How Often Should You Service Your Car or Motorbike?

Ask five mechanics how often to service a vehicle and you will probably get five answers. The honest reply is that it depends on the engine, the oil, how you drive and where you drive. Still, there are sensible ranges you can start from, and a simple log makes the guesswork disappear.

Start with the owner's manual

The manufacturer's schedule is written for your exact engine. It usually lists two limits for each job, a distance and a time, and you service when you hit whichever comes first. A car that only does short trips may reach the time limit long before the distance limit.

Typical intervals

These are common ranges, not rules. Always defer to your manual and your mechanic.

• Engine oil and oil filter: cars often run 5,000 to 10,000 km or 6 to 12 months, with synthetic oil at the longer end. Motorbikes commonly need oil changes more often, around 2,000 to 4,000 km.
• Air filter: roughly every 15,000 to 30,000 km, sooner on dusty roads.
• Brake pads: no fixed interval. Have them checked at every service and replace them when the lining is thin or you hear squealing.
• Brake fluid: often every two years, because it absorbs moisture over time.
• Coolant: commonly every two to five years, depending on the type.
• Tyres: rotate cars roughly every 8,000 to 10,000 km and check pressure monthly. Replace when the tread is worn or the tyre is cracked, whatever the age.
• Chain and sprockets (motorbikes): clean and lube every few hundred kilometres, and adjust tension as the manual describes.

When to service sooner

Manuals often include a "severe use" schedule. You probably fall into it if you mostly drive stop-and-go traffic, make many short trips, tow loads, ride in heavy rain or dust, or live somewhere very hot. In those conditions oil breaks down faster and filters clog sooner, so shorten the interval.

What to write down every time

• Date and odometer reading
• What was done: oil, filter, brake pads, tyres, anything else
• Cost, and who did the work
• The odometer reading when the next service is due

Five lines of notes saves arguments later. When a shop says the oil was changed "recently", you can check. When you sell the vehicle, a tidy history is one of the easiest ways to show it has been looked after.

Know your cost per kilometre

Add up fuel, servicing, tyres and repairs over a period, then divide by the distance driven. If you spent 3,000,000 on running costs and drove 2,000 km, your cost is 1,500 per kilometre. Tracking this over a year tells you whether a vehicle is still worth keeping, and it shows quickly when something starts costing more than usual.

A simple routine

1. Check tyre pressure, oil level and lights once a month.
2. Write the date and odometer reading after every service.
3. Set a reminder for the next service by both distance and date.
4. Replace worn parts early, before they damage other parts.