Answer · Comparison
What is the difference between a car service and an MOT?
An MOT is a legally required annual roadworthiness test with a pass or fail result, carried out at an approved test centre. A service is preventative maintenance: oil, filters, fluids and wear checks, on a schedule set by the manufacturer, with no pass or fail. You need both, and one does not replace the other.
An MOT tells you your car met a minimum legal standard on the day of the test. A service is what keeps it above that standard for the rest of the year. Cars that are serviced on schedule fail their MOT far less often, because the items that most commonly cause a failure, brakes, tyres, lights and visibility, are all checked as part of a service.
| Full service | From £199 + VAT, about 90 minutes |
|---|---|
| Interim service | From £145 + VAT, about an hour |
| Major service | From £230 + VAT, about two hours |
| Oil change | From £120 + VAT, about 45 minutes |
| Where | Your driveway at home or work, Monday to Saturday |
| Prices | Fixed before booking, excluding VAT |
What is the difference between a car service and an MOT — in more detail
An MOT tells you your car met a minimum legal standard on the day of the test. A service is what keeps it above that standard for the rest of the year. Cars that are serviced on schedule fail their MOT far less often, because the items that most commonly cause a failure, brakes, tyres, lights and visibility, are all checked as part of a service.
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