The overhaul of a car is done between 15,000 km and 30,000 km or every one to two years. These figures are only given as an indication, because it is necessary to consult the maintenance booklet of each model of vehicle which is different according to the manufacturer and its brand. During this overhaul, the mechanic will check a number of parts and components of your car. If all goes well, you will pay the price of the overhaul and if he finds a problem, he will notify you by sending you an estimate mentioning the price of the repair to be considered. You are then free to accept it or not, but in any case, you will have to pay for this revision. But what is the actual price?
Understand what a car overhaul is
Know that for a car to work properly, it must be maintained regularly and the overhaul is part of this maintenance. In addition, it lets you know if a part is defective or if it should soon be considered to be changed. During this overhaul, the mechanic will check the proper functioning of the components and possibly change worn parts .
What does a review include?
Depending on the age of your car and its mileage, the mechanic will replace certain parts whose replacement is recommended by the manufacturer, such as the timing belt , for example. In this case, he will always warn you of the additional cost that must be considered. He may also find parts to change and also tell you their cost before starting work. In general, an estimate is drawn up and you have the right to accept it or not.
Have your car serviced at a dealership or auto center?
There was a time when it was almost obligatory to go through the dealership of your car brand to carry out its overhaul. Indeed, if you do not carry out this revision in the network, the manufacturer’s warranty could be purely and simply canceled. With the appearance of Community Regulation 1400/2002/EC, you can now have your car serviced wherever you want while keeping your warranty until the end. You can therefore go and have your service carried out at your dealership or even at a car centre , but also at an independent garage. Put them in competition and go to the one who offers you the most advantageous price for the same service.
Price of a car overhaul
The price of a car overhaul depends on where you are taking your vehicle. At a dealer, it is always more expensive, but be aware that they only use original parts whose lifespan is much longer than adaptation or used parts. Indeed, since 2016, mechanics are obliged to offer you used partsand the choice is yours. If you go to a car center, you will pay less because they offer overhaul packages that are affordable. Indeed, the parts to be changed have a very low price and the labor is less expensive. In this case, for a complete overhaul, it will cost you between 120 and 180 € on average compared to almost double at a dealer or a hundred euros more at an independent garage. Be careful, not all have the same quality for services and parts, because they often use adaptation parts whose quality is lower than that of the original parts. Take the time to compare and ask for quotesto each provider. In the services offered, also make sure that the checking of the levels of oil, brake, windscreen washer fluids, etc. is included in the revision package. Please note that these revisions do not support the replacement of worn parts. If the mechanic finds a part to change, the cost will always be added as an extra.
Interventions that change everything
If your car is recent and you have it serviced regularly as indicated in the maintenance booklet, in the event of a faulty part, no problem, the parts and labor warranty will work if it is not yours. fault and whether your vehicle is still under warranty. On the other hand, if the car is no longer under warranty or if you have not carried out the recommended services regularly and there are parts to change, such as a timing belt, for example, the bill will rise very quickly between 500 € and €1,000 depending on the model of your car.
Is it possible to revise it yourself ?
Depending on where you are going to have your car serviced, you will have understood that the price will be more or less expensive, but still quite expensive, because it increases from year to year. If you know a little about mechanics, you can do your car overhaul by yourself provided that the vehicle is no longer under warranty at the risk of losing it. You can order the parts you need on the Internet or in the store and do this overhaul with oil change, etc. You will save money, of course, but be sure to check everything carefully, because passenger safetydepends on it. In addition, by doing the overhaul yourself, be aware that changing a loose timing belt costs much more than having the timing kit changed on time. For the engine to be well preserved, every two years, a major overhaul is recommended.
