Depending on the age and fuel type of your vehicle can make a big difference.

If the vehicle is more than four years old and is petrol, then a regular service every 6 months or 10,000kms whichever comes first is the recommendation.

A regular service includes an engine oil change and filter every time. Other fluids (transmission, cooling system and brake fluid) should be checked and replaced depending on condition.

Most of the new vehicle distributors are currently extending their petrol servicing out to 12 months / 15,000kms.

Depending on the car make the check engine light may illuminate when a service is due or it may indicate a fault. In any case it is recommended to get it checked out as soon as possible.

1. Read your car’s manual and follow any recommended maintenance instructions.
2. Do your own inspection. Make sure all your lights are working. Check the air pressure in your tyres every month or so. Listen for any strange sounds, inside and out. Make sure your tyres have enough tread. If anything’s out of the ordinary, don’t ignore it.
3. Learn to check your fluids. Even if you don’t ever learn how to change your antifreeze, power steering or coolant liquids, you should learn how to check those fluid levels. In some cases, you can see the tank level directly, but most have gauges or dipsticks you can pull out to check current levels against a notch that indicates optimal levels. Even if your owner’s manual doesn’t have much to say about checking your transmission fluid or antifreeze, don’t be afraid to open the hood and see if you can find it. If you’re running low, add more (if you can) or get it changed. Most importantly, never ignore a leak.
4. If you find anything out of the ordinary or just want some advice get in touch with us, and we can help out.