What’s the difference between a full, interim, and major car service
Both a full and major service include all the same checks, except the latter is more comprehensive. You’ll only need to book a major service every two years, whereas a full service should be carried out at least once a year. You may also want to get an interim service every 6 months to keep your car running as smoothly and safely as possible.
So what’s the point of each of these services, what’s included in each of them and how can you book a car service online at Fixter? We’re about to find all that out and more!
Why should you service your car and how much a car service should cost
Regular vehicle servicing is an essential part of keeping your motor in good running condition. Spotting faults and problems before they escalate out of control can save you money and stress, so it just makes sense, doesn’t it? Nobody needs to be hit with an astronomical repair bill if they can avoid it; regular servicing is the key to affordable and safe motoring. Also, a well-documented service history will help you keep track of your car’s mechanical health. This will be a huge advantage when the time comes to sell your car. In this article we’re going to talk about the types of car services, their cost, and how long each one takes.
What are the typical car service checks?
The vehicle service checks are designed to spot deterioration and identify potential problems before they happen. To give a driver the best chances of trouble-free motoring, your service plan will feature a wide range of checks that include:
- Oil, oil filter and air filter
- Fluid levels, including:
- Anti-freeze
- Brake fluid
- Power steering fluid
- Transmission oil
- Battery testing
- Spark plugs
- Timing and auxiliary drive belts
- Suspension
- Brake pipes/brake hoses/fuel lines
- Brake pads/brake discs
- Wheels and tyres
- Clutch and clutch components
The level of vehicle service plan you opt for will determine how many checks are carried out, and how many components and consumables are replaced.
Your car service and MOT
Given your car can’t legally be driven without an MOT—which is the Government’s way of making sure all of our vehicles are roadworthy—it’s a good opportunity to kill those 2 birds with one sensible stone. Your vehicle service is more than likely to cover all the same items your MOT test does—certainly, the full and major services will. By carrying out the same jobs both areas include, it should save you time and money getting them sorted in one go.
How often should you service your car?
The frequency at which you service your car will often be determined by how much you use it. High mileage drivers should have their cars serviced much more regularly than low mileage drivers. Obviously, with extensive use, your car is much more likely to suffer wear and tear than one that spends a lot of its life sat on the drive or in the garage. Based on your mileage, you should get an idea of the regularity of your own service schedule and which service plan is appropriate.
How much does a car service cost?
Depending on the make and model of car, and the level of service you need, typical costs for vehicle servicing should be:
- Interim services should cost around £100–120
- A full service should come with a £150 price tag or somewhere similar
- And a major service nearer the £200 mark
Fixter offers fantastic rates for all 3 levels of service. We consistently beat dealer’s servicing prices by up to 30%. We also collect every car from our customers, saving you time, effort and money.
Which vehicle service plan do you need?
An interim service is designed for the high mileage drivers as a top-up service – recommended after 6 months of motoring, covering distances of around 2,000 miles each month.
All drivers should organise a full service for their car every year.
It’s estimated that on average we drive around 12,000 miles over 12 months. With that amount of use, your car will be ready for its regular refills and replacements of consumable parts and fluids. How long does a full service take? Well, all the work should be taken care of in around 3 hours.
A major service leaves no stone unturned. This is the most thorough set of checks, changes, replacements and recharges your car could need. It’s recommended that this level of care and attention be administered after 24,000 miles of use, or once every 2 years.
What is an interim car service?
Your interim vehicle service will feature a variety of simple checks to keep you roadworthy and your motor healthy. At Fixter we carry out at least 40 maintenance checks and give you a complete oil change. If there are any signs of oil leaks, we’ll also replace your oil filter, but never without your permission.
What is a full car service?
Our full vehicle service plan covers 71 maintenance checks. We’ll also drain and replace your engine oil, oil filter and air filter. Wherever we find any suspect or possible problematic issues, we’ll advise you the best way to address them and the work recommended to get you back to 100%.
What is a major car service?
The major vehicle service covers all the same checks as the full version, but in much more detail and with additional replacements of wearable parts and consumables. These will include air, cabin and fuel filters, spark plugs, brake fluid and coolant wherever required.
The fact that you’ll only need to carry out this comprehensive check every 24 months doesn’t take anything away from the significance of it. The major service is technically the most significant for car maintenance!
How long does a major car service take?
The major service will take the longest of the three car services, usually lasting around four hours plus the time it takes you to get to the dealership and back twice in a day.
However, you can keep your costs down by opting for a service package from Fixter, and with our collection service option, you can save even more of your valuable time.
Fixter is ready and waiting for every car service enquiry
So, if you’re ready to show your car the love and attention it deserves, or you just want to make sure it’s running properly and will sail through its MOT , give us a call today.
About Fixter
Fixter is revolutionising the car maintenance industry, one repair at a time. Fixter was founded to make car maintenance as easy as booking a taxi. Digital, transparent and stress-free, with world-class customer service. Since launching in Manchester in 2017, Fixter has expanded to more than 100 cities across the UK and provided thousands of car owners with honest, convenient and affordable car repair services.