How often your car needs to be serviced depends on the make and model of your vehicle, its age, how many miles it has done, and the recommendations in the user manual. Your car needs to be serviced every six months or 10,000 km, whichever comes first. Some car owners might service their cars every one to two years, while those who drive a lot will be servicing their vehicles more frequently. Regular car servicing is essential to ensure that your car is operating correctly, keeping you safe as you drive.
Today, we explore in more detail the timeline for your car services and what you need to consider when determining how long you should leave between car services.
How often should you service your car?
Generally speaking, you should service your car every 10,000 km or every six months, depending on which comes first. How often you service your car depends on the make and model, with most cars’ user manuals informing them how long they should wait to service their car. When you purchase your car, especially if you purchase it from a dealer, you will be told how often your car needs to be serviced and likely contacted with reminders when the time comes to service your car.
How often your car needs to be serviced also depends on the type of service you have. Each manufacturer can have different names for the types of services they offer, but usually, you will have a minor or major service:
Minor service
A minor car service is a basic, interim, or intermediate service. This is the routine service performed on your car initially to ensure that it is reliable and safe for the road. As part of the service, you can inspect the following:
- Battery check
- Brake inspection
- Fluid checks
- Oil and filter change
- Lights and visuals check
- Tyre inspection
Major service
A major service is your comprehensive service, where more parts of your car are inspected to ensure it is safe and performs correctly. The more mileage your car has, the more you will need a major service to address any wear and tear issues. As part of your major service, the following is included:
- Air filter replacement
- Battery check
- Brake inspection
- Engine inspection
- Fluid checks
- Oil and filter change
- Lights and visuals check
- Replacement of spark plugs
- Replacement of worn parts
- Safety checks
- Transmission service
- Tyre inspection
What impacts how often I should service my car?
Before booking your car service, there are a few factors you should be aware of that impact how often your car needs to be serviced, including the manufacturer and your car’s needs. We have outlined these factors below to help you learn more about your car servicing needs:
Your manufacturer’s recommendations
Each car manufacturer gives guidelines in their owner’s manuals about how often your car needs to be served. They typically include a timeline showing what level of service is required when helping mechanics and ensuring that your vehicle gets the right service at the right point.
Your vehicle’s age
Modern cars usually need less frequent servicing, as advancements in manufacturing standards, engineering, and materials have made cars safer and more durable. Newer cars typically have improved components and technologies that help with their longevity.
Regardless of how new your car is, wear and tear become more obvious as it ages and can cause serious issues for the car’s performance. Gaskets, hoses, belts, and suspension parts can degrade over time, and you will need regular servicing to spot these issues and address them before they become serious issues for your car.
Older cars can also require more frequent services, including fluid changes and inspections, to ensure they are safe and perform as they should. You might need to move to more frequent services as your car ages and requires more repairs.
Your driving conditions
Another factor that impacts how often your car needs servicing is its driving conditions. Manufacturers typically refer to these as normal or severe driving conditions when determining how often your vehicle needs a service. Normal driving conditions usually include highway and city driving, the type of driving you would expect for regular commuting or pleasure, while severe conditions can consist of:
- Off-road driving
- Dusty or gritty environments
- Short trips with frequent starts and stops
- Towing wavy loads
- Extreme temperatures
If your car is often driven in severe conditions, you should service it more regularly. This is to ensure that these driving conditions do not negatively impact your car and that any repairs are carried out swiftly.
Your car’s needs
You must also listen to your car’s needs and carry out more frequent services as needed. Your car’s condition will let you know if it needs more frequent servicing, including:
- Uneven tyre wear
- Decreased braking performance
- Difficulty starting the engine
- Reduced fuel efficiency
- Unusual vibrations or noises
- Warning lights on the dashboard
When you notice any of these issues, you must book your car for a service with a mechanic to ensure that the problems are addressed before they become more serious.
Book your car service today
Your car service should be booked every 10,000 km or six months, depending on the make and model and if there are other issues to consider. You can choose from a range of car servicing experts across Australia, but we recommend Wayne Park. Wayne Park carries out detailed car servicing in Brisbane, ensuring that any issues are dealt with promptly and your car remains safe to drive.
