A major service is the full one. Engine oil and oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, cabin pollen filter, spark plugs on a petrol engine, and a check or top up of every fluid the car carries. Brake fluid, coolant, power steering, clutch fluid, screen wash. Then the multi-point inspection, which is where most of the real value sits.
The inspection covers brakes, tyres, suspension, exhaust, steering, drive belts, hoses, battery condition and every exterior light. We measure brake pad thickness and disc wear with a gauge instead of glancing at them through the wheel. We check tread depth across the full width of each tyre, because a tyre worn on the inner edge is telling you something about the alignment rather than about the tyre. You get the measurements, not a row of ticks.
Most manufacturers set the major interval somewhere between 15 000 and 20 000 km, or twelve months, whichever arrives first. Your service book has the exact figure for your model. In practice, short trips, gravel roads and heavy stop-start traffic all pull that interval shorter, because the oil never reaches operating temperature long enough to burn off moisture.
What affects the price. Oil is the biggest single variable. A modern turbo diesel needs a low-ash synthetic carrying a specific manufacturer approval, and while it costs more, the wrong oil will block a diesel particulate filter and turn a service into a much larger bill. Plug count and access come next. Four plugs across the top of a petrol four is straightforward. Six plugs with the inlet manifold off is several more hours. We quote against your registration, not against a generic car.
We fit parts that meet or exceed the manufacturer specification, and we stamp your service book. Under South Africa's Consumer Protection Act you may service your car outside the dealer network without losing the manufacturer warranty, provided the work is done to specification and properly recorded. Ask to see the parts before they go on and we will put them on the counter.
One thing worth saying plainly. If the inspection turns up something outside the service scope, worn discs or a leaking shock, we call you with the finding and a price. We do not add it to the bill and tell you afterwards.
Signs you need this looked at
- Service interval reached in the book or on the dash
- Twelve months since the last service, whatever the mileage
- Buying or selling the car and you want the history straight
- Long trip coming up
What moves the price
- 01
Oil specification and volume. A modern turbo diesel takes a low-ash synthetic to a named manufacturer approval
- 02
Spark plug count and access. Four plugs at the front of a petrol engine is not the same job as six with the manifold off
- 03
Whether the cabin and fuel filters are buried or accessible on your model
We quote your car against its registration rather than reading a price off a chart. You get the number before the work starts.
Common questions
Will a service here affect my manufacturer warranty?
Servicing outside the dealer network is permitted under the Consumer Protection Act as long as the correct specification parts are used and the work is recorded. We stamp the book and keep the invoice detailed enough to satisfy a warranty query.
How do I know whether I need a major or a minor service?
Check the interval in your service book against the odometer and the date of the last stamp. Call us with the make, model and mileage and we will tell you which one is due.