How Often Do You Need a Car Service?

When they think about a car service in Perth, some drivers may rely solely on a warning light that flashes on their dashboard as a reminder. Some drivers simply delay getting their car serviced on time and others may even ignore servicing altogether (uh oh!). Neither of these options is a great choice, a car represents a significant investment, and it makes sense to take care of it. So, how often do you need a car service and what happens if you delay or miss one?

Car Servicing Intervals

Every car has a car servicing interval designed to meet the safety, performance, and fuel efficiency needs of the vehicle. If you don’t know the car servicing interval for your make and model of car the easiest way to find out is to check your owner’s manual. There should be a section dedicated to this topic at the rear of the manual, or there may be a smaller accompanying book dedicated to servicing inside the manual cover flap. The owner’s manual will also detail all of the service operations that need to be carried out for the life of the car. A basic rule for modern cars is a service interval of 10,000 km or 6 months, whichever occurs first - but this will vary vehicle to vehicle. Even if you’re not covering those sorts of distances, it’s still important to stick you the servicing schedule. Many of the fluids in your car can be affected by moisture, and they need to be checked, replaced and topped up at very specific intervals. If you’re unsure of the servicing intervals for your make and model, just speak with your local AHG Auto & Tyre Service Centre and they’ll be able to provide you with this information.

Late Car Servicing Issues

If you don’t stick to your car servicing schedule, there are a number of possible consequences. The first thing that you may notice is an increase in your monthly fuel bills as the car will be less fuel efficient. The next thing might be a deterioration in the quality of the driving experience as essential fluids begin to dip below the minimum recommended levels. Eventually, parts will begin to fail, and this could lead to a breakdown and an extensive (aka expensive) repair bill.

Of course, this will not happen overnight, most modern engine oils do contain cleansing agents, and these will help the car to stay in good condition. However, eventually the oil will begin to degrade,  the internal parts of the engine will become blocked with carbon, and this will create additional wear on an already stressed engine.

Another key fluid that needs to be checked as part of your scheduled service is brake fluid. Although you make think that it’s in a self-contained system, brake fluid can absorb moisture through seals and as it becomes diluted, it will be less effective. For this reason, many car manufacturers recommend that a braking system is flushed and refilled entirely every two years.

Another problem is adverse operating conditions, such as: stop/start driving, continuous high speed driving and towing heavy loads. All of these driving activities place additional stress on the components in your car, and this requires regular maintenance to avoid component failure.

If you’re looking for the best “car service near me” get in touch with us here at AHG Auto & Tyre Service today, and one of our local service centres can look after you.