Can you service your own car?
Get the details on how to service your own car in our guide
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By Tia Harrison-North
Last updated: 20 October 2025
If you want to know the answer to ‘can you service your own car?’ - you’re in the right place. Learning how to service your car yourself isn’t too difficult, but you must remember it doesn’t count as an ‘official’ service and does come with some drawbacks.
We wouldn’t recommend you service your own car unless you’re an expert, but if you’re set on giving it a go, here’s what you need to remember.
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Can you service your own car?
It is technically legal to do your own car servicing, but it won’t count as an ‘official’ stamp on your service record.
The main reason why most people service their own car is because it’s cheaper. You might already have tools on hand, and you might have some oil and coolant leftover for future top-ups.
It’s a practical option to service your own car as well. You can do it on your own driveway, won’t need to book in at a garage, and won’t need to figure out how to get back to pick it up (or wait around).
The issue with servicing your own car is that you’re likely not an expert. You won’t spot the same problems a trained technician would find, and that can lead to more problems later on.
You also can’t tell future buyers that the car has a full service history. The most you can do is save receipts from any parts you buy for the service, and hope this gives the buyer peace of mind.
DIY servicing can also be dangerous, and not just because you’re tinkering with heavy machinery. If you miss a fault or don’t properly put all the parts back in place, you could be risking an accident on the road.
Unless you’re properly trained, you might not have the eagle eye for testing tyres or brakes like a pro.
Professional mechanics have the tools and knowledge to do your service to a high standard, and it will count toward your servicing history.
They should be insured as well so you’ll be covered for any accidents during the process.
Another thing to consider is your warranty. You might be required to have your car serviced with the manufacturer or dealer to keep your warranty valid. Skipping a service or attempting it yourself can invalidate your warranty.
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Is it worth servicing your own car?
So, while servicing your own car might seem straightforward, it can cause some issues. You should probably consider:
Will servicing your own car invalidate your warranty?
Are you okay with losing some resale value?
Can you really be bothered to do it yourself?
Do you have the know-how to do it properly?
Do you know what to do if something goes wrong?
What’s included in a car service?
What’s included in your car service will depend on the type of servicing you choose. We offer standard and major car services at cinch and Marshall Stores, as well as standalone oil and filter changes.
A standard service is the most common type and should be scheduled every 12,000 miles or 12 months. These include:
Oil and filter change
Fluid top ups like screen wash
Essential health checks
Book a car service at cinch
That’s a lot to digest, but the main thing to remember is that while you can service your own car – that doesn’t mean you should.
There are aspects of servicing that you can do yourself and add to your maintenance schedule with no problems, like coolant top ups.
The best thing you can do for your car is book in for a car service with trained professionals.
If you fancy it, you can book in for a service at one of our stores across the country. We also offer MOTs, for hybrid, electric and combustion cars to ensure you maximise resale value and meet any warranty conditions.
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