In short
- A car service plan lets you pay for your car's servicing in advance at a fixed price, so you know exactly what it will cost.
- CarServe plans cost £449 for 2 years or £597 for 3 years and include MOTs plus collection and delivery on every visit.
- You can pay in full online, pay CarServe monthly at 0% interest, or add the plan to your car finance through your dealer.
- A service plan covers routine servicing. It is not a warranty and doesn't pay for repairs.
- You can buy a plan online, through a dealership when you buy your car, or add it to your car finance. Work is carried out by CarServe's network of 600+ approved local garages.
What is a car service plan?
A car service plan is a way of paying for your car's scheduled servicing in advance, at a price fixed on the day you buy it.
Instead of facing a bill each time your car is due a service, you pay for a set number of services upfront or spread the cost over monthly payments. When a service is due, it's booked and carried out with nothing more to pay for the work the plan covers.
With a CarServe plan, every visit also includes collection and delivery: a local approved garage picks the car up from your home or work, carries out the service and brings it back.
How much does a car service plan cost?
CarServe service plans cost £449 for 2 years or £597 for 3 years, including VAT, MOTs and collection and delivery.
- 1 Major Service
- 1 Minor Service
- 2 MOTs
- Collection and delivery every visit
- 1 Major Service
- 2 Minor Services
- 3 MOTs
- Collection and delivery every visit
Three ways to pay
- Pay in full: £449 or £597 in one payment, online with GoCardless.
- Add it to your car finance: your dealer includes the plan in your car finance. Your finance provider's approval, interest rate and terms apply.
- Pay monthly with CarServe: 12 monthly payments by Direct Debit, 0% interest and no fees: £37.41 a month (final payment £37.49) for the 2-year plan, or £49.75 a month for the 3-year plan. The total is exactly the same as paying in full.
The price is fixed for the length of the plan, so it isn't affected if garage labour or parts prices rise in the meantime.
Is a car service plan worth it?
A service plan is usually worth it if you want predictable motoring costs, plan to keep your car for the length of the plan, and would otherwise put off servicing because of the cost.
Reasons it makes sense
- One fixed price, so no surprise service bills.
- Protected from price rises during the plan.
- MOTs included, worth up to £54.85 each at the government's maximum MOT fee.
- Collection and delivery means no time off work.
- A full service history helps when you come to sell the car.
Things to consider
- You commit to the plan. After the 14-day cooling-off period, your plan can't be cancelled and the full price remains payable.
- It covers servicing only, not repairs, tyres or wear parts.
- If you sell the car, the plan stays with the car rather than moving to your next one.
- Your first plan service is available from 9 months after the plan starts.
What's the difference between a service plan and a warranty?
A service plan pays for routine maintenance that you know your car will need. A warranty covers the cost of repairing parts that fail unexpectedly.
| Service plan | Warranty | |
|---|---|---|
| What it pays for | Scheduled servicing and, with CarServe, MOTs | Repairs to covered parts that break down |
| When you use it | At set intervals, when a service or MOT is due | Only if something goes wrong |
| Do you know the cost? | Yes, fixed when you buy it | Depends on what fails and the claim limits |
| Covers wear and tear? | No | Usually not |
Many drivers have both. Our services follow a fixed CarServe checklist, which may not include every item in your manufacturer's service schedule. If your car is under manufacturer warranty, check your service book; we can quote for any extra items your schedule needs. Parts and oil are to manufacturer specification.
What's the difference between a minor and a major service?
A minor service (often called an interim service) is a lighter check with an oil and filter change. A major service (often called a full service) adds new air and cabin filters and a more thorough inspection.
| Included | Minor Service | Major Service |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil and oil filter | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brakes, steering and suspension checks | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tyres, battery, lights, wipers and horn | ✓ | ✓ (full safety inspection) |
| Fluid top-ups | ✓ | ✓ (including cooling system) |
| Air filter | ✓ | |
| Pollen (cabin) filter | ✓ | |
| New sump plug washer | ✓ | |
| Spark plugs checked | ✓ (replacement quoted if due) |
Parts and oil are to manufacturer specification. If a brake fluid change is needed, it may be an extra cost and is always quoted first.
Electric cars: EV Minor and EV Major services
Electric cars have no engine oil, oil filter, air filter or spark plugs, so they get an EV service instead. It focuses on the battery, the high-voltage system and the parts that work harder on a heavier car, like brakes and tyres.
| Included | EV Minor Service | EV Major Service |
|---|---|---|
| High-voltage battery health check | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diagnostic fault-code scan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Charging socket and cable | ✓ (socket) | ✓ (socket and cable) |
| Brakes, steering and suspension checks | ✓ | ✓ (brakes cleaned) |
| Tyres, lights, wipers and horn | ✓ | ✓ (full safety inspection) |
| 12V battery test | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fluid top-ups | ✓ | ✓ (including battery and motor coolant level) |
| High-voltage cables and connectors inspected | ✓ | |
| Pollen (cabin) filter | ✓ | |
| Air-con check | ✓ |
EV services don’t include a brake fluid change. Repairs to the battery, motor or charging equipment, and manufacturer software updates, aren’t covered and are always quoted first.
