If your new car’s due to turn three in the near future, then there are a few things that you need to have on your to-do list. In this article, we take a quick look at how you can get your car ready to celebrate its third birthday in style.
First MOT test
When you buy a brand new car, you don’t need to worry about taking it for an MOT for the first couple of years. That all changes on the car’s third birthday, where a yearly MOT becomes a legal requirement.
The good news is that your first MOT probably isn’t going to throw up too much that you need to worry about. Unless you’ve been travelling the length and breadth of the country, then a new tyre or two or a new set of brake pads are likely to be the main expenses this early on in your car’s lifespan.
Your car’s first MOT can be booked up to one month (minus a day) before its third birthday, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time. The last thing you want is to end up without a usable car because you were unable to get a last-minute appointment!
Here at Halfords, we offer MOTs at garages across the UK and you can choose a suitable date, time and location when you book online. We also offer three great MOT and service combi deals that will save you both time and money – but more on that in the next section.
First service out of warranty
While some cars come with longer initial warranty periods, three years is fairly standard and so it’s likely your car will be facing its first out-of-warranty service as its third birthday approaches.
We offer three main options here and we’d recommend making your first out-of-warranty service a full one so that you can be confident that your car will stay safe on the roads.
- Interim service: 6-month or 6,000 miles inspection (50 points)
- Full service: 12-month annual inspection (77 points)
- Major service: 24-month inspection (77 points)
As mentioned above, combining your MOT and service can save you up to £29.99 when you join the Halfords Motoring Club for free, as well as multiple trips to the garage. It’s a real no-brainer, particularly in a circumstance like this when your MOT and service are due at the same time. And speaking of no-brainers, it’s time to turn our attention to the third item on our list: car warranties.
Car warranty protection
It’s no coincidence that most manufacturer new car warranties last for three years or 60,000 miles. Beyond this point is when the expensive bits in your car tend to start going wrong. In fact, the experience of our friends at MotorEasy shows that a whopping 40% of cars require repairs of some description in their fourth year.
So, what can you do to avoid this? Well, just because your manufacturer’s warranty may have expired, doesn’t mean that car warranties need to be a thing of the past. You can take out a car warranty at any time and it’s a great way to protect yourself from unexpected mechanical or electrical faults that might arise (and might leave a nasty hole in your wallet!).
Here at Halfords, we’ve teamed up with MotorEasy to provide a range of flexible car warranty plans to suit you and your car, which offer a winning combination of price and cover*. These flexible plans start from as little as £16.50 per month for a hatchback and will help you to avoid an expensive repair bill. MotorEasy will handle any repairs you require directly with Halfords, including the collection and return of your vehicle directly to your home or workplace. You’ll also be entitled to a free vehicle health check at your local Halfords autocentre, discounts on motoring-related products, as well as preferential rates on Halfords servicing and MOTs.
We hope this advice helps to make your car’s third birthday a smooth one and sets you up well for the future! For all of your motoring needs, you want Halfords.
*Halfords Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of MotorEasy, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. In applying for a quote, you will be passing your data to MotorEasy.
