Car Servicing Singapore: How Often? How Much? Where?

Car servicing is an essential part in keeping your vehicle running smoothly, but it is often overlooked due to various factors. We'll explain to you why regular car servicing is a good habit to adopt.

Like all machinery, proper servicing and maintenance will extend the vehicle's lifespan and ensure that it will run optimally. Plus, regular car servicing ensures that a problem is realised and dealt with before developing into a full-blown breakdown which requires excess repair costs.

It is a simple practice, but it also ensures that your vehicle is safe for driving.

So how often should you service your vehicle?

As the general rule of thumb, you should be sending your vehicle in for basic servicing every 10,000km mileage clocked or every 6 months, whichever comes first. Additionally, at every 40,000km, it is a good practice to send your car in for a major service as well.

These figures are just a guideline, and each vehicle will vary depending on different factors such as:

• Vehicle's age
• Vehicle's total mileage
• Service history
• Emergency breakdown or faults

For drivers who clock long distances daily, a more frequent visit to a workshop is in order. The more a vehicle is used, the more likely it is to develop problems. Therefore, precautionary servicing should be performed accordingly.

The vehicle's owner manual is a good source to consult regarding your car's ideal servicing frequency. However, the manual will only include general guidelines, and may not be an accurate representation of your car's actual usage.

It is still best to consult a reputable professional, as they can provide you with the best advice for your vehicle.

For most brand new cars, they often come with strict servicing schedules from the respective dealership, hence customers are given ample notices to inform them that their car needs to be sent in.

Most vehicles would also come with decals given by dealers or workshops, denoting the total mileage the vehicle can clock before needing its next service.

Car servicing costs in Singapore

Typically, a routine car service can cost about S$100 or more, depending on mileage and the services the vehicle requires.

There are plenty of workshops that offer their services in packages. It tends to be cheaper and may offer extra benefits, depending on the workshop that you visit.

A well-known German brand, Audi, offers service packages for all of its Audi models. Apart from the required services such as oil changes, their service packages also entitle you to treats such as complimentary car washes!

Other workshops may also have promotions or partnerships with various manufacturers. This means that their prices can be more competitive, which equates to savings for the end-user.

In the case of new vehicles, dealerships will tend to recommend you to have it serviced with them to ensure a quality service.

Where should you service your car at?

With so many cars on our roads, there’s bound to be an abundance of workshops in the country too right? The answer is yes, there are! There are plenty of workshops scattered throughout the country, mainly clustered in industrial districts such as:

• Ubi
• Yio Chu Kang
• Sin Ming
• Bukit Batok
• Woodlands
• Redhill

Rest assured, you don’t have to go out of your way to find a shop to service your vehicle at. It’s really easy to find a good workshop within the vicinity of your residence, or somewhere that is at least more convenient than travelling halfway across the country.

However, instead of just heading down to the nearest workshop, you should also keep a lookout for service centres that specialises in your particular car brand and/or model. For example, Borneo Motors specializes in Toyota and Lexus vehicles, as they are the main authorised distributor for these brands.

Key components when you send your car in for servicing

When sending your vehicle in for servicing, these are the main components you should take note of.

As a rule of thumb, your car might not require all of these services each time you send your car for maintenance. However it is good to at least get acquainted with the different processes.

Engine Oil

Oil is an essential component of any engine, serving as a lubricant in order for your engine parts to run smoothly. Engine oil generally falls under two categories - synthetic and non-synthetic.

Synthetic oils usually last longer, being able to last about 10,000km before requiring a change, while non-synthetic oils last about 5,000km.

It is also good to take note of what kind of oil your vehicle requires, as different vehicles require different grades of oil in order to function optimally.

Oil Filter

This filter prevents unwanted dirt or particles from entering the engine and should be replaced whenever you change the vehicle's engine oil. If the filter isn't changed, excess gunk can accumulate inside your vehicle.

Spark Plugs

Spark plugs are a key component for creating combustion in the engine, and thus powering your car. The number of spark plugs varies in each vehicle, and their lifespan also depends on their manufacturing quality, with better quality ones being able to last up to 40,000km.

Auto Transmission Fluid (ATF)

This fluid is found in your vehicle's transmission and needs to be changed every 25,000km to 30,000km. Additionally, it is also good to flush the transmission every 50,000km. Flushing is a term where ATF oil is used to dissolve dirt and clean the gearbox.

Power Steering Fluid

This fluid reduces the weight of the steering wheel when turning, and needs to be changed every 30,000km. This fluid will also need to be flushed every 50,000km.

Brake Pads & Brake Fluid

Brakes are arguably the most important component of a car as they help bring your car to a stop. Brake pads will wear out over time, so when is it time to change them?

A good indication is when you start hearing screeching noises while braking. That usually means there is roughly about 20% of your brake pads left, and you should get them replaced immediately. If you continue to use the worn-out pads, it might result in your brake discs getting damaged.

Different brake pads wear at different rates depending on your driving style, so it's good to get them checked periodically and swapped if necessary.

Brake fluid is another component that provides your vehicle with optimal braking performance. You should get this changed every 60,000km.

Tyres (Rotation, Balancing and Alignment)

In most situations, the front tyres tend to wear out a lot faster due to braking, thus you should rotate them at every 10,000 km. By rotating the tyres, all 4 tyres will wear out evenly so that you do not have to change different tyres prematurely, prolonging the life of each set.

Each set of tyres generally can last between 30,000 km to 40,000 km. It is dangerous to operate a vehicle with worn tyres, as factors such as braking and cornering are severely compromised, and this can potentially be life-threatening in the event the vehicle loses control.

It is also necessary to align your set of wheels once in a while. If the wheel alignment is off, one side of your vehicle's tyre may wear out faster, resulting in uneven wear. When you let go of your steering wheel along a straight road and the car starts to shift to one side immediately, that's a telltale sign that your tyres need aligning.

Air Filter

The air filter is used to remove dust particles from the air that enters the engine for combustion. It is a good practice to swap out your air filter once a year or so.

Overall, vehicle servicing should be a habit picked up by all motorists to keep their vehicles in the best state possible throughout their lifespan. It can be a costly expenditure, but it really does pay off in the long run!

We recently launched our Motor Directory feature, which allows you to find reliable workshops for car servicing, maintenance, detailing and much more. Customers can make enquiries for the services they require, and the workshops will get in touch directly with them to answer any questions they might have. You can even read authentic reviews and testimonials from its customers. That way, you can decide which workshop is best suited for your needs.

If cost is a concern of yours, may we suggest using our new QR payment system called mPay. Available through the Motorist App, mPay allows you to earn instant discounts and cashback whenever you complete a transaction at any workshop found in our Motor Directory. To use mPay, simply scan the mPay QR code at any of our mPay merchants and make payment. You will enjoy a discount for your first transaction, as well as cashback, which you can use upon your returning visit to the same merchant.

To find out more about our Motor Directory and mPay features, please read the following article.

Read More: 5 Recommended Detailing Workshops in Singapore

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