide to Buying a New Car today!