What You Need To Know Before Booking your Next Car Service Appointment

By Author: Many Autos
Total Articles: 265
Comment this article

Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate the potentially high costs of taking your car in for service, and by taking certain precautions ahead of time, you may be able to reduce the costs associated with keeping your car in good condition.
Taking your car in for car service in Reading can be a stressful experience, especially for new drivers or those who have older vehicles. While regular services are necessary to ensure that your vehicle is safe to drive and performing as efficiently as possible, they can also be costly if extensive work is required.
Furthermore, unless you have a basic understanding of vehicles, you may be unaware of which types of maintenance and repairs require specialised knowledge and skills and which jobs you can safely learn to do yourself.
Don't put it off any longer.
Vehicles do not need to be serviced on a consistent basis. In contrast to a MOT, which is a legal requirement and can be passed or failed, a service is only recommended. Many drivers will only weigh up a service before their MOT and while a car cannot ...
... fail a service, it can be an expensive venture if minor issues have been ignored for a long period of time.
Furthermore, you may choose to disregard all of the advice given by your service technician following your service, but this will almost certainly reduce the lifespan of the vehicle and may even jeopardise your safety.
If you don't use your car very often, an annual check up may be sufficient. However, if you drive frequently, it may be worth getting your car serviced more frequently. A complete service should be performed once a year or every 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Booking interim services may also be advantageous. These checks are recommended every six months or 6,000 miles to keep your car roadworthy and safe in between full services. They are especially useful if you use your car frequently for short trips around town or if you have a high mileage and want extra peace of mind that everything is in good working order in between annual services.
Certain problems can be easily and quickly resolved if they are detected early enough. Allowing them to worsen could result in a significant financial loss as well as putting you and other road users at risk in the interim.
What should you bring with you when you take your car in to be serviced?
Before you have your car serviced, there are a few things you should check. To begin, bring the vehicle service book with you so the mechanic can stamp it once the service is finished. When you have your vehicle serviced, a stamp in your service book shows potential new owners that the car has been well-maintained, increasing the resell value.
The second item you should bring is your locking wheel nut key, which is especially important if you are having a full service. This allows the mechanic to remove your wheels and thoroughly inspect your braking system. You may not need the locking wheel nut key if your service only includes a visual brake check, but it's a good idea to keep it in the glove box in case you get a puncture and need to remove the wheel.
Learn the fundamentals of maintenance.
Learning some basic repair and maintenance techniques may enable you to perform some of the simpler tasks yourself, potentially saving you a significant amount of money. This could save you from having to make expensive repairs later on.
To keep your car in good condition, you don't have to be a mechanical genius. Checking and changing air filters, as well as keeping an eye on oil levels, screen wash levels, and tyre pressures, are tasks that anyone with a little knowledge can do.
You will quickly become acquainted with everything from where and how to check and top up your oil to exactly what pressure each tyre should be and when you should check your tyre pressure on a flat surface, when your tyres are cold, consulting your car's manual, or even watching short online tutorials.
It is also advisable to keep an eye on your tyres and inspect them every few weeks to ensure they are still roadworthy. If your tyres are dangerously worn or have less than the legally required tread depth of 1.6mm, you should replace them as soon as possible. If you don't, you'll face a £2,500 fine and three points on your licence for each tyre that doesn't meet this standard. Keep in mind that if you arrive at a service station with worn tyres, you must factor in the cost of having them replaced.