Many people see getting their car serviced as an unnecessary expense. But the truth is that, the potential costs of not getting one are far greater. Owning and driving your own car comes with a lot of risks, including extortionate insurance rates, costly repairs, breakdowns and even dangerous accidents. Regularly servicing your vehicle is one of the best ways to mitigate most of these risks.
In this article, we’ll explain the importance of having a car service.
What is a car service?
Sometimes also called a tune-up, a full car service is a routine maintenance check for your car. It involves inspecting and replacing the various different components of your vehicle to help ensure it runs safely and efficiently. Common tasks include changing the engine oil and filter, replacing spark plugs and checking brake pads – although the exact details can vary depending on the make and model of the vehicle.
What are the risks of not getting a car service?
There are several negative outcomes you can expect if you don’t get a regular car service, including:
- Increased danger: You risk driving your car when it has worn or faulty components. This compromises not only your own safety, but also that of other road users,
- Expensive repairs: When left unaddressed, minor mechanical issues will soon deteriorate further. What might once have been a cheap and easy fix could transform into complicated and expensive repairs.
- Reduced fuel efficiency: Worn down or faulty parts prevent your vehicle from performing at its best. This can have a knock-on impact on fuel-efficiency, costing you precious pennies at the petrol pumps.
- Lower car value: Plan to sell your car in the future? You need to keep it in pristine condition if you want to get the best price possible. If you get your car serviced over the years, you’ll have a good-looking, smooth-running car – plus a strong maintenance history.
How often should you service your car?
It’s important you get a regular full car service, even if the service light hasn’t come on. Most older cars need a service every six months or so, while modern models should get a after service every 20,000 miles. That being said, you should always take your car for a service if the service warning light appears on your dashboard, regardless of how recent your last service was.