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Scheduled service or basic service: what is the difference?
A scheduled service is done according to the car manufacturer's service schedule: the schedule tells you when the service is due and what is replaced and checked each time. A basic service is a smaller package that covers oil, filters and checks. We do both on our own premises, but they cannot be booked online: the price is agreed by quote.
The difference at a glance
| Scheduled service | Basic service | |
|---|---|---|
| Based on | The manufacturer's service schedule | Not tied to the manufacturer's schedule |
| What is done | The replacements and checks set for that particular service in the schedule | Oil, filters and checks |
| When | When the schedule's mileage or time limit is reached | When you want the basics sorted, for example between services |
| Price | price on request | price on request |
What a scheduled service means
The manufacturer has drawn up a service schedule for each model and engine. The service interval is usually given both in kilometres and as a period of time, and the service is due when whichever limit comes first is reached. In a car that is driven little, the time limit is often reached before the kilometres.
Not every service is the same. One time only the oil and filter are changed and the checks done; another time the service may also include, for example, replacing the brake fluid, the spark plugs or the timing belt. That is why the content and price of a scheduled service depend on which service your car is due for.
You will find your own car's schedule in the service book or the owner's manual. In many cars the next service is also shown in the instrument cluster.
What a basic service means
A basic service focuses on the things that wear in every car: the engine oil, the filters and the general condition. It does not follow a particular manufacturer's schedule but takes care of the basics.
A basic service suits, for example, a situation where some time has passed since the last oil change but the next scheduled service is still to come. If you only need an oil change, you can also have it on its own (Oil change). How city driving affects the oil change interval is covered in our article on oil and filters in city driving.
Which suits you
- The dashboard reminds you that a service is due, or the service book says it is time: a scheduled service.
- An oil change is due, but the next service in the schedule is not: a basic service or just an oil change.
- The car has a symptom, such as an odd noise or a warning light: mention it when you ask for a quote. Fixing faults is a separate job (Repairs).
How to ask for a quote
Call or send a message and tell us the car's registration number, make and model, the mileage and which service you are asking about. If you know which service in the schedule is due, tell us that too.
We are on level P1 of the Lauttis shopping centre, Lauttasaarentie 28. As a customer you park free for two hours, or for your whole visit if your services cost over €350. Ask at the counter to have your parking validated.
Ask for a service quote
Scheduled service and Basic service: price by quote. Servicing cannot be booked online.