Car Servicing – What You Need To Know
To ensure that your car continues to work efficiently and run smoothly there are some general maintenance that it will need to undergo; this maintenance will be taken care of in a car service.
Manufacturer guidelines state that a vehicle should be serviced every 12 months or once it hits 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. If your car does more miles than average it is recommended that you take it for an interim service. This will ensure that your vehicle continues to run efficiently.
What happens when my car is being serviced?
Depending on the type of car service that is required there are different tasks that should be complete. The manufacturer outlines the guidelines for car servicing; therefore each service will vary depending on the type of vehicle. There are generally three types of car servicing.
Oil change
This is highly recommended for cars with high mileage. This service includes an oil and filter change. There are also various checks that your car will undergo such as tyre checks, battery checks, windscreen wiper checks and lights check.
Interim car service
An interim car service is required for vehicles that do over 6,000 miles in a 6 month period. Or vehicles that do a high mileage stretch on a regular basis. It will ensure that all fluid levels are topped up and that the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition.
Full car service
Generally, a full car service includes an oil change, top up of fluids, filter change, spark plugs, battery test, tyre pressure and road test however the exact jobs will be determined by the manufacturer.
My car has just passed an MOT Test, does it still need servicing?
Yes, your car is still required regular servicing even if it has just passed the MOT test and if you have had your vehicle serviced prior to an MOT test this doesn’t guarantee that it will pass. Most people however choose to have both completed at the same time just for convenience and sometimes there are special offers available if both are done together.
My Car is still under warranty do I need a service?
Yes, however thanks to European legislation you don’t necessarily have to take it to the main dealer to be serviced. As long as it is serviced at a recommended garage the conducts it according to manufacture recommendations. Some warranty policies are void if the vehicle has not undergone regular servicing.
Who can service my car?
Your car will need to be serviced at an authorised car garage that is registered to conduct servicing. It is also vital that they follow manufacturer recommendations and use manufacturer parts.
How much is a car service?
A car service generally costs around £80 to £225 but can be much higher depending on the vehicle.
Unipart Car Care Centres are registered garages and will ensure to follow manufacturer recommendations for car servicing.