Difference between a Regular Service and a major one

Servicing your car on time is the best practice to prolong its life and avoid unexpected breakdowns. Whether regular or major, every service is important, and knowing the difference can help you make prudent decisions to save time and money.

What is a Regular Service?

A regular service includes changing the air filter, oil filter and engine oil, and performing some basic checks to rule out any potential breakdown risk. While a regular service takes care of the engine alone, you must understand that modern cars have a lot more going on around the engine bay.

To make sure your car functions properly as a whole for a long time, car manufacturers incorporate major services in between.

What does a major service include? How often is it performed? How much does it cost?

Let’s start with the cost. A major service usually costs two to three times your regular service, depending on your car’s model and make. You can check with our car mechanic of Leichhardt to get a price breakdown of your next major service.

A major car service is performed at the 30k-mile interval, which means on average, every third service is going to be a major one.

And here’s what a major service includes.

At 30k miles, this is your first major service wherein you need to change engine oil, air filter, oil filter, coolant, brake fluids, AC pollen filter, rain wipers, brake pads and wheel alignment and balancing is done.

At 60k miles, in addition to everything that is changed at 30k miles, transmission fluid, clutch plates, coolant hoses and timing belt (not applicable for vehicles with timing chain) are changed. Also, the steering and suspension systems are serviced and link rods are changed.

At 90k miles, in addition to everything that is changed at 30k miles, engine head gasket, engine piston rings(only if required), radiator and Disc pads are changed.

This service guide will also assist you in buying a used car. Considering where exactly the car lies across these service intervals, you can anticipate future maintenance overheads. Get in touch with our Ashfield car service expert to know more about maintaining your car with the lowest expenses possible.