How often should I service my car?

If you own a car, or if you’re thinking about buying one, you’ll need to get it serviced at regular intervals.

However, you might not know when your car was last serviced, or when it’s next due, or even which parts and fluids need to be changed.

To help you through the maze of servicing, we’ve put together a straightforward car service guide that’ll make it easy to keep your car in tip-top shape.

We’ve even rounded up some DIY car maintenance tips that could save you time and money, or help you avoid an unpleasant breakdown.

How often should you service your car?

The easiest starting point, when it comes to finding out what your car needs and when, is the owner’s manual or service booklet. Inside, you should find a service schedule.

It will break down which parts and fluids in your car need to be changed, and at what age and mileage, allowing you to understand your car’s needs.

For example, the service information might tell you that your car needs servicing every year or 10,000 miles, and that the work needed will be different each year.

To work out what’s due next, you’ll need to look at the service history for your car. This could be a stamped service book, paperwork, or a digital record, or a mix of all three.

Once you’ve got the schedule and history to hand, you can pin down your car’s needs. For example, the servicing guidelines might call for an engine oil and oil filter change every year or 10,000 miles.

In your car’s history, it tells you that the last was 5,000 miles and eight months ago. So, you now know that you’ve another 5,000 miles, or four months’ time, until the next oil and filter change.

Your car might also have an onboard service indicator that shows you when the next service is due, helping you avoid skipping or delaying a much-needed trip to the workshop. 

Types of car services

Servicing intervals and requirements can be very different from car to car, and they can also change with how you’re using the car.

However, as a general rule of thumb, there tend to be two main types of car service:

• Minor or interim service: A basic service, typically carried out every six to 12 months, or around every 10,000 miles. Usually, the engine oil and oil filter will be changed, and a simple inspection will be performed.
• Major or full service: Often done every other year, in place of a minor service, to help keep the car in top condition. These bigger and more expensive services may involve things such as brake fluid and coolant changes, as well as new pollen filters and comprehensive checks.

These are just examples, though, and you need to check what the exact requirements are for your car to avoid missing anything vital.

What you also need to watch out for is the bigger jobs that can pop up intermittently. A petrol or diesel car might require a timing belt change every five years or 80,000 miles, as a case in point.

You need to know about these in advance as, besides being essential, they can be expensive, so you may want time to set aside a rainy day fund for them.

In any case, if you have a sneaking suspicion that’s something amiss, or if you’re just struggling to work out your car’s servicing requirements, just pop down to your local dealer or garage for help. 

Signs your car needs servicing sooner

Getting your car serviced sooner might not be ideal in terms of time and money but, if you think something’s not right, having it looked at is better than ignoring it.

For example, if your car’s fuel consumption increases, or if it starts performing poorly, it could be a sign that your car wants servicing.

The problem might end up being due to a fault, and new parts might be required, but tackling it early by getting it into a garage could help you avoid bigger problems.

Your car might also just tell you that it needs servicing, because some have systems that can identify when a workshop visit is needed sooner.

Benefits of regular car servicing

There are lots of good reasons to get your car serviced regularly. For starters, it will help keep your car efficient and reliable.

Routine and proper servicing is also a requirement of many warranty, finance and leasing arrangements, so you’ll need to get it done to keep yourself protected.

There are other ways that regular servicing can benefit you, too. Because many services involve inspections, they might highlight developing problems allowing you to nip them in the bud before they become an expensive problem.

For example, an inspection might reveal that your car’s water pump is failing. You could then get it replaced, before it fails completely, saving you from an costly and stressful breakdown.

A comprehensive service history will also make it easier to sell your car, when the time comes, and will help you get the most money for it.

DIY maintenance tips between services

While routine servicing and MOT will help keep your car on the road and reliable, it’s always worth carrying out regular DIY checks.

At least monthly, if not more regularly, try to check the following:

• The tread depth, condition, and pressure, of your car’s tyres, including the spare (if fitted)
• Inspect the coolant, oil, and brake fluid, and check their levels, and top up the screenwash
• Make sure all the lights are working properly
• Have a good look at the wiper blades and make sure they’re undamaged
• Carry out a basic visual check, such as looking under the car, to spot any obvious issues

Doing this can reduce unnecessary wear and tear, and stop a small problem from becoming a big one, saving you from some major hassle and unwanted bills.

Look through the owner’s manual for your car, too, as it may have a section on DIY checks and explain what needs to be checked.