Your first car: how to arrange servicing, the APK (MOT) and the costs

Passed your driving test and bought your own car? Then a lot comes your way at once. On this page you will read what to arrange in the first week, when your car needs to go to the garage, what you can check yourself and how to avoid unexpected costs. Autobedrijf Willemsbrug is an independent all-makes garage and an RDW-approved APK station in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde.

Our score is 4.8 / 5 from 235 reviews. Read what our customers say

The short answer

In the first week, use your registration number to look up when the APK expires and whether there is an open recall. You can do that free of charge at the RDW Kentekencheck (the Dutch vehicle register). Then look in the service book or on the previous owner’s invoices to see when the last service was and whether the timing belt has been replaced.

After that, have your car serviced according to the manufacturer’s schedule. For many cars that is about once a year. If you combine a major service with the APK, the APK is free with us, except for Tesla and Polestar. Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number. We then look up which service is due and you hear the price in advance.

Jump to: first week · servicing · APK · costs · warning lights · PureTech · check yourself · questions

Checklist for the first week

These are best arranged straight after the purchase. Most of them cost nothing and take about fifteen minutes.

What Why Where or how
Insurance Third-party insurance (WA) is compulsory from the moment the car is registered in your name. With an insurer of your choice, before you start driving
APK expiry date Without a valid APK you are not allowed on the road. After the expiry date you can be fined. Free with your registration number at the RDW Kentekencheck
Recalls A manufacturer recalls cars when there is a safety problem. The repair is then usually free at the brand dealer. In the RDW Kentekencheck or the RDW recall register
Service history So you know when the next service is due and what has already been replaced. Service book, invoices or the previous owner’s digital service record
Timing belt If this belt breaks, serious engine damage often follows. A belt must be replaced on time, a chain usually not. Service book or invoices. If it is not in there, we look it up with your registration number.
Tyres Your tyres are the only contact with the road. Too little tread makes the braking distance longer. Check the tread and pressure yourself, see below

Note on recalls: according to the RDW, not all manufacturers supply their data. If the Kentekencheck shows nothing, there may still be a recall. If in doubt, ask a dealer of the brand.

When does your car need to go to the garage?

Every car has a service schedule from the manufacturer. It says after how much time or how many kilometres a service is due. For many cars that is about once a year or after a set number of kilometres, whichever comes first. The schedule for your car is in the service book. If you do not have it, we look it up with your registration number.

Service What happens Read more
Minor service Engine oil and oil filter replaced and the main parts and fluids checked. Car service
Major service Everything from the minor service, plus filters and spark plugs according to the schedule and a more extensive check. The APK is then free, except for Tesla and Polestar. Major service (in Dutch)
Oil change Oil and oil filter only, with oil to the manufacturer’s specification. How often to change your oil

Your warranty stays valid. If your car still has a manufacturer’s warranty, you do not have to go to the dealer for servicing. Have the servicing done according to the schedule, with suitable parts and fluids. We record the service in our own system and in your service book.

How an appointment works. You bring your car between 8.00 and 8.30 am and we call you when it is ready. If we find something during the service that was not part of the appointment, we call you first. We only do extra work after you have agreed to it.

When does your car need its APK?

The APK is the yearly or two-yearly inspection that checks whether your car is safe and does not emit too much. How often it is needed depends on the fuel and the age of the car:

  • Petrol, hybrid and electric: usually the first time after four years, then twice every two years and after that every year.
  • Diesel and LPG: usually the first time after three years and then every year.
  • Your date: you will find your car’s expiry date in the RDW Kentekencheck. You usually get a reminder from the RDW as well.

With us the APK costs € 50 for petrol, petrol hybrid and electric cars and € 60 for a diesel with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). If you have a major service done at the same time, the APK is free, except for Tesla and Polestar. We do the APK Monday to Friday, because only then can we register the result with the RDW. You can book an APK appointment online yourself.

You may have the APK done up to two months before the expiry date without losing any days on your current APK. Has your APK already expired? Then read what to do when your APK has expired. According to the ANWB you may then only drive to the garage with an appointment.

How much does servicing a car cost?

That differs from car to car. A small city car is usually cheaper to service than a large car. These things mainly decide what you pay:

  • The manufacturer’s schedule: which service is due and which parts the schedule says must be replaced.
  • Age and mileage: with an older car, wear parts such as brakes, tyres and the timing belt come up more often.
  • Overdue servicing: if the previous owner skipped servicing, the first service is often more expensive.

