Car maintenance schedule

Start with the handbook

Every car has its own service schedule. The handbook or the service book gives the oil grade, the service interval and the mileage at which the manufacturer wants inspections. The intervals below are common starting points, not a replacement for that book.

Oil and filter

Many modern cars on full synthetic oil go 10,000 miles or 12 months between oil and filter changes, whichever comes first. Older engines, conventional oil and “severe” use (short trips, towing, dust, lots of idling) often need 5,000 miles or 6 months. The dashboard service indicator is part of the same system; do not ignore it.

Tyres

Rotate the tyres every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, or as the handbook says. Check the pressures monthly when the tyres are cold, including the spare. Look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear each time; a pull to one side or a vibration is a reason to check the alignment and the tyres sooner.

Brakes

Have the brakes inspected at least once a year, at the annual service, and sooner if you hear a squeal or grinding, feel a vibration through the pedal, or the car pulls to one side under braking. The MOT checks braking performance every year, but it is not a substitute for a pad and disc inspection.

The MOT

In Great Britain a car’s first MOT is due by the third anniversary of first registration, then every year. You can test up to a month minus a day before the expiry and keep the renewal date; testing earlier changes the next expiry to one year minus a day from the test date. The page when is my first MOT due works out both dates, and the official checker is the place to confirm a real car.

What changes the schedule

Mileage is the biggest factor. A car that covers 20,000 miles a year will reach the mileage limits long before the time limits; a car that covers 4,000 miles a year still needs the time-based oil change and the annual inspection. Towing, roof boxes, stop-start traffic, dust and very short journeys all count as harder use. Electric and hybrid cars have fewer fluid changes but still need tyres, brakes, the cabin filter and the MOT.

What the app adds

The app keeps the car’s jobs beside the home, garden and pet jobs, with a ring for each one. It can hold the model, serial number, purchase date, retailer and warranty end date, and it reminds you 30 days before the warranty ends. The MOT itself is not in the app’s ready-made vehicle list, so add it as your own yearly job, or use the MOT page here for the date.