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What does your typical car service include?
Table of Contents
- Why should you service your car?
- What does a car service include?
- How much should it cost?
- How often should you service your car?
- So, about that service
Car servicing is one of those things no one really wants to get done. Unfortunately though if you own a vehicle and use it with some regularity you're going to need to service it. It's understandable if you aren't mechanically minded and wondering what a car service includes. On top of that, you would be right to wonder whether it's worth your time. We can tell you right now, it certainly is. We'll take you into a little more detail as to why you should maintain a regular car service.
Don't worry though, it isn't as bad as you might think. With a regular service schedule. You're going to be seeing great results that will end up saving you money. Read through with us, and learn what's included in a car service, why you should do it, and how much it might cost.
Why should you service your car?
Your car may seem like a staunch and reliable daily mule. Much like a mule, it will need some looking after. This goes further than refuelling, cleaning, and checking tyre pressure. It doesn't matter the make or model - a regular car service will ensure they last a long time and continue to be reliable.
With constant use and time cars will begin to become less efficient, lose power, and become prone to breakdowns. This doesn't mean it's a bad car; it may just mean it has a poor service history!
Why don't they just work all the time though? Well like anything, wear and tear happens over time. After thousands of kilometres and constantly driving up and down the highway day in and day out things like tyres, brakes and even oil begin to degrade. This is what a service is for - they'll check everything for you to make sure your vehicle is roadworthy and safe.
What does a car service include?
Typically there are a few different service levels available at the mechanic or service workshop. Typically they'll offer a minor service, and a major service. If you aren't sure what the difference is that's no worries, we'll run through them now.
Minor service
This is almost always the cheapest option when it comes to a car service. This will entail checking, topping up or replacing any of the main components of a car. Such as replacing the oil, oil filter, brake fluid, air filter, and fuel filter. Then we’ll do a visual inspection of wear and tear on the brakes, tyres, and spark plugs. These should all be included in a basic car service.
Major service
You may have guessed this is the more premium option, and most should actually consider doing this. Not only does it cover the basics, like an oil change and filter changes, but it should also go through the maintenance logbook provided with the car from the manufacturer and replace anything that needs replacing. This can be spark plugs, timing belts, oil changes, tyres and repairs that may need doing. You’ll usually need a major service every 2 years at a minimum.
How much should it cost?
We can't speak for every mechanic, but for the most part, it really depends on your car's model and make. As we mentioned there is the cheapest option which is the minor service, and that can cost around $300 AUD. The thing is though, this can change depending on what needs to be done to your car.
Does it need new tyres, or brake pad replacements, or maybe it has a hidden engine failure that needs to be fixed? These can all dramatically increase the price of a service. With that said, regular servicing will end up saving you a world of pain and spending in the long run. That's why we say you should have a regular service schedule, because not only is it good for your car, it's better for your wallet.
If you're looking to get a calculation on how much a service may cost, pop over to our Service Centre Calculator that takes in the make, year model and mileage which then gives you an estimate as to how much it may cost.
How often should you service your car?
It all depends on the kind of usage your car gets and how long it's been from the previous service. Even cars that don't get used very often will need to be serviced on a schedule. As a general rule of thumb, modern cars will need to be serviced at least once a year, or every 10,000 to 15,000 kilometres.
With older cars, say 5 years or older, it will vary heavily on the vehicle. The best thing to do is service it every half year. Older cars can be prone to breakdowns, especially if they’ve done a lot of towing in their life.
So, about that service
Now you know a little more about what goes into a car service and why you need to keep on top of it, do you promise to get it done? Great! Come visit us at Melville Mazda.
We are a trustworthy Mazda car service that takes in any car manufacturer and model. We'll make sure your pride and joy and looked after with the utmost care. We'll book you in with a simple call on (08) 9319 1500, and begin scheduling you for regular services. Melville Mazda service Perth understands you will want great prices at no expense for the quality of work, and we ensure you'll be happy with the results.