Most car owners either service too rarely or too often. Here’s how to get it right.
If you’ve ever typed “how often should you service your car” into Google, you’ve probably come back with a handful of different answers. Six months. Ten thousand kilometres. Twelve months. Every fifteen thousand clicks. It gets confusing fast, and that confusion is costing Aussie drivers real money.
The truth is, how often you should service your car depends on your vehicle, how you drive it, and the conditions it lives in every day. For drivers in Croydon and across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, where stop-start suburban traffic is the norm, getting this right matters more than you might think.
At Arnpro Automotive, we’ve been looking after cars in Croydon for over 30 years. We’ve seen firsthand what happens when service intervals get pushed out too far, and we want to give you a straight answer.
How Often Should You Service Your Car? The General Rule
In Australia, the general rule of thumb is to get your vehicle serviced every 10,000 km or every six months, whichever comes first. A major service, which is a more thorough check, is generally recommended every 30,000 to 45,000 km or every 24 months.
That said, this is a starting point, not a hard-and-fast rule. Your logbook, your driving habits, and your vehicle type all shape the actual answer for your car.
And ignoring the question entirely is more common than you’d think. According to Youi’s 2024 Car Care and Costs report, which surveyed more than 2,000 Australian motorists, over one-third of car owners are currently delaying a service. Of those, 73 per cent say cost is the main reason they’re putting it off.
The irony? Skipping a service almost always costs more in the long run.
Logbook Service vs. Mechanic Advice: What’s the Difference?
Your logbook outlines the service schedule set by the manufacturer. It’s there to keep your warranty intact and your car running the way it was designed to. But here’s something worth knowing: some manufacturer intervals have been stretched over the years, partly to make ownership look cheaper and more convenient on paper.
A logbook service is not the same thing as a manufacturer saying your car only needs attention once a year. It’s a minimum, not a ceiling.
Experienced mechanics often recommend more frequent checks, particularly for:
- Older vehicles that have more wear and tear on components
- Cars doing lots of short trips and city driving
- Vehicles that haven’t had a consistent service history
- Any used vehicle where the previous owner’s habits are unknown
Under Australian Consumer Law, you’re not obligated to have your new car serviced by a particular dealership during the factory warranty period. You can choose any licensed workshop, as long as the work is performed in accordance with the manufacturer’s standards.
So if you’ve been told you have to go back to the dealer to keep your vehicle warranty, that’s not accurate. A qualified mechanic at an independent workshop can handle your logbook service and keep that warranty protection in place.
How Your Driving Habits Affect Your Service Schedule
This is the part most people don’t think about, but it’s one of the most important factors.
Not all kilometres are equal. Short trips around Croydon and the surrounding Melbourne suburbs are actually harder on an engine than long highway runs. Here’s why:
- Short trips don’t give the engine time to fully warm up. Oil doesn’t circulate properly, moisture builds up in the system, and components wear faster.
- Stop-start traffic on roads like Maroondah Highway and Canterbury Road puts consistent strain on your engine, brakes, and transmission.
- Cold starts cause more wear than any other type of driving, especially in Melbourne winters.
- Towing increases load on the engine, transmission, and cooling system significantly.
If your daily drive involves lots of stop-start city driving in and around Melbourne, you should consider servicing more often than the standard interval suggests. The stop-start nature of suburban commuting accelerates wear and tear in ways that longer country drives simply don’t.
A good mechanic will assess your driving habits and give you a realistic service schedule based on your car’s actual use, not just the calendar.
Service Intervals by Vehicle Type
Different cars have different needs. Here’s a practical breakdown:
| Vehicle Type | Recommended Service Interval |
| Modern petrol (synthetic oil) | Every 10,000–15,000 km or 12 months |
| Older petrol vehicles | Every 5,000–10,000 km or every 6 months |
| Diesel vehicles | Every 10,000 km or 6 months (DPF-equipped: monitor closely) |
| European makes and models | Follow manufacturer spec precisely, often every 15,000–30,000 km |
| Turbocharged engines | More frequent oil changes recommended |
| Used vehicle (unknown history) | Service immediately, then assess from there |
A few notes on specific vehicle types:
- Diesel vehicles with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) need particular attention. Lots of city driving, where the engine doesn’t reach full temperature, can cause DPF blockages. Left too long, this can become an expensive repair.
- European vehicles often have extended intervals from the manufacturer, but those intervals are designed for European driving conditions and European-spec fuel. Here in Melbourne, many European car specialists recommend tighter service schedules.
