Car Service Schedule by Age: Full Guide 

A car's needs change as it ages. This guide explains how to map maintenance to years and mileage so you can plan costs, protect warranties and avoid avoidable wear. It gives a practical car service timeline in the UK that complements the handbook for your model and the advice from a trusted garage. 

How Manufacturers Define Servicing 

Every manufacturer publishes a service schedule for each engine and gearbox. Two variables matter most: time and distance. Most cars follow either fixed intervals, usually one year or 10,000 to 12,000 miles, or variable intervals where onboard sensors estimate oil life.  

Expect three tiers of work. Interim (oil and filter plus checks), full (additional filters and inspections) and major (time-based items such as brake fluid or coolant). Many brands now keep a digital service record. Ask your garage to update it. 

0 to 3 Years: Protect the Warranty 

In the early years, the priority is to follow the schedule precisely. Use the correct oil grade, keep invoices, and ensure software updates are applied. Budget for an annual service and a brake fluid change at two years on many marques. Check tyres for even wear and age, not just tread depth. If replacements are due, compare options and sizes before booking. New cars are sensitive to wheel alignment, so have the alignment checked after kerb strikes or potholes. 

3 to 6 Years: Expand Inspections 

Once out of warranty, your car has seen several winters. Add a cabin filter every one to two years for demist performance and clean air. Inspect pollen filter housings for leaves and moisture. Many petrol engines need spark plugs at four to six years, depending on material. Diesel fuel filters are often time-based and help protect injectors. Brake discs may corrode at the inner edge, so ask for a wheel off check. Coolant changes vary by brand, so follow the handbook. Batteries lose capacity now, especially with frequent short trips. 

7 to 10 Years: Tackle Age-Related Wear 

By this stage, rubber parts harden and suspension geometry drifts. Look for worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers and cracked springs. Exhaust back boxes can corrode at seams. Brake hoses and lines deserve a careful inspection, particularly around clips and wheel arches. Automatic gearboxes that claim "sealed for life" often benefit from fluid and filter changes by time rather than miles. Cooling systems age from the inside, so replace swollen hoses and tired radiator caps. If your model has a timing belt, this is a common replacement window. 

10 Years and Beyond: Prevent Problems Early 

Older vehicles reward shorter gaps between checks. Build a vehicle age service plan with your trusted garage, then review it annually. Look for rust at subframe mounts and sills. Wheel bearings, engine mounts and thermostats can fail quietly and then suddenly. Thermostat faults often show up as slow warm up or poor cabin heat. Consider an annual brake fluid change on cars used infrequently. Use a coolant strength tester before winter and flush if contamination is present. 

How Protyre Can Help 

Protyre is the local garage you can trust, with more than 180 sites nationwide. The team can align a service to vehicle age, advise on tyres, brakes and exhausts, and carry out MOTs alongside maintenance so you visit once. You can choose a convenient location and book servicing, wheel alignment or an MOT from our garage page. If tyres are required, your chosen centre can fit brands such as Pirelli, balance and dispose of the old set while you wait. 

Service Schedule by Age: Quick Reference 

• Year 1 to 3: annual service, brake fluid at year 2 on many models, wheel alignment check after impacts, cabin filter if demist is weak. 

• Year 4 to 6: annual service, spark plugs on applicable petrols, fuel filter on many diesels, coolant by handbook, battery test. 

• Year 7 to 10: annual service, timing belt on belt driven engines, gearbox oil where recommended, suspension and brake pipe inspection. 

• 10 plus: shorter inspection gaps, hoses, mounts and bearings watched closely, fluids tested by condition. 

Frequently Asked Questions