It depends on the level of service. In the US, a basic oil-and-filter service is about $160 to $188, by RepairPal's estimate, and a bigger mileage service can run to several hundred dollars once filters, plugs and fluids are added.
In the UK, the average booked through BookMyGarage is £191 for an interim service, £236 for a full service and £316 for a major service.
What "a car service" means in the US and the UK
The word means different things on each side of the Atlantic. That's most of the confusion about price.
In the UK, garages sell three fixed packages: interim, full and major. You book one by name and pay a set price.
In the US, there's no single "service." You pay for an oil change, a tire rotation and whatever your owner's manual lists at that mileage, often grouped as a 30,000, 60,000 or 90,000-mile service. The shop adds up the items.
Here's how the levels line up.
Service level | Typical interval | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
US oil change | Per owner's manual | Drain oil, new filter, refill, leak check, reset maintenance light |
US tire rotation | Every 5,000 to 7,500 miles | Move tires to even out wear |
US 30,000-mile service | 30,000 miles | Oil and filter, rotation, engine and cabin air filters, fluid checks, battery test, belt and hose inspection, suspension check |
UK interim service | 6,000 miles or 6 months | Oil change, fluid top-ups, checks on brakes, lights, battery, tyres, wipers, exhaust |
UK full service | 12,000 miles or 12 months | Interim checks plus air filter, pollen filter check, deeper brake, steering and suspension checks |
UK major service | 24,000 miles or 2 years | Full service plus extra wear parts such as spark plugs and fuel filter |
Sources: RepairPal and AAA for US items, Howden Insurance for UK intervals and contents. Your owner's manual overrides all of these.
How much is a car service in the US
A basic service is about $160 to $188. That's RepairPal's average for an oil change, split as $58 to $86 labor and $101 to $103 parts. It covers draining the oil, a new filter, a refill, a leak check and resetting the maintenance light.
That figure moves with the car. RepairPal puts a Toyota Camry at $130 to $162 and a Ford F-150 at $183 to $212. Trucks and engines that take more oil cost more. Get a written quote that names the oil spec your manual calls for.
A bigger scheduled service is the oil change plus the items due at that mileage. Here are RepairPal's estimates for the common add-ons.
Item | Average cost (RepairPal) | Usually due |
|---|---|---|
Oil and filter change | $160 to $188 | Every service |
Tire rotation | $49 to $72 | Every 5,000 to 7,500 miles |
Engine air filter | $79 to $99 | Around 30,000 miles |
Cabin air filter | $91 to $114 | Around 30,000 miles |
Spark plugs | $288 to $399 | 60,000 to 90,000 miles, by model |
Add up the lines and a 30,000-mile visit with oil, rotation and both filters comes to roughly $379 to $473 before tax at RepairPal's averages. Treat that as a guide, not a quote. A shop's package price for the same visit may differ.
The 60,000 and 90,000-mile services cost more. AAA's breakdown says 60,000 miles can add a transmission fluid and filter change, a brake fluid flush and brake pads. At 90,000 miles it can mean a timing belt and water pump, spark plugs, and differential and coolant fluid changes. I don't have a reliable average for a full 60k or 90k visit, because the list differs so much by model. Ask a shop to price your manual's list line by line.
How much should car service cost per year in the US
AAA's 2025 Your Driving Costs study puts maintenance, repairs and tires at 11.04 cents a mile for a new car. At 15,000 miles a year, that's about $1,656. It covers routine maintenance, wear items and one set of tires over five years.
AAA also found EVs have the lowest maintenance, repair and tire costs, and hybrids ranked third lowest. Medium sedans had the highest maintenance costs.
How much is a full car service in the UK
A full service averages £236 across BookMyGarage bookings. Interim averages £191 and major £316. Those are national averages as of October 2026 by BookMyGarage's figures.
Where you live moves the price by about £50.
Location | Interim | Full | Major |
|---|---|---|---|
National average | £191 | £236 | £316 |
Manchester (cheapest full) | £172 | £209 | £282 |
Birmingham (cheapest interim) | £171 | £211 | £290 |
Edinburgh | £195 | £231 | £327 |
Bristol | £185 | £227 | £310 |
Oxford (most expensive) | £216 | £258 | £344 |
Source: BookMyGarage.
Car size matters more than location. AUTODOC estimates a full service at £170 to £210 for a small car up to 1,400cc, £210 to £300 for 1,401 to 2,000cc, and £300 to £400 or more for large cars and SUVs over 2,000cc.
Howden Insurance gives similar ranges by level: £110 to £180 for an interim, £170 to £210 for a full service (possibly over £400 on a large car) and £220 to £300 or more for a major. It suggests getting quotes from at least three garages.
Service and MOT together
Many UK garages bundle a service with the MOT, and Halfords sells interim, full and major services as "Service & MOT" packages. The MOT fee is capped at £54.85 for a car (AUTODOC). Booking both at once can lower the total, depending on the garage.
Dealer or independent garage
Independents usually win on price, and in the UK using one doesn't void your warranty. AUTODOC notes this holds as long as the car is serviced to the maker's schedule with the correct parts and fluids. The US works the same way: keep receipts that show the oil spec and the date and mileage of each service.
I couldn't find a recent, sourced figure for the dealer markup on a standard service in either country. The fastest way to find out is to ask a dealer and two independents to quote the same job from your owner's manual.
For what individual repairs cost once a service finds a problem, see our repair costs section. If a warning light came on before the service, our guide to driving with the check engine light on covers what can wait.
What drives the price up
These are the things that move a quote most, roughly in order of size.
- Service level: a UK major costs about £125 more than an interim on BookMyGarage's averages.
- Car size and engine: more oil, bigger filters and more labor. AUTODOC's large-car full service tops £300.
- Mileage items: spark plugs at $288 to $399 (RepairPal), or a timing belt at 90,000 miles, dwarf the oil change.
- Location: about £50 between Manchester and Oxford for a full service.
- Oil type: full synthetic costs more than conventional, and AUTODOC lists 5 liters of oil from £57.99 to £120.99.
What to do today
- Find the service schedule in your owner's manual and note what's due at your current mileage.
- US: ask two shops to quote the exact list, line by line, including the oil spec. UK: ask whether the car needs an interim, full or major service this time.
- Compare at least three quotes. In the UK, BookMyGarage shows local prices side by side.
- Check whether your MOT is due and book it with the service if the bundle is cheaper.
- Keep every receipt with the date, mileage and oil used. That's your warranty proof and adds to resale value.
Sources
- RepairPal: Oil Change Cost
- RepairPal: Tire Rotation Cost
- RepairPal: Air Filter Replacement Cost
- RepairPal: Cabin Air Filter Replacement Cost
- RepairPal: Spark Plug Replacement Cost
- AAA: What to expect at 30K, 60K and 90K mile service
- AAA: Your Driving Costs 2025 fact sheet
- BookMyGarage: How much does a car service cost
- Howden Insurance: What does a car service include
- AUTODOC: How much should a full car service cost in the UK
- Halfords: Car servicing
Featured image: an unused car servicing garage by bradleygee, CC BY 2.0. Source
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