Do service plans include MOTs?
Not always, but CarServe plans do: the 2-year plan includes 2 MOTs and the 3-year plan includes 3.
MOTs can be booked whenever they fall due, including in the first 9 months of your plan. Car under 3? You get a free Safety Check instead of an MOT until one is due. Your MOT is booked alongside your service where possible so it's one visit. If the car fails, the partial retest is free when repairs are done at the testing garage within 10 working days. Any repairs needed to pass are quoted to you separately.
Can I get a service plan for a used car?
Yes. CarServe plans are designed for used cars and are available on cars under 15 years old with under 100,000 miles when the plan starts.
- Petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric cars are all eligible.
- Not available for LPG or hydrogen, supercars, taxis, private hire, driving-school, hire or delivery vehicles, modified, imported or written-off cars. Cars over 3.0 litres and sports models: call us for a quote.
The full terms list every exclusion.
Does a CarServe plan follow my manufacturer's service schedule?
Our services follow a fixed CarServe checklist, which may not include every item in your manufacturer's service schedule. If your car is under manufacturer warranty, check your service book; we can quote for any extra items your schedule needs. Parts and oil are to manufacturer specification.
How does collection and delivery servicing work?
A local approved garage collects your car from your home or workplace, carries out the service or MOT, and returns it the same day in most cases.
- We remind you about six weeks before each service or MOT is due, by text and email.
- You book by entering your registration at carserve.com or calling 020 3640 8108.
- We collect and return the car, and the garage carries out the work.
- Extras only with your OK: if anything else is needed, we call you with a price first.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay anything when my car is serviced on a plan?
No, not for the work your plan covers. If the garage finds anything else that needs doing, we call you with a price first and nothing is done without your agreement.
Can I cancel a car service plan?
You can cancel within 14 days, starting the day after you buy your plan, for a full refund. If you've used an MOT in that time, we'll deduct its value. After the 14-day cooling-off period, your plan can't be cancelled and the full price remains payable. How to cancel.
What happens to my service plan if I sell my car?
The plan stays with the car and can be transferred to the new owner. It can't be moved to a different car. If you pay monthly, the payments continue.
When can I use my first service?
From 9 months after your plan starts. Each service and MOT can then be used up to 60 days after the plan ends.
Does a service plan cover repairs or tyres?
No. Plans cover scheduled servicing and MOTs only. They don't cover repairs, tyres, brake pads, discs and other wear parts, breakdown or warranty work.
Can I buy a CarServe plan directly?
Yes. Buy online at carserve.com/buy: check your car is eligible, choose your plan and pay securely with GoCardless, in full or in 12 monthly payments at 0%. You can also buy one through a car dealership when you buy your car, or call 020 3640 8108.
Can I add a service plan to my car finance?
Yes. Your dealer can include the plan in your car finance, subject to your finance provider's approval. Their interest rate and terms apply.
Do CarServe plans cover electric cars?
Yes. Fully electric cars are covered at the same price as petrol, diesel and hybrid cars. Each service is an EV service, with a high-voltage battery health check, charging socket and cable checks, 12V battery test, brakes, tyres and suspension checks and a diagnostic scan, and the EV Major Service adds a new pollen filter. LPG and hydrogen vehicles aren't covered.
How do I book a service on my plan?
Enter your registration, surname and postcode at carserve.com or call 020 3640 8108. We'll find your plan and arrange a time to collect your car.
Does a CarServe plan follow my manufacturer's service schedule?
Our services follow a fixed CarServe checklist, which may not include every item in your manufacturer's service schedule. If your car is under manufacturer warranty, check your service book; we can quote for any extra items your schedule needs. Parts and oil are to manufacturer specification.
Who carries out the work?
A local approved independent garage from CarServe's network of 600+ garages, using parts and oil to manufacturer specification.
Ready for a CarServe plan?
Check your car and buy online in a few minutes. Already have a plan? Book your service or MOT with your registration.
About CarServe
CarServe service plans are run by Servicing Stop Limited, a UK collect-and-deliver car servicing business that has completed more than 750,000 services and MOTs through its network of approved independent garages. Plans are sold online at carserve.com/buy and through car dealerships and finance companies, and every service is carried out by a local approved garage with collection and delivery included.
Prices and details correct as of . Plans are subject to eligibility and the CarServe terms.