What Happens When You Skip Car Service?

According to a 2,000-strong survey from Volkswagen Financial Services, a third of motorists admitted to skipping routine servicing this year. Later research, from Censuswide, revealed that 39% of car owners are concerned that their car will break down, due to neglect and lack of car servicing.

They are worrying statistics, thought to be fuelled by pressures on household budgets. Even so, skipping regular servicing is a false economy. It increases wear and tear, reduces your car's value, makes it less reliable and increases fuel consumption.

What regular checks can I perform on my car?

Regular weekly checks remain important. These include inspecting coolant, screen-wash, engine/transmission oil levels, lights for blown bulbs plus tyres for damage and correct pressures. While a future blog shall cover these tasks in more detail, remember that they cannot replace a detailed full service history.

Why should I service my car if it passes the MOT?

It is a common presumption that an MOT test pass means that your car requires no further attention for a year. This is untrue. An MOT is a basic car servicing safety inspection. Testers cannot dismantle, or remove, any component (eg. spark plugs), including wheels. Therefore, it is very difficult for the examiner to check every component thoroughly. The MOT pass confirms only that the car met the minimum legal roadworthiness standards at the time of the inspection.

How often should I service my car?

Different cars have different requirements. The first place to look is the schedule within your car service book. This details not just the tasks but also the mileage and/or time intervals, whichever comes first. If you are unsure, you might wish to approach your main dealer for a printout.

Even so, many car servicing technicians and engineers argue that some intervals are too long especially those that state 20,000 miles, or biennial servicing. Therefore, the majority of cars benefit from at least one service every year.

What does my car need at every service?

During a service schedule certain jobs need addressing regardless of your car's model and even whether, or not, it has an engine. For instance, brake fluid should be flushed every two years. The coolant needs replacing every 2-5 years, dependent on the type used. Additionally, the bodywork should be checked for corrosion and washed/waxed at least once annually. All wiper blades, seatbelts and buckles should be inspected closely, in addition to all latches and locks lubricated.

We have also found that certain major servicing items, such as timing belts, benefit from being replaced sooner than the factory recommendations. Ask either your mechanic, or GEM's free technical advice member service for advice, should you be uncertain.

In our experience, a typical average-aged car requires the following work every year, in addition to the regular checks mentioned earlier. This is not an exhaustive list by any means - but gives you a general idea of the basics:

- Engine oil and filter change (preferably with a flush)

- Power steering and transmission fluid level check (if possible)

- Parking brake cables checked for fraying and correct adjustment

- Belts checked for cracks and fraying

- Exhaust system and its mounts inspected for integrity

- Coolant strength and anti-corrosion additive check

- Pollen/cabin filter replacement

- New windscreen wipers

- Diesel filter replacement

- Air filter checked and replaced if dirty

- All wheels removed and the rims checked for damage

- All tyres checked for at least 2.0mm tread depth and sidewall cracks/perishing/bulges

- All brake lines checked for damage/corrosion and flexible lines inspected for perishing

- Rubber suspension gaiters checked for splits and perishing 

- All rubber steering and suspension bellows inspected for damage

- Brakes checked for binding

- Brake fluid boiling point assessed and flushed if over two-years-old

- Brake linings checked for at least 3.0mm remaining thickness.

- Underside checked for leaks, corrosion and intact protective guards

- Battery checked for security, state of charge and state of health.

- A global diagnostic scan of all ECUs for fault codes

- Service light/warning reset

Can DIY servicing save me money?

Working on your car from home is an ideal way of cutting motoring costs. Yet, if you do not know what you are doing, you could damage your car and injure yourself. We shall blog separately on this topic later this month.

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GEM Motoring Assist is a members’ motoring and road safety organisation in the UK. Our aim is to keep our members on the move… whether that’s through our breakdown recovery service or our motoring and road safety expertise.

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