You ring up to book a service and the first thing you are asked is which one you want. Nobody explains the question, so most people guess. The short answer is that a logbook service follows the list your manufacturer wrote, a standard service follows the workshop’s own, and which you need comes down mostly to whether the car is still under warranty.
You get out of the car after a short trip and something smells hot. One wheel is far warmer than the others, but the brake pedal feels exactly as it always has. That combination usually points at a sticking brake caliper, and it will eat a set of pads and a disc while the pedal keeps telling you everything is fine.
You booked a service, and at the counter you were told the car would benefit from an engine flush or a fuel system clean on top. Neither one is scheduled maintenance, and a car serviced on time usually needs neither. Here is what each job involves, when it earns its money, and the three questions worth asking before you say yes.
Not sure if your car has a timing belt or a chain? How to tell, when a belt is due, and why getting it wrong can wreck your engine.
A stamped logbook isn’t proof a car was serviced. Here’s how a mechanic tells a genuine service history from a faked one before you buy.
New car warranty inspection: what to check before coverage ends, from service history and warning lights to leaks, brakes and aircon.
Weak car AC? Learn when a car aircon regas helps, what it may cost, and when leak testing or repairs should come first.
Do you need new brake rotors or just pads? Learn how mechanics decide, what rotors should measure, and what brake repairs may cost.
The faults a pre-purchase inspection catches on most used cars. Common ones, expensive ones, and what a Cheltenham workshop checks before you buy.
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