An MOT test confirms your car meets the minimum safety requirements for the road, but regular car servicing ensures that it is running at its best- helping to prevent costly repairs through proactive maintenance.

Why everyone needs a service

Your safety, and the safety of other road users is the most important thing to consider before getting behind the wheel. The best way to ensure that your vehicle is safe to drive is with regular servicing and maintenance, but there are also other benefits to having it checked. Regular servicing – which we generally recommend doing annually or according to manufacturer’s recommendations– will save you money in the long run and make your overall driving experience more enjoyable.

The safety benefits of regular servicing

Spotting problems early means our mechanics can make quick fixes like replacing bulbs or refilling brake fluid before they cause more serious problems (or accidents) down the line. Below are the main areas that will be checked during a service and the safety benefits provided.

• Brakes: Depending on your chosen service level, as part of some services, we will check your brake pads, discs and fluid levels to make sure that your brakes are operating as efficiently as possible. Being able to brake sharply when driving at high speeds could be the difference between a near miss and a serious accident, so brake checks are essential.
• Tyres: Similarly to brakes, worn tyres will increase your stopping distance and therefore make you more susceptible to accidents. Additionally, worn or damaged tyres are more likely to burst. If this happens on a motorway or busy junction, it can put you and your passengers’ safety at risk.
• Lights and wipers: We will check the condition of your windscreen wipers, which can become worn and inefficient over time. If this goes unnoticed, your visibility in wet conditions will be severely impacted, and you will struggle to clear your windscreen if something lands on it, like wet leaves or snow. Your lights also massively contribute towards your visibility in difficult conditions, so we will check that all of your lights are clean and working properly as part of your service.
• Suspension and steering: Making sure that your suspension is working properly will keep you from drifting or veering to the side under heavy braking, and checking your power steering will keep you driving comfortably without the risks of having to work harder when turning.

The performance and cost benefits of regular servicing

Servicing improves your vehicle’s performance, creating a more enjoyable driver experience and less frustration behind the wheel for you, but what exactly is improved as a result of a service, and how?

• Fuel efficiency: Under-inflated tyres increase drag and mean your car is working harder to accelerate and brake, using more fuel. Low or old engine oil or a clogged air filter will also affect how efficiently your vehicle runs. A newly serviced vehicle with fully-inflated tyres and a fresh engine oil will use up less fuel and greatly reduce the likelihood of a breakdown.
• Improved driving experience: By addressing any issues with your vehicle’s suspension, we will restore comfort, enhance handling and ensure a smoother, safer drive. Services can also improve acceleration and steering, making your driving smoother.
• Saves you money: A regular service will save you money in the long run. Services will identify smaller issues before they become worse, such as replacing worn brake pads for a small cost rather than waiting until there is damage to the brake discs themselves.
• Improves resale value: If you’re looking to sell your vehicle down the line, proving a full detailed service history will boost the value of your vehicle, whether you’re selling it back to a dealership or to a third party individual.
• Preserves your warranty: Some modern cars will include annual servicing as part of their warranty, so you may be required to keep them up if you don’t want to face paying for repairs out of pocket.

How often should you service your car?

We recommend booking in for a service annually, although the AA suggests coming in every 12,000 miles if you’re likely to drive that many miles before the year end. Whether you use your vehicle for work every day or are only using it periodically, we recommend bringing it in for a service and can tailor your service to your individual needs.

Most of our customers arrange for their yearly service to coincide with their MOT test as this reduces the number of trips you have to make to the garage. Some vehicles will have service indicators on them which will advise you when their next service is due based on age or mileage.

If you do want to book a service with John Delany Motors or have any questions regarding it, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our qualified mechanics will be happy to help you and make sure that your vehicle is driving as safely and efficiently as it can be.