Buying a new car is an exciting time, but there needs to be a lot of research to make sure the one you end up with suits your needs and your budget requirements. A car can be fantastic but if one element to its existence is not to your expectations, that can sour it for you and give you ‘the ick’. Servicing your new car at least once per year is incredibly important, but how long will a new car service take?

In this article, we’re focusing on servicing within a warranty period. How long a new car logbook service can take to complete depends on the brand, the type of car, whether it uses petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric power and if anything else is needed during the service like a wheel alignment or a recall fix.

How long will my logbook car service take?

Obviously, this depends on a number of factors mentioned above, but as a general guide, a minor logbook service should only take a few hours at most.

A major service, however, can take most of the working day or longer, depending on the car and if any other work is needed. We advise asking the dealership or workshop chosen to perform the servicing as to how long it’ll take.

Can I book my car’s logbook service at short notice?

Absolutely not. While some dealerships and service centres may have cancelled bookings that you can take advantage of, book your car in at least a few weeks before it’s due.

Service centres need to budget for the parts required, staff needed and a whole number of other factors that work on sufficient booking notice from customers.

Plus, the further out you book, the more chance there is in getting a loan car to use while your car is being serviced.

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What does a minor logbook car service include?

The biggest item during a minor logbook service is replacing the engine oil and the oil filter, as well as testing the 12V battery to ensure that it’s still holding charge.

Checking the brakes and topping up brake fluid and inspecting and maybe rotating the tyres is performed as well, while also testing the car’s major functions: the lights, steering, suspension, wipers and heating and ventilation system.

More checks are performed under the bonnet, including the air, fuel and pollen filters, the leads and spark plugs, belts, hoses and exhaust. Finally, topping up or changing fluids such as engine coolant, transmission fluid and windscreen washing fluids as required is also part of a minor service.

The above is for a standard petrol car and more may be needed, depending on the car being serviced. For example, if it’s a hybrid or EV, it may need a battery and electric motor checking, as well as checking the high voltage system and charging ability.

What does a major logbook car service include?

In addition to what’s performed in a minor service, a major service then adds a number of items such as fully changing the fluids and oils and checking performance.

A wheel alignment and suspension check is necessary. Depending on age, replacing certain parts such as timing belts, filters, hoses, spark plugs and brakes can be undertaken too.

How much does logbook servicing cost?

This depends on what type of car is being serviced, as well as what type of propulsion it uses, how often it needs servicing and how many km it’s travelled.

As a general guide for mainstream brands, a five year service cost up to around 80,000km can range from under $1000 for a new Honda to almost $4000 for brands like Volkswagen.

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Some brands offer a service plan that can be purchased with the car or before its first service to lessen the cost of ownership and/or help budget running costs by building servicing into car repayments.

How often should I service my new car?

Generally, most new cars require being serviced annually or every 15,000km (whichever comes first). But there are many exceptions to that rule, including some cars in the Toyota range that require servicing every six months, but many electric vehicles don’t need to see a dealership for two years.

As always, confirm a vehicle’s specific requirements with the car’s service manual, manufacturer or the dealership.