It’s a common question that’s often asked by people who are cautious about where they spend their money when it comes to their cars. While many new cars with low mileage can go up to three years without needing a service, but for the majority of cars regular servicing is highly recommended.

WHY DOES MY CAR NEED SERVICING?

Servicing your car is the best way to ensure that everything is working as it should be. If you don’t have an oil change or continue to use the car with low fluid levels, then you can do some serious damage to the engine.

By not servicing your car you are likely to find that its performance may deteriorate. This may mean that you start to hear strange noises, have little problems with general running and lights start to pop up all over the dashboard.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR SERVICING?

If you look after your car then it will look after you. By regularly servicing your vehicle you are likely to see a lot of perks, including increased fuel-efficiency, better handing, improved braking and a smoother running engine.

Additionally, your car is likely to be more reliable as the car has been checked for any faults that may occur. This can save you a small fortune in repair bills down the line and will save you time waiting on the side of the road to have your car fixed.

Probably the most important reason to service your vehicle is to maintain its market value. A full service history can add thousands onto the value of your car and makes it much easier to sell on privately as potential buyers know the car has been looked after.

WHAT KIND OF SERVICES ARE THERE?

There are several types of servicing available, namely: Basic/ Interim, Full, Major and Manufacturer. What these services include will vary, with more expensive services offering a more complete check. That said, every service from basic onwards will include:

• Oil change
• Oil filter change
• Visual inspection
• Check all levels of key fluids (washer fluid, brake fluid, anti-freeze, steering fluid)
• Some garages will check brakes on an interim or basic service

When it comes to a full or major service, typically more checks are carried out on the vehicle and any aspects of the car that are not within the manufacturer’s guidelines will be replaced. Depending on the garage, you may have to pay for anything that needs to be replaced that’s not under warranty.

WHAT TYPE OF SERVICE DO I NEED?

What service you require depends largely on the intervals between services and the amount of mileage you’ve put on the vehicle since your last service. Generally, your car should be serviced once a year or every 10,000-12,000 miles. A full service is highly recommended although if the vehicle is regularly serviced then a basic service will help to keep it running smoothly and hassle free.

WHERE CAN I GET A SERVICE?

Most garages offer a range of services, but only manufacturer approved garages can provide you with a manufacturer service, helping to keep your vehicle under warranty and ensuring that everything on your car is working perfectly.

At Nathaniel Cars we can offer manufacturer services on all Mitsubishi and MG vehicles, as well as every other service type on all makes and models. Our experienced and fully equipped mechanics can ensure that your car is working exactly as it should, to book your service just give us a call on 01656 662255 today.