Winter car check appointments: what to include

A winter check is a short, fixed-price appointment that prepares a car for cold, dark and wet months. Test the battery, check wipers, bulbs, screenwash, coolant level and tyre condition, and fix small items on the spot when the driver agrees. Anything beyond your scope goes on a written note for a mechanic. Open the slots in autumn so drivers can book before the first frost, and keep the check short enough to fit around your other work.

A check without replacements is short. Replacing wiper blades or a bulb adds a few minutes, though some headlamp bulbs need parts of the bumper or the wheel arch removed. Set the slot for the check plus simple replacements, and book a separate appointment for anything longer. Tell the driver what is included in the price and what is extra.

Keep common wiper blades, bulbs and screenwash in stock before the season. Ask the driver at booking whether you may replace worn items up to a set amount without calling, or whether they want to approve each one. Write down what you replaced and hand back the old parts if they ask.

A battery that fails the test, a coolant leak, a tyre that needs replacing or a warning light on the dashboard go beyond a winter check. Note them clearly, explain why they matter, and refer the driver to a mechanic or tyre fitter. A clear written note avoids misunderstandings about what you did and did not do.

Electric and hybrid cars still have a 12-volt battery, wipers, bulbs and tyres to check, but stay away from high-voltage parts unless you are trained for them. Say in the service description which vehicles you check and what is excluded.

A winter check fits well with an exterior wash or an interior clean, since drivers are already leaving the car with you. Offer a combined service with its own duration and price. For businesses with several vehicles, offer to check the whole fleet on one day.

Publish the winter check slots several weeks before the first cold spell, and say in the description what the check covers. Drivers who book early spread the demand over the autumn instead of the first frosty week.

Give the driver a one-page checklist with what was checked, what was replaced and what needs attention soon. Keep a copy, so next year's check can start from it.

The check is also a moment to give simple advice: keep a scraper and de-icer in the car, clear all windows before driving, and avoid using wipers on a frozen screen. A reminder costs you nothing and can save a broken blade.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Create a "Winter check" service and a combined "Winter check and wash" service, describe what each includes, and publish slots that repeat weekly from autumn. Each slot belongs to one service and sits within a single day, and with one place per slot a booked check no longer appears on your public page. Drivers book with their name, email and phone and can add the car model and anything they have noticed in the optional note, which you read in your new-booking email. For a fleet, book the vehicles yourself from your calendar.

Durations and prices are examples, parts extra: set your own. If a check has to move, change it from your bookings list and tell the driver yourself, as Book does not email clients when a booking is rescheduled or cancelled. Book costs €5/month, all-inclusive: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no commitment.