How to know in advance. Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number. We then look up which service is due and you get a quote in advance. Our repairs come with a warranty. With the quote you hear which warranty you get.

These prices are fixed with us:

APK petrol, hybrid and electric € 50
APK diesel with DPF € 60
APK with a major service free
Air con service from € 120 (R134a) or from € 180 (R1234yf and electric), all-in. More about the air con service
Wet timing belt PureTech € 995, € 1,095 or € 1,250, depending on the model. More about the wet belt (in Dutch)
Second opinion on a quote € 145, including up to one hour of investigation. More about the second opinion

Five ways to save on costs

  • Combine service and APK: with a major service the APK is free and your car is off the road only once.
  • Do not ignore warning lights: a light you ignore often turns into a more expensive repair.
  • Keep your tyres at the right pressure: soft tyres wear faster and use more fuel.
  • Replace the timing belt on time: a new belt costs a fraction of a new engine.
  • Ask for a second opinion on an expensive quote: if you doubt a proposed repair, have someone else take a look.

Which dashboard warning lights should you know?

The colour says a lot. Red means: stop as soon as possible in a safe place and switch off the engine. Orange means: drive on carefully and have it checked soon.

Light What it may mean What to do
Oil light (red) Oil pressure too low. Driving on can damage the engine. Stop at once, engine off. Read more
Temperature light (red) The engine is overheating, often because of too little coolant. Stop at once, let the engine cool down. Read more
Battery light (red) The battery is no longer being charged, often because of the alternator. Drive to a safe place, the car may cut out. Read more
Engine light (orange) A fault in the engine or the emissions system. If the light flashes, it is more serious. Have the fault code read soon. If it flashes, do not drive on. Read more
ABS light (orange) A fault in the anti-lock braking system. The brakes still work, only without ABS. Drive carefully and have it checked. Read more

Your car’s handbook shows what each light means. Is a light on and you do not know what it is? Call us and we will help you work out what it is. If you break down on the road, read what to do when you break down in Rotterdam.

A Peugeot, Citroën, Opel or DS with a PureTech engine?

Many first cars are a Peugeot 108 or 208, Citroën C3 or Opel Corsa. If your car has a 1.0 or 1.2 PureTech engine, pay extra attention. This engine has a wet timing belt: a belt that runs in the engine oil. On some engines that belt wears too fast. Crumbled particles can block the oil strainer, and then the engine can be damaged.

  • Find out whether the belt has been replaced: look in the invoices or the service book. According to the ANWB, dealers now advise a check at 100,000 kilometres or six years. For certain engine variants we ourselves advise 80,000 kilometres or five years.
  • Use the right oil: the wrong oil can make the belt wear faster. The service book names the right specification. We can also look it up with your registration number.
  • Keep an eye on oil consumption: check the oil level once a month. If you often have to top up, have it looked at.
  • Ask about the manufacturer’s scheme: under certain conditions Stellantis covers the costs of premature wear, up to ten years or 180,000 kilometres. That runs through an approved repairer of the brand. A repair with us does not fall under that scheme, so check with the dealer first.

Does your car not qualify for the scheme? We replace the wet timing belt for € 995, € 1,095 or € 1,250, depending on the model. That includes the timing belt kit, gaskets, new oil, the oil filter and cleaning the oil strainer. Read all about problems with PureTech engines (in Dutch) and replacing the wet timing belt (in Dutch).

Do you have a Volkswagen Polo? Then read about servicing the Polo (in Dutch).

What can you check yourself?

You do not need to be a mechanic to stay ahead of many problems. Do these checks once a month and before a long trip:

  • Oil level: park the car on level ground and let the engine cool down for a few minutes. The level on the dipstick should be between min and max. On many newer cars you see the level in the menu on the dashboard.
  • Tyre pressure: the right pressure is usually on a sticker in the door pillar or inside the fuel filler flap. Check the pressure when the tyres are cold, for example at a petrol station.
  • Tyre tread: the legal minimum is 1.6 millimetres of tread. The ANWB advises at least 3 millimetres for summer tyres and 4 millimetres for winter tyres.
  • Coolant and screenwash: the coolant level should be between min and max. Only open the reservoir when the engine is cold. In winter, use screenwash with antifreeze.
  • Lights: walk around the car now and then with the lights on, including the brake lights. Faulty lights are a reason to fail the APK.

