You have moved suburbs, and life has been so busy that you jump in your car, ready to head out on the school drop followed by the busy commute to work. As you lift your sun visor up, which was down from the trip home last night, you glance at your service sticker, only to be reminded that you are way overdue for a service.

“Okay,” you say, “no problem.” You remember seeing an ad in the local paper advertising a service special and decide you will book it when you get home. During the day, you see an ad come up on Google for a service, and it’s $100 more. You think two things: Is Google reading my mind? And why is their service $100 more? That leads us to what we are going to talk about today: Are all car services the same?

If you don’t want to read the rest of this blog, I will tell you now: the answer is no. If you want to know why they are different, then you’re in the right place.

So, what is a service anyway? Generally, a service on a car refers to the routine maintenance that’s either due by the manufacturer’s specifications or when your mechanic has advised. It is set by kilometers or time, whichever comes first.

Why do I have to get my car serviced in 6 or 12 months if I have not even done the kilometers yet? Well, not driving can be worse than driving a lot. Have you ever wondered why you see some taxis with 500,000 km and they still have the same engine? It’s because they are kept at running temperature more often than not and have fewer cold starts, which is where most engine wear occurs. When a vehicle is not driven a lot, moisture builds up in the engine and forms in the oil. This, along with the natural degradation of oil, is one of the reasons you should service your vehicle regardless of the kilometers you have done.

Back to the service: how do I know which one to book? You may see the words major service, lube service, logbook service, minor service, and notice depending on where you look, they may have different names and prices. So what’s the difference? There can be many differences between your inclusions for a service.

One thing they all have in common is your motor oil and oil filter, along with the sump plug washer, should be changed. Now here’s where you need to start doing your research. Just on these first three items, the things to check are what brand fluids and parts are being used, are they being disposed of in an environmentally safe way, and what experience does the team have who is doing it? You want to be sure that well-known brands are being used that will meet or exceed the manufacturer’s specifications for the motor oil and oil filter, and you want to know that trained technicians are performing the work.

Let’s have a quick look at what a logbook service might mean. Generally, if a customer is asking for a logbook service, then the logbook should be followed in relation to the time or kilometers the car is at. A logbook should not or cannot be stamped unless all the items on that list have been replaced or inspected. A side note: some manufacturers, in an attempt to take away the consumer’s choice to service their vehicle where they like, have added things to the checklist that sound like only the dealer can do them. If there is a recall or update, you are entitled to this regardless of where you service your car, as long as they are following manufacturer specifications. Servicing your vehicle at a licensed independent workshop will not void your warranty.

So what about a lube service? Again, you have to look at the inclusions and see if it’s what you need or want. Some lube services include replacing the motor oil and oil filter only, while others offer a comprehensive inspection and air filter clean as well, for instance. The same can go for a major service.

Let’s take a look at some things that could be included or not included under all the service names we have talked about:

• Comprehensive inspection with pictures or video
• Roadside Assistance
• Rolling break stop on a Safe T Stop machine
• Alignment run-out check
• Air filter inspection and clean
• Spark plug check
• All fluids checked and topped up
• Basic engine scan and report (not diagnostics)
• Engine flushes or additives
• Engine bay clean and wipe down
• Wiper blades (Standard)
• Tyre tread depth checks and tyre pressures
• Charge system testing including battery report
• Cooling system test
• Suspension Testing
• Lifetime workmanship warranty
• Windscreen washer additive
• Local pick-up and drop-off
• Loan Cars

Looking at the above list, we start to see why there might be a difference in price from one repair shop to another depending on what their ‘Service’ includes. On that note, it’s a good reminder that the inclusions are only one part of the service; the experience you receive and the trust you have with your chosen repairer can often be worth more than the price difference between the services.

Now that we have had a look at what might be included in a service, we hope this helps you to dive deeper into what you are getting with your vehicle service. Now let’s look at what typically is not included in a service.

Often, we see consumers bring vehicles into workshops under the impression that a service might rectify the noise they have been having or take that pesky engine light that’s been coming on off the dash. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. A noise can sometimes be discovered in a service if it’s found in the inspection; in other cases, it can be a job on its own using specialized equipment to locate the noise or need parts removed to inspect further.

An engine light is not like a service light that is set during the service and requires a completely different set of steps that are generally sold under diagnostics. If you have an engine light on, let your Service adviser know so they can give you a guide of what the initial costs for stage 1 inspection will be. This will generally be able to give you an idea of the next steps required or even an estimate on work required to hopefully remove the light.

So, what service is for you? For the long-term resale value of your car and peace of mind, following the logbook and your trusted mechanic is a great place to start, keeping in mind you don’t need to do this with the dealer or where you purchased the car from unless your aftermarket warranty says differently.

After that, it’s all about education; compare what inclusions are important to you and will make you feel safe to travel where you need to when you want to. For example, if you want the logbook followed, a lube service might not be what you want. You can also just call and ask; your local mechanic will be more than happy to take you through what their service includes and see how it can work best for you. From here, you can make an educated decision. Happy motoring!