How often should you service your car, and why?

Let’s be honest. Getting your car serviced isn’t always at the top of everyone’s to-do list. When life gets in the way, it’s often the first thing to let slip. And it’s easy to understand why. To the non-technical eye, your car will probably always seem fine. If it’s not breaking down, making strange noises, and driving smoothly, why should you fork out money to get it serviced? Well, amongst many other things, not servicing your car can actually cost you more in the long run.

How often should you service your car?

So, what’s the magic number? Well, most car manufacturers suggest every six months to a year or every 10,000kms, whichever comes first. But keep in mind, this is just for an average vehicle. Cars that perform more heavy-duty tasks are advised to have more frequent services. Plus, if you drive an older car, it might be worth booking in a little earlier and keeping a close eye on your odometer. Good mechanical repairers should look at your car and individually diagnose it (just like if it were a person going to the doctor - everyone’s different!). Co-founder of Accelerate Automotive Alan says, ‘We make sure to give tailored car advice to everyone. From when they should get their car serviced to how they should be taking care of their vehicle, it’s important that we give everyone bespoke treatment.’

Why should you get your car serviced regularly?

From safety to cost, here are our top five reasons why you should service your car on time.

1. Keep you and your passengers safe. Getting your car serviced regularly ensures that you and your passengers are safe on the road. If you choose to delay your services, you might end up with improper fluid levels, worn tires, faulty brake lights, damaged brakes, and other car problems that may cause accidents. Even if your car seems like it's working properly, there might be underlying issues that you don’t see.
2. Keep costs down and save money. This might seem counterintuitive. Spend money to save money? But just like in life, this is how car servicing works. If you don’t get your car serviced on time, you might not be able to diagnose problems that may become expensive to fix later on. Look at your brake fluid, for example. Without checking it regularly, your brakes could become faulty and will cost you much more to repair than if you just serviced your car in the first place. You’re also more likely to have a car breakdown if you miss your services. And we all know how expensive and inconvenient breakdowns can be!
3. Maintain your warranty. Most manufacturers require regular services by a qualified mechanic to keep your car warranty. In other words, if you don’t get your car serviced regularly, you might invalidate your warranty, leading to expensive repairs that would have otherwise been covered by your manufacturer.
4. Get a higher resale. If you’re looking to sell your car in the future, chances are your future buyer will want to see your service history to ensure their new car has been taken care of and hasn’t had any major repairs. If you don’t provide this logbook, you’re likely to receive much less money for a resale.
5. Cut down on air pollution. Did you know that noxious emissions can often come from insufficiently serviced cars, which can pollute the environment and cause smog and acid rain? ‘When servicing our cars, we always make sure they have as little negative impact on the environment as possible,’ says Carl, co-founder of Accelerate Automotive.

We perform all regular maintenance

Now you know why it’s so important to get your car serviced regularly (every 6 months to a year). Our services include everything from interval/logbook servicing, intermediate servicing, automatic transmission servicing, brake fluid, power steering and coolant flushes, preventative diesel intake cleanings, and more. We’d love to see you at Accelerate Automotive for your regular service, soon!

Accelerate Automotive are specialists in service and maintenance of your beloved European vehicle. We are well known for our high level of experience and service with Mercedes Benz and BMW vehicles, but service all makes and models.