Do You Regularly Miss Your Vehicle Servicing?
The blog this week is about missing your regular annual servicing on your Volvo or Toyota. Is this something you would consider doing to save money? Research shows that one in three people will avoid taking their car in for its annual service in a bid to save money. Instead relying on their annual MOT to highlight any issues their car may have. However, is this really a wise thing to do? Read on to find out more...
Missing your annual car service can have several short- and long-term consequences — both mechanical and financial. Here’s what typically happens if you skip or delay it:
Increased Wear and Tear
- Your engine oil degrades over time, even if you don’t drive much. Old oil will lose its lubricating properties, become dirty and gritty which can lead to increased friction, overheating, and internal engine wear.
- Filters (oil, air, cabin, fuel) can then become clogged, reducing performance and fuel efficiency.
Reduced Fuel Efficiency
- Dirty spark plugs, clogged air filters, or old oil naturally mean that the engine will have to work that much harder. Some people have oil changes in-between services for this reason
- You may even start noticing that you’re having to top up your fuel more regularly because you are using more fuel for the same trips.
Opening Up To Potential Mechanical Failures
- What starts as potentially small issues such as minor leaks, brake wear, or low coolant could potentially go unnoticed without regular inspections either by yourself or your local independent garage
- These small inexpensive issues can develop into expensive breakdowns such as a seized engine or failed brake system.
- Missing regular servicing and maintenance puts you at risk of driving a potentially unsafe car. In the event of an accident you risk your insurance being invalid
Resulting In Higher Repair Costs
- A service typically costs around £200 depending on the service required.
- Missing your service schedule can lead to repairs costing thousands we have always said regular servicing and maintenance will always be more cost effective than reactive repairs
Risking Invalidating Your Warranty
- If your Volvo or Toyota is still under the manufacturer warranty, missing a service may void the warranty.
Lower Resale Value
- A complete service history shows buyers that you have looked after your car, this will help to command a higher re-sale value when it comes to selling your car in the future.
The notion of saving money - by skipping an annual service - is a false economy and the result will be more MOT failures and costly repairs, that could have been avoided if you had maintained the service schedule of your vehicle.
Some drivers are not servicing their vehicles as they perceive the annual MOT as the only necessary service their vehicle requires - however the MOT only states that the vehicle is roadworthy and legal on that day. If the only time a motor vehicle technician looks at your car is at its annual MOT then the failure rate is destined to increase and a reactive repair will leave you vulnerable to higher bills. It really is a false economy. Not only does it leave you and your vehicle vulnerable to a potentially costly repair bill if you do not maintain your vehicle throughout the year, it also devalues your vehicle when it comes to selling it on and a potential buyer will perceive the vehicle to require repair work if it has not been adequately maintained.
In a nutshell it really is imperative that you continue to service your vehicles according to the manufacture recommended service schedule. We always say that proactive servicing is always going to be cheaper than reactive repairs! One way to cut the costs of your annual service is to use an independent garage such as ACC UK Ltd. If you shop around for quotes you can most definitely find savings – especially in comparison to dealerships.
And when it comes to keeping your vehicle running safely and efficiently, ACC UK Limited is here to help — your trusted, female friendly, and award-winning local garage for all types of vehicles. Happy Safe Motoring Folks!
ACC UK Limited
Farnborough, Hampshire
Serving surrounding areas across North Hampshire and Surrey
Call us today to book in your MOT, service or repair
Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, GRA – Outstanding Automotive Service Excellence 2025, Motor Trader Indies Garage of the Year Award 2025, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire
