How Much Should Car Service Cost In South Africa

Below, we will provide you with tips on car service as well as general maintenance of your car. We know in South Africa that due to lack of widespread public transport, many people rely on cars to earn travel to and from work and also to run errands. This means that one has to look after their car as it is an important asset.

If you look after your car, by servicing it regularly and ensuring that you perform the scheduled maintenance, you are less likely to have to pay expensive bills for your car repair. To date Michanic has serviced over 3000 cars. We have seen customers pay up to R50 000 for car repairs, only because they did not service as per the guidelines. An car service, whether it is a minor service (Oil change) or major service (oil change, spark plugs, air filter), is probably the single most important service you can perform on your car.

So, How much does a car service cost?

This depends on the car you drive. For example, a car service for an entry level car (I.e Polo Vivo, Datsun Go, Toyota Yaris) will not cost the same as a car service for an executive level cars such as your (BMW, audi, Mercdes Benz, Mazda 6 etc.).

Below is a table for the average cost of a car service based on vehicle classes

Entry Level (i.e VW Polo Vivo, Toyota Yaris, Honda Brio, Hyundai i10 etc):  

Major Service Average Price: R 2 400

Minor Service Average Price: R 1 200

Mid-Level (i.e VW Polo, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Almera, Hyundai i30):  

Major Service Average Price: R 2 500

Minor Service Average Price: R 1 300

Executive Level (i.e BMW 3 Series, Mercedes Benz C-class, VW CC, Audi A4 etc):  

Major Service Average Price: R 3 400

Minor Service Average Price: R 1 650

Exclusive Level Level (i.e Porshe, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz Sclass, BMW 7 Series etc):  

Major Service Average Price: R 4 400

Minor Service Average Price: R2 200

The average prices above include parts and labour costs. (updated October 2025)

Make sure you take care of your car can save you money.

Making sure that your car is serviced well and between services, is money well spent. During the service, a comprehensive health check or 21 point check is performed on your car. This means that problems can be caught early when they are still cheaper to fix. Also, a healthy car also carries a higher resale value.

Plus, a well maintained car is more fuel efficient. Also, if you have a warranty, you have to prove that you have been taking care of your car.

Don’t skip a car service or your pocket will regret it.

During the last few months, a lot of people have been short on money and because of this, a lot of people are easily tempted to skipping a service. Yes, in the short term that seems like a cost saving exercise, however this can often mean a bigger cost later.

The cost of a car service is far less than the cost of having to replace more expensive parts later due to poor maintenance of the car.

For example

Engine Overhaul – R 15 000 – R 30 000

Oil Pump Replacement – R 9 000 – R 16 000

Cylinder head gasket – R 7 500 – R 18 000

Don’t forget to check the cambelt

It is important to check your service manual for the cambelt change schedule. It varies from car to car but usually between 90 000 and 120 000 kilometers. Some cars have chains instead of cambelts and these can last even longer.

A Cam Belt change can seem expensive, however the cost of the cambelt failure can be exorbitant in comparison as your engine can be damaged during the failure.

Where to service your car?

With higher overheads and staff commissions, garages and dealerships are generally more expensive. Servicing your car with Michanic provides you with

• Transparent Pricing
• 21 Point checks and reports
• 6 Month / 6000 KM warranty
• Stamp of service book
• We come to you

 

Click here to get an instant online quote for a car service for your car!