Sometimes looking after your car isn’t a priority in your life, especially when money is tight. When your ‘service’ light comes on your car, or the garage calls you to tell you it’s time to service your car, should you wait or get the job done sooner rather than later? It’s a tricky choice but we’ll lay down the facts in this article so that you can make your own decision on whether to wait and service your car later.
Worrying less about your car
It’s a tricky situation you may find yourself in having to reconsider getting your car serviced. Some of that money could be used for other things but many people rely on their cars for so many things. If you’ve chosen to skip your car service, then you’ll start to become paranoid about every little noise and judder coming from your car. You’ll start asking yourself “is that the engine making noises?” or “did I just hear the exhaust rattle”. Save yourself the hassle and read these facts to stop you worrying anymore.
How much does it cost to have a service?
This is a big question, but getting your car serviced can vary depending on the garage you visit. Here at MCM Garage we’re clear on our costs and depending on whether your car is following the long-life service schedule, costs for a ‘variable 1’ service are £180*, whereas a ‘variable 2’ service costs £260*. You should also consider as part of the the long term maintenance of your car having a brake fluid service every two year, which costs £38* at MCM Garage. One of the more pricier maintenance costs can be your cambelt change which is usually due either at a specific mileage, or usually after 4-5 years whichever comes sooner – prices vary by manufacturer. If your car has air conditioning then you should also service it every couple of years which costs just £59.99* at MCM Garage.
Weighing up the cost of your car breaking down
So what happens when things go wrong with your car? We’ve already covered the costs already of a service so it’s time to weigh up the other side of the equation and know the costs of repairs should your car breakdown. According to the money advice service website, the average cost of a replacement car engine is around £2,575! If your cylinder head gasket blows you’re looking at a cost of £520. Then a replacement radiator can set you back £430. That’s some big costs to absorb all down to missing a service and may make you think twice about skipping a service.
The choice is yours, to service your car or not
You’ve seen the costs of servicing and the repair costs when your car goes wrong. It’s up to you to make the right choice whether to service your car or not, but we’d also like to add that regularly servicing and maintaining your vehicle can help reduce MOT failures. Here at MCM Garage we service all makes and models of vehicle in the Bath and Radstock area, so if you’d like a quote on servicing your car or some friendly advice, please give us a call on 01761 415 501 or contact us via our website form to book a service.
*prices correct as of July 2016