The Complete Guide to Car Servicing

Having your car serviced is an important part of car ownership and essential to ensuring that it remains in full working order. With that comes commonly asked questions such as ‘how often should you get a service?’, ‘which service should you get?’ and ‘how much will a service cost?’

To help you learn everything you need to know about car servicing, we’ve put together this guide to cover all of the key areas.

It’s recommended that you have at least one service every year. It’s also a good idea to set a recurring reminder in your calendar so you know when each routine 12-month service is due. Alternatively, keep an eye on your mileage as it’s also recommended that you take your car in for a service every 12,000 miles.

If you’re a JCT600 customer, we’ll let you know in plenty of time when your service is due. If you didn’t buy your car from us, we can also advise you on which service you’ll need if we have your vehicle’s history in our records – that means you’ll get an accurate quote and your car will get the correct work done. 

Book your service with a trusted local garage today.

Many newer cars now have self-diagnostic features and if warning signs come on, they shouldn’t be ignored, as it is better to sort out any issues sooner rather than later.

Most modern cars have an indicator to let you know when your next service is due, and, you should have a service book too, which will help you track how long it has been since the vehicle was last serviced.

Other signs that you should look out for include: 

• The yellow engine warning light appears
• Your car is making unusual noises
• Your brakes pull or pulsate when engaged

Typically, your car insurance will not cover any maintenance checks or services as car insurance is designed to provide financial protection in the event of an unexpected event such as accidents, theft, or damage.

If you are worried about a larger cost all at once, there are payment options available including service plans. A service plan is an ideal way to keep up with the maintenance of your vehicle, allowing you to spread the cost of your services and MOTs with affordable, fixed, inflation-proof monthly payments.

This is the fastest type of service available; technicians focus on things that would affect everyday driving such as; the brakes, tyre tread, steering, suspension and fluid checks including oil changes and screen wash top-ups. An interim service is recommended every 6 months or 6,000 miles driven.

A full service includes all the interim service checks but is a little more comprehensive. This type of service includes inspections of the engine, the doors and door hinges, any wear on the gearbox, inspections of the radiator and coolant pipes plus the wheel bearings.

A major service is the most in-depth inspection and usually takes the longest out of the three. It is recommended every 12 months or 12,000 miles driven and on top of the previous checks also includes replacement filters and spark plugs (if required), and thorough inspections of safety features including seat belt operation and the exhaust system.

The cost of a car service can vary and depends on a range of different factors including the type of service your vehicle requires, the make and model of your car and whether your car requires any work completing due to issues found within the service.

For an accurate price range, our helpful service team is always on hand to provide you with a quote. And don’t forget, you don’t have to have bought a car from JCT600 to service your vehicle at one of our dealerships!

A car service involves a series of checks and maintenance tasks to ensure that your vehicle is safe and roadworthy. An MOT contains similar checks but is a legal requirement once your vehicle is three years old or older. This is a legal requirement to ensure that your vehicle meets safety and legal requirements and once your vehicle hits three years old, this will have to be completed once a year!

A service and MOT do not need to be completed at the same time however for convenience, it may be easier to check these off the list at the same time.

It’s increasingly common now for vehicles to have an electronic service history built in, so this information can never be removed or lost. 

If your vehicle doesn’t have this technology, then we would always recommend bringing the service book with you if this isn’t in your vehicle already. Don’t worry though – if you forget to bring it, we keep the information on record and we can always update this for you later. 

You can book your next service with us, or contact a dealership near you to discuss. 

The concept of ‘travelling mechanics’ has been gaining popularity and there are some workshops that provide mobile services where mechanics can travel to your location, whether this be at work or home to perform basic maintenance checks such as oil changes, tyre checks, and some minor repairs.

Although certain aspects can be performed remotely, it is important to have a regular comprehensive check with in-depth diagnostic repairs which can only be done within a workshop.

Regular maintenance checks can prevent a major issue from arising which in the long run will reduce costs. Consistent inspections can allow mechanics to find any issues early, perform regular maintenance tasks that you might not have time to complete with a busy lifestyle, help to keep your vehicle operating at its best with fewer issues and in the long run may help to extend your vehicle's lifespan.

It is possible to perform basic checks and maintenance at home such as checking your tyre tread depth or checking your oil levels. However, if you have no knowledge of car maintenance, certain checks may require more specialised knowledge or equipment to ensure your vehicle stays in tip-top shape.

It is also important to note that any maintenance completed at home may void your vehicle warranty and impact its resale value. If you are in doubt, we would advise booking your vehicle in for a service with a trained technician.

If you would like to complete a service at home here are a couple of tools you may need:

• Oil
• Any filters (Replacements for ones which may need changing)
• A wrench
• A jack
• 20p coin (to check the tyre tread depth)
• Your vehicle manual

Here are a couple of checks you can complete yourself at home:

Grab yourself an old rag and open the bonnet of your car. Locate the engine dipstick, remove it and wipe it clean. After this, insert it back into place, wait a couple of seconds and remove the dipstick again.

Check the dipstick to see that the oil level is between the maximum and minimum markers.

You can check your tyre pressure at home with a reliable tyre pressure gauge. These can be purchased online with various types available. Alternatively, you can take your vehicle to your latest petrol station and use their pressure gauge to find out your tyre PSI. The recommended PSI for your vehicle can be found in your vehicle manual. Once you know this you can add or release air to the recommended level.

Now we can move onto tread depth. Legally, every tyre should have at least 1.6mm of tread in order to pass an MOT. This is where you grab your 20p and insert it into the main groove of the tyres; at various points around the tyre. If your tread sits above the outer ring of the 20p, your tyres should be good to go!

It is easy to check your lights with a friend or family member. Simply ask them to check to see if your lights are in full working order. If there is no one to help, wait until it is dark and use a wall or reflective surface such as a window to see if the light reflects.

It is extremely important to see whether your brakes are working correctly. Start out with a visual inspection to see if there is any excessive wear or tear then go for a short drive to double-check the performance of your brakes.

At JCT600 we offer free vehicle health checks, carried out by our technicians who will ensure your brakes, fluid levels and tyres are legal and safe.  to speak to a member of our team for advice.

*Loan Vehicles and the Collection/Delivery Service is a chargeable service.