Interim car service
Published by the Serviced247 editorial teamLast reviewed 24 October 2026
An interim service is a shorter, cheaper check carried out between full services - usually every six months or around 6,000 miles.
It exists mainly for higher-mileage drivers whose oil will be past its best long before the annual service is due.
What an interim service usually includes
- Engine oil and oil filter change
- Fluid level checks and top-ups
- Tyre, brake and light checks
- A visual safety inspection and written report
Do you need one?
If you cover well over the annual mileage your schedule assumes, or you do a lot of short cold-start journeys, an interim service keeps fresh oil in the engine between full services.
If you drive a low annual mileage, an interim service usually adds little beyond the annual full service - the checks are largely repeated.
An interim service does not replace a full service or the MOT.
Cost
An interim service is typically well below the price of a full service because fewer parts and less labour are involved.
Price ranges on this page are Serviced247 editorial estimates of typical UK independent-garage pricing. They are not quotes, no garage is bound by them, and they vary by vehicle, parts and location. See our methodology for how we produce them.