Not sure about your tyres? Read more about replacing tyres and changing to winter tyres.

What should you look for when choosing a garage?

You do not have to go to your brand’s dealer. An independent garage may service your car, even while it still has a manufacturer’s warranty. Look for these points when choosing:

  • Price in advance: you hear the price beforehand, and extra work only happens after you have agreed.
  • Servicing to the schedule: the garage works to the manufacturer’s schedule and records the service.
  • RDW-approved APK station: then you can have the service and the APK done in one visit.
  • Other customers’ experiences: read the reviews on Google, including the critical ones.
  • Explanations you understand: a good garage explains in plain language what is needed and what can wait.

At Autobedrijf Willemsbrug you get a quote in advance and we only start after you have agreed. We are an RDW-approved APK station and our mechanics are GMTO-certified for hybrid and electric cars. We are also open on Saturdays, with no weekend surcharge, and you park free of charge outside the door. Our score is 4.8 / 5 from 235 reviews. Read what our customers say.

Frequently asked questions about your first car

No need to click. All the answers are already open below.

What do I need to arrange when I have bought a car?

Take out insurance first, because third-party insurance (WA) is compulsory. Then use your registration number at the RDW Kentekencheck to look up when the APK expires and whether there is an open recall. Look in the service book or the invoices to see when the last service was and whether the timing belt has been replaced.

How often does a car need servicing?

That is in the manufacturer’s service schedule. For many cars it is about once a year or after a set number of kilometres, whichever comes first. If you do not have a service book, call us with your registration number. We then look up the schedule for you.

How much does a service cost?

That differs per car, per service and per mileage. Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number. We then look up which service is due and you get a quote in advance. With a major service the APK is free, except for Tesla and Polestar.

What is the difference between a minor and a major service?

In a minor service the engine oil and oil filter are replaced and the main parts are checked. A major service adds filters and spark plugs according to the schedule, and a more extensive check. With us the APK is free when you combine it with a major service.

When does my car need its first APK?

A petrol, hybrid or electric car usually needs its first APK after four years, then twice every two years and after that every year. A diesel or LPG car usually after three years and then every year. You will find the date for your car in the RDW Kentekencheck.

How much does an APK cost with you?

The APK costs € 50 for petrol, petrol hybrid and electric cars and € 60 for a diesel with a DPF. If you combine the APK with a major service, it is free, except for Tesla and Polestar. We do the APK Monday to Friday.

Does my manufacturer’s warranty lapse if I do not go to the dealer?

No, not automatically. You may have your car serviced by an independent garage, as long as the servicing follows the manufacturer’s schedule with suitable parts and fluids. We record the service in our system and in your service book.

Can you inspect a car before I buy it?

No, we do not do pre-purchase inspections. You can check a lot yourself, though: the RDW Kentekencheck shows the APK date and open recalls. Ask the seller for the service book and the invoices. Once you have bought the car, you are welcome to come to us for servicing and the APK.

My car has a PureTech engine. What should I watch out for?

These engines have a wet timing belt that wears too fast on some versions. Find out whether the belt has already been replaced, use oil to the prescribed specification and check the oil level once a month. Stellantis has a scheme that covers the costs under certain conditions, through an approved repairer of the brand. If you do not qualify, we replace the belt for € 995, € 1,095 or € 1,250, depending on the model.

There is a warning light on my dashboard. What should I do?

With a red light you stop as soon as possible in a safe place and switch off the engine. With an orange light you drive on carefully and have it checked soon. If the engine light flashes, do not drive on. We read the fault code and tell you what is needed.

How much tread do my tyres need?

The legal minimum is 1.6 millimetres. The ANWB advises at least 3 millimetres for summer tyres and 4 millimetres for winter tyres, because the braking distance gets much longer with less tread, especially on a wet road.

How do I make an appointment and how do I pay?

Call +31 10 479 00 00 or book an APK appointment online. For servicing you bring the car between 8.00 and 8.30 am and we call you when it is ready. You pay by debit card or cash. We are also open on Saturdays, but we only do the APK Monday to Friday.

Have your first car serviced by us?

Call us with your registration number. We then look up which service is due and you hear the price in advance. Combine a major service with the APK and the APK is free, except for Tesla and Polestar.

You will find us at Boterdiep 11 in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde, close to Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip). We work by appointment. For a quick question or check, you can walk in without an appointment.

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