Why is it so important to get your car serviced?
Maintaining your cars service schedule
Why is it so important to get your car serviced? Making sure your car is serviced regularly and within the manufacturers guidelines will help your car to continue giving you happy, trouble free motoring. Regular servicing ensures that:
- the engine is running correctly
- the timing and auxiliary belts are in good condition
- there are no problems with your brakes
- tyres are in good (safe) condition and are at the correct pressure
- safety devices are working correctly
- filters are changed at the proper intervals to prevent wear and damage to critical components.
Something as simple as a regular vehicle service will:
- make sure your engine is running as efficiently as it can, saving you money
- give better fuel consumption
- Lower the chance of wear, meaning fewer repair bills and breakdowns’
- Maintain your manufactures warrantee.
How often should a service be carried out?
It’s a positive and essential thing to get your vehicle serviced at the manufactures recommend intervals. But of course, it‘s an excellent thing to get your car serviced more frequently because:
- This ensures that the brakes, the suspension, the steering are all looked after more frequently and more carefully.
- A service provides a much more in-depth overview of the vehicles health and can detect defects that are over looked by the annual MOT test. Defective items can be repaired or replaced before further damage and expense occurs.
- A frequent and comprehensive service history can greatly improve the saleability of a vehicle.
Older vehicles require just as much love as newer vehicles. The service frequency of older vehicles shouldn’t decrease just because the value of the vehicle has.
If you‘re unsure of how often to service your vehicle, give us a call on 01843 291122, we’d be more then happy to advise you of the service frequency for your vehicle.
What should be covered in a service?
At Jims Garage Services we are pretty confident that we offer one of the most comprehensive vehicle services in Margate and the surrounding areas of South East Kent. We believe that a service should mean more than just an oil and filter change. When you trust us to look after your vehicles service, we carry out the following 52 point Vehicle Health Check.
Pre Engine Checks
- Check vehicle history.
- Check timing belt replacement interval (where applicable).
- Check for damage to bodywork, lamps and trims.
- Fit protective covers.
- Check condition and operation of all seat belts.
- Check operation of interior and exterior lights.
- Check operation of ABS and air bag warning lights (where applicable).
- Check condition of windscreen.
- Check windscreen washers and wipers.
- Check horn.
- Check operation of suspension dampers.
- Lubricate all door hinges, locks and bonnet catches.
- Check fuel cap
Under The Bonnet
- Check oil level.
- Check and record Anti-Freeze protection.
- Check and record brake fluid condition.
- Check all auxiliary drive belts (not timing belt).
- Check engine breather system.
- Check vacuum pipes.
- Check power steering operation and fluid condition.
- Check throttle body. Clean if required.
- Check battery level and lubricate terminals.
- Check and top up all under bonnet fluid levels.
- Replace air filter (where applicable).
- Replace spark plugs (where applicable).
- Replace fuel filter (where applicable).
- Replace pollen filter.
Vehicle Raised
- Remove wheels, clean and grease hub flanges.
- Drain engine oil and change oil filter.
- Check vehicle structure for excessive corrosion.
- Check fuel lines and brake pipes.
- Check the condition and security of the exhaust.
- Check and top up axle and transfer box oil levels (where applicable).
- Check and top up gearbox oil level.
- Check all steering and suspension joints, mountings and gaiters.
- Check suspension springs for broken coils.
- Check all suspension dampers for leaks.
- Carry out tyre report.
- Check all wheel bearings for excessive ‘play’ and noise (adjust).
- Check CV gaiters and joints for wear or splits.
- Check clutch cable/cylinder (where applicable).
- Grease all greasing points (where applicable).
- Check operation and condition of front brakes.
- Check operation and condition of rear brakes (inc. handbrake).
- Carry out brake report
Vehicle Lowered
- Refill engine with specified grade oil
- Torque wheel nuts/studs.
To Finish
- Road test vehicle and report any findings.
- Re-check engine oil level.
- Reset service interval indicator (where applicable).
- Ensure all upholstery, gear lever, steering wheel, etc. are clean.
- Stamp service book(s).
Please call us on 01843 291122 or use the form below for more information about vehicle servicing in Margate or to make an appointment.
