An interim service, a full service and a major service differ in what gets checked and replaced. Here's what each covers, and how to choose.
Garages use these three names for different levels of service, but they don't mean exactly the same thing from one garage to the next, and none of them replaces your car's own schedule. Here's how to tell what you're paying for.
The short version
| Service | Typically every | Main focus |
|---|---|---|
| Interim | 6 months or around 6,000 miles | Oil and filter, fluid levels and essential safety checks |
| Full | 12 months or around 12,000 miles | Everything in an interim service, plus filters and a far more thorough inspection |
| Major | 24 months or around 24,000 miles | Everything in a full service, plus longer-interval items such as spark plugs, fuel filter and brake fluid |
Those intervals are common guidelines, not rules. Your car's own service schedule always comes first.
Interim service
A mid-year check for cars covering a lot of miles, or working hard. It usually includes:
- engine oil and oil filter change;
- checks and top-ups of coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid and screenwash;
- brakes, tyres, lights, wipers and suspension checked for obvious wear or damage;
- a check underneath for leaks.
It suits high mileage, towing, lots of short stop-start journeys, or anyone who wants a check between annual services.
Full service
The annual, all-round service most cars need. On top of the interim items it typically adds:
- air filter, and the pollen (cabin) filter where due;
- a detailed brake inspection, including disc and pad measurements;
- steering, suspension, exhaust, driveshafts and bodywork inspected;
- battery and charging system tested;
- a diagnostic scan for stored fault codes;
- the service record updated.
Major service
Usually every other year, or at higher mileages. Everything in a full service, plus the parts that wear more slowly:
- spark plugs on petrol engines;
- the fuel filter, particularly on diesels;
- brake fluid, which most manufacturers replace on a time basis;
- coolant, where the schedule calls for it.
Some items have their own intervals and are quoted separately, including cambelts and gearbox fluid. Our guide to automatic gearbox servicing explains why gearbox fluid gets overlooked.
Garage service or manufacturer schedule?
Most modern cars have a manufacturer's schedule, often shown on the dashboard. Following it, with parts and oils to the right specification, is what protects your warranty and resale value. The interim, full and major structure fills the gaps between those visits; it doesn't replace them.
For premium cars the schedule is especially specific. See our guides to Land Rover and Range Rover, Jaguar, Porsche and Bentley servicing.
Is a service the same as an MOT?
No. An MOT is a legal check of roadworthiness and emissions on the day, and nothing is replaced as part of it. A service is maintenance. Many people book both together to save a trip: see why cars fail their MOT.
Which should you choose?
- Low mileage, mostly longer journeys: a full service each year, with a major service when the schedule calls for it.
- High mileage, towing or short trips: add an interim service in between.
- Just bought a used car with unclear history: start with a major service, so you know where you stand.
Servicing at Mitsiland
We carry out interim, full and major car servicing, often alongside on-site MOT testing, for all makes, and we specialise in Land Rover, Range Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Porsche, Bentley and Mitsubishi. We'll explain what's due, and what it costs, before any work starts.
Mitsiland is an independent specialist at Tameside Business Park, 4 Windmill Lane, Denton, Manchester M34 3QS. Call 0161 320 7788 or book online.