- Older or high-mileage vehicles benefit from a minor service every six months or every 5,000 km. The older a vehicle is, the more important it is to catch issues early.
The “It Looks Fine” Trap: Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
One of the most common things we hear before a costly repair is: “But it seemed fine.”
Here’s the thing: most of the fluids and components that cause serious damage don’t give obvious warning signs. Engine oil that looks clean can still be degraded and offering little protection. Coolant, brake fluid, and transmission fluid all start to degrade invisibly over time. Old spark plugs don’t always misfire before they cause real damage. Air filters get blocked gradually. Hoses crack from the inside out.
A 2025 Canstar survey of 2,700 Australian car owners found that 57 per cent had postponed or skipped a scheduled car service. A quarter of those surveyed admitted to neglecting safety-related repairs, including brake pads and tyres.
Here are some signs you shouldn’t ignore between services:
- Dashboard warning lights (even the minor-looking ones)
- Unusual engine noise, especially on cold starts
- Vibration through the steering wheel or brake pedal
- Pulling to one side under braking
- Drop in fuel efficiency
- Fluid spots under the car overnight
- Low tyre pressure or uneven tyre wear
- Burning smell after driving
If you notice any of these, don’t wait until your next service is due. Book an inspection.
Servicing Saves You Money: Here’s the Honest Picture
Regular servicing is one of the most effective ways to avoid expensive repairs down the track. It’s not just something mechanics say to keep you coming back. It’s genuinely how car maintenance works.
Think of it this way: a gasket that starts to fail is a manageable fix when caught early. Left too long, it can cause engine damage that runs into thousands. Old spark plugs and dirty air filters reduce fuel efficiency and put stress on the engine over time. A brake fluid flush is a minor service item. Brake system failure is not.
Canstar’s director of data insights put it plainly: delaying a scheduled service when your car seems perfectly fine might seem harmless, but regular check-ups can help identify safety issues and prevent much bigger, more expensive problems down the track.
Servicing also protects your car’s resale value. A full service history is one of the first things a buyer checks, and gaps in that history reduce what you can expect at sale time.
What Arnpro Recommends for Croydon Drivers
After more than 30 years of servicing cars across Croydon and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, here’s the honest framework we give every customer:
As a starting point:
- Service your car every 10,000 km or every six months, whichever comes first
- If you’re doing a lot of short trips, city driving, or stop-start commuting in Melbourne, consider servicing more often
- Follow your logbook service schedule if your car is under warranty, and don’t let anyone tell you it needs to go back to the dealer
Ask yourself:
- How old is my car, and what’s the age and mileage situation?
- Do I mostly do short trips or longer highway runs?
- Is my car running smoothly, or have I noticed any changes?
- When was the last time someone checked my tyre pressure, coolant, and brake fluid?
And remember: a minor service every six months is far cheaper than a major repair every few years. If you’re not sure when your next service is due, or you’re buying a used vehicle and don’t know its history, the safest option is to book an inspection and let a qualified mechanic give you a clear picture.
We don’t upsell services you don’t need. We explain every recommendation, show you what we find, and help you make an informed decision. That’s how we’ve kept Croydon and Melbourne drivers coming back for over three decades.
Not Sure When Your Car Is Due? Ask Arnpro
Getting your car serviced doesn’t have to be guesswork. If you’re a Croydon or Melbourne driver unsure about your service schedule, give us a call for a no-obligation chat, or book an inspection online.
We offer logbook servicing to keep your warranty intact and your car running smoothly, as well as a full range of repair and maintenance services to keep your car in good shape for the long haul.
Frequently Asked Questions
The general rule is every 10,000 km or six months, whichever comes first. If you do mainly short trips or city driving, more frequent servicing is recommended.
No. Any licensed mechanic can carry out your logbook service and keep your vehicle warranty valid, as long as the work meets manufacturer standards.
Fluids degrade, components wear faster, and small issues become expensive repairs. Regular maintenance is what keeps repair costs manageable over time.
It depends on your car and how you drive it. For newer cars with synthetic oil on highway-heavy routes, every 12 months may be fine. For city-heavy driving or older vehicles, every six months is safer.
A logbook service covers the items specified by your car's manufacturer at each scheduled interval, including oil and filter changes, fluid checks, brake inspections, tyre pressure checks, and a general safety check of your vehicle.