Do You Need To Service Your Car Every Year?

Hundreds—if not thousands—of hard-up motorists are continuing to put themselves at risk by failing to take their cars in for their annual services because they can't afford the cost. A recent HiQ study revealed that 32% of motorists are still opting against paying for a car service, relying instead on their cars passing an MOT.

The outlay for an annual service puts off many motorists. But if you don’t, you could cost yourself more money further down the line. Replacing an air filter, which would be part of a HiQ full service, can improve fuel efficiency by 10%, while under inflated tyres costs motorists millions of pounds worth in fuel worldwide every year.

An annual service can be seen as money well spent. Your car will be more efficient, and if you are planning on the resale or part exchange of your vehicle further down the line, a full service history will be appealing to potential buyers. Not only that but any problems that do come up will be easier and cheaper to fix if you catch them as early as possible.

Above all of this, people are putting their own safety in jeopardy if they aren't taking their car service, as a fault may arise which is not picked up for weeks or even months, when they finally take their car in for an MOT.

What’s the Difference between an MOT and a Service?

An MOT is simply a technical test of your vehicle to make sure it’s roadworthy, whereas a service will check your car thoroughly and make sure it’s running optimally.

Relying on the MOT has been how a lot of motorists have been judging their vehicle performance. This has meant that at HiQ, we are seeing a lot more vehicles arriving with major faults and minor faults that would have been picked up on a normal service.

What are the Benefits of regular Car Servicing?

• Regular maintenance – essential checks of the braking system, suspension and other core components of your car to ensure everything is running as it should be. Catching any issues here early, will save you money in the long run.
• Maintain value – if you are planning on the resale or part exchange of your vehicle further down the line, a full service history will be appealing to potential buyers. In this instance regular servicing isn’t just saving you money, but making you money too.
• Fuel Efficiency – from replacing air filters to changing the oil and checking tyre pressure, it all has an impact on your fuel efficiency. A regular service will ensure you’re running as efficiently as possible and saving money on fuel every time you top up your tank.