Are Car Service Plans Worth The Investment?

Regular car servicing is a crucial step to maintaining the long-term health of your car and your wallet. But many car owners don’t see a point in servicing and use the annual MOT test as an examination to check their car faults or wait until any components stop working so that they visit a garage Watford to repair or replace the part. 

Why Does My Car Need A Service?

The car owner doesn’t see the need for servicing and uses the annual MOT Test to examine their car for any problems or wait for the time when anything goes wrong in their car so that they can fix it. The logic behind this mindset is that why pay money on something that is working perfectly? But as same as the health of your body, prevention is much better than a cure.

The MOT test only ensures your vehicle is legal to drive on the road but nothing more. Getting a MOT pass certificate is no guarantee that your vehicle's overall health is good enough. 

Scheduled service based on a car's age, the number of miles your car covers and the way your car is been used will not only save you money in the long run by reducing the cost of big repair bills, but it will also maintain the value of your car. For example, if you are buying a used car, wouldn’t you want one that has been served every 12,000 miles without failure? Of course, you want that car.

What Is A Service Plan?

Instead of paying every time you visit the servicing centre for servicing your car, a service plan guarantees certain elements of servicing are performed over a set period for a fixed price. On most new cars, this is often a lump sum package into the cost of the price, or you can purchase your own service plan for older cars from different service providers, either on a monthly basis or as a lump sum.

Is A Service Plan Worth The Investment?

If you don’t like the hassle of paying big bills it can be a sensible option for you, allowing you to divide the cost of servicing into a monthly payment as you might also do with car insurance. Many plans provide annual MOT tests, so up to a point you plan servicing costs over many years.

The only condition to this comes in the small print, and what is and is not covered whiting the package price. There is a high chance you will have to pay for the replacement of some consumable items if they are identified as needing attention during a planned service, such as worn tyres, or brake discs, so you need to take this into account.

Are Dealer Service Plans Worth It?

A dealer service plan provided by the dealership where you purchased your does come with some extra benefits. If you bought a new vehicle from a dealer and they offer a service plan on it, you should take your time to think before considering it.  

Most new car buyers will prefer a franchised dealer for servicing their car to keep the service history and maintain its values. Servicing your car from a franchised dealer reassures you of manufacturer standards and parts, so it can make sense to buy this package upfront and add it to the purchase cost.

The same case also applies if you have bought a used vehicle, helping to maintain a good service record and maximising the potential retail value of the vehicle. Most of the manufacturer service plans can be transferable to the next owner.

The other side of this is that dealer servicing is the most expensive way to get your car serviced. A service plan may save you more money then to standard franchised dealership servicing but there is no guarantee. It is important to take some time and calculate the costs before opting for this option. In general dealer servicing plans include consumable items and they cost more to replace at the dealership compared to elsewhere. 

In the end, it is for you to decide if getting your car serviced at a dealership is important for you and if so whether they offer service plans it is better to have sufficient savings upfront. If you don’t mind where your car is serviced then servicing from an independent garage will save you more money. 

How Much Does A Service Cost?

In general, You can expect to pay between £50 and £80 for a minor service and £100 and £200 for a full or major service. The cost will vary depending on where you live, the size of the service and the vehicle you own. High-performance cars and larger engine vehicles tend to cost more for service. It is always worth looking around for quotes and comparing prices and service items to ensure you get the best price possible.

What Kinds Of Car Servicing Are Available?

Different garages may offer types of Car Service Watford with their own names, but they will generally be either a minor or interim service and a major or full service. In simple words, you should alternate between the two so that your car goes through service once a year or every 12,000 miles.