Keeping our cars in their best condition is something we should all be dutifully and diligently attending to. But what does that mean? And when should each step of care happen?
Today, we’re going to talk about what a car service schedule should look like and why it’s so important.
Traditional intervals for a car service schedule
When your brand new car rolls off the forecourt, you’ll be armed with all manner of paperwork. Not only does it dictate what it means to be the owner of your new pride and joy, but also how each manufacturer expects you to take care of your car to get the best from it, and for as long as possible.
Here at Fixter, we promote the three typical levels of car service at the following intervals:
- Interim service – every 6 months or 6,000 miles – for high-mileage drivers whose cars may need a little extra TLC
- Full service – the traditional annual service – or around 12,000 miles for those high-mileage drivers
- Major service – a more thorough and intensive service, ideally every 2 years, or around 24,000 miles – whichever comes first
For what to expect from each service level, we’ve got plenty of information ready for you to dive into – and you couldn’t do much better than heading over to our service interval and classification page that presents precisely that.
How car service schedules work
It’s fairly simple, really; as your car ages, it wears out. Some parts wear out slower than others, and some barely wear at all. The fluids in your car will slowly—or quickly, depending on how much you drive—become infiltrated with elements that will lower their efficiency.
For example, oil becomes darker and dirtier as it continually circulates around your engine. Air filters clog with the dust and dirt that makes its way in through the intakes; and any air or water that makes its way into your brake fluid will cause soft, spongy, less efficient braking.
Such items need checking and replacing reasonably regularly. Yet, other components, such as your tires, exhaust, brake discs, and brake pads, won’t need changing anywhere near as regularly but will still need switching in due course.
A sensible car service schedule allows for the best monitoring of each component and their replacement where necessary. However, if any of these consumables or car parts break without warning or are allowed to become so unhealthy for your car, they’re doing more harm than good, then the lifespan of the vehicle can be seriously reduced. And that’s not good for anyone.
Your new car service schedule
To highlight how important car services are, new cars come with a specific service schedule that often invalidates the new car warranty if the driver doesn’t adhere to it meticulously. This protects the dealership from having to cover costly repairs and replacements if the car in question hasn’t been adequately cared for and maintains a high operation level for the owner.
They’re not another way to squeeze a little more money out of you—as often assumed—as the services are regularly included in the price of the new car, but a better way to protect your investment and keep i