Can you still get your car serviced during the second lockdown?
Is your car due a service during the second lockdown?
New national lockdown measures came into play in England from midnight on Thursday 5th November, closing down all non-essential services for at least a month. But what does that mean for your car maintenance?
1st CENTRAL digs out the answers…
Car services during lockdown
As in the last lockdown, car servicing is considered an essential service, so will be able to continue through the next month, even if the attached dealership is closed.
However, it’s probably best to call beforehand to double check with your local dealer as they may be working at a reduced capacity.
MOT testing centres will also stay open, so you can still get your car booked in and tested if you need your vehicle to get around.
In fact, with all MOT extensions from the previous lockdown coming to an end, it’ll once again be illegal to drive without a valid MOT. This means your car must be certified before hitting the road. If not, you could face fines and penalty points on your licence.
Again, it’s important to book before you head to your nearest centre, as garages across the country may still be dealing with a backlog of MOTs from the last lockdown.
Joel Combes, Director of Motor Trade at Lawgistics said: “As far as we can assume, the rules are likely to be the same as the first lockdown.
“Garages are essential businesses and the rules state that essential businesses can stay open. We are assuming that the rules will be the same as those earlier in the year.”
What about buying a car?
Car dealers are not considered essential services, so all car showrooms will close between 5th November and 2nd December.
However, you can still buy a car online. Lots of car dealers will be selling new and used cars online and delivering them via a contactless service.
Even test drives should still be possible, with dealers letting you take solo test drives as long as you keep to social distancing guidelines.
Planning to keep using your car this November? Stay safe as the weather turns cold with our top 10 winter car checks.
