How often you should service your car depends on the distance on the odometer and the time since the last service. Whichever comes first is the one that counts. The schedule in your logbook is the starting point, not a target to stretch.
Service intervals are not one-size-fits-all. A car that does 500 kilometres a week in stop-start traffic needs a service sooner than one that does the same distance on the highway. The manufacturer sets the baseline in your logbook, and from there it adjusts based on how the car is actually used.
Most service schedules run on two clocks at once. A common schedule is every 15,000 kilometres or 12 months, whichever comes first. If you drive 30,000 kilometres in a year, you hit the distance limit first. If you drive 8,000, you hit the time limit first. The service is due when either clock runs out, not when both do.
This catches a lot of people out. A low-kilometre car still needs a service once a year because oil degrades with time, not just use. The additives that keep the oil clean break down sitting in the sump. Coolant loses its corrosion protection. Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. None of that cares how far you have driven.
The logbook assumes normal driving. Short trips where the engine never fully warms up, stop-start city traffic, towing, and dusty unsealed roads all count as severe conditions. Under severe conditions, the manufacturer usually calls for more frequent servicing. If most of your driving is five-minute trips across Moorabbin and back, you are in the severe category whether the logbook says so or not.
Logbook servicing means following the manufacturer's schedule and having it recorded in the service book. As long as the service follows the schedule and is recorded, having it done at an independent workshop does not affect your new car warranty. You do not have to go back to the dealer. We stamp the book the same way they do, and we use genuine and OEM parts that meet the manufacturer's spec. You can read more about how it works on our logbook servicing page.
Sometimes a car tells you it needs attention before the next service is due. A warning light on the dash is the obvious one. So is a change in how the car feels: a rough idle, a hesitation when you accelerate, or a noise that was not there last month. If the brakes feel different, read our guide on signs your brakes need attention before you wait for the next service.
A minor service generally covers the oil and filter change, a check of the brake pad thickness, tyre pressures and condition, fluid top-ups, and a visual inspection of the belts, hoses and suspension. A major service, usually every second or third service, goes deeper. It includes items like spark plugs, fuel filters, cabin filters, and brake fluid, depending on what the logbook calls for at that interval.
The logbook lists exactly what is due at each service. We follow it, so nothing gets skipped and nothing gets added that the car does not need.
Skipping a service does not save money. It delays it. Oil that is past its change interval stops protecting the engine and starts holding sludge. A clogged filter makes the engine work harder. A missed brake fluid change means the fluid has more moisture in it, and the brakes feel softer. The next service costs more because there is more to fix, and the parts that wore faster than they should have need replacing sooner.
European cars past their warranty period still benefit from following the logbook, but the schedule may need adjusting. Rubber hoses, belts, and water pumps have a lifespan that is not always on the schedule. An older car that has been serviced on time is cheaper to run than one that has not, because the small things get caught before they become big things. We can look at the service history and tell you what is due and what is coming up.
A stamped service book is proof the car has been looked after. It matters when you sell the car, because a buyer will ask, and it matters if you ever need to make a warranty claim. A gap in the record is a gap in the story. We stamp the book at every service and keep a record on our end, so there is always a paper trail.
Not sure when your car is due? Call 0481 797 861 or send us your details and we will check it against your logbook and tell you what is next.
Our Moorabbin workshop is open to talk through your service or repair and give you a quote before any work starts.
