Classic Car Servicing at Home, A Mobile Mechanic for Older Cars
Written by Petro Olekhnovych, mobile mechanic in Aylesham, Kent
Yes, most classic car servicing can be done at your home. Oil and filter changes, ignition and carburettor adjustment, greasing, brakes and fluid checks all happen on the driveway. Bigger jobs, like engine rebuilds, go to our workshop in Kent. Either way, your classic doesn’t have to be driven to a modern garage that has never worked on one.
Why classics need a different approach
Older cars were designed around regular, hands-on maintenance. Many have parts that modern cars don’t, such as contact-breaker ignition, carburettors and grease points. A modern garage often relies on a diagnostic plug, which a classic doesn’t have. Servicing an older car means checking and adjusting things by hand.
What a classic car service covers
Oil and filter: using an oil suited to the engine’s age and design, not just whatever modern grade is to hand
Ignition: points gap and condition, timing, plugs and leads (points vs electronic ignition)
Fuel system: carburettor adjustment and balance on twin-carb engines, fuel filters and hoses (carburettor tuning basics)
Greasing: every grease point on the steering and suspension
Brakes: shoes or pads, adjustment, and brake fluid condition (old fluid absorbs moisture)
Cooling: hoses, coolant and fan belt, because rubber perishes with age even on low-mileage cars
Electrics: battery, charging, lights and earth connections
Classic car needs some care?
Servicing, recommissioning and mechanical restoration for older cars across Kent.
WhatsApp for a free quote Call 07563 350335
Labour £30 to £50 per hour depending on the job. Send your reg number and we will reply with a price before any work starts.
Fuel: E5, not E10
The government says classic and older vehicles may not be compatible with E10 petrol. If your car isn’t on the official vehicle checker, it advises using E5 (97+ octane), which most larger filling stations sell as their super grade.
Does a classic still need an MOT?
Cars built or first registered more than 40 years ago can be exempt from the MOT, as long as they haven’t been substantially changed, for example by replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine in a way that changes how the car works. You still have to keep the car roadworthy. Using a vehicle in a dangerous condition can bring a fine of up to £2,500 and 3 penalty points. That makes a regular service more important, not less, once the MOT stops.
Cars built before 1 January 1986 can go into the historic tax class from 1 April 2026, but you have to apply.
At home or in the workshop?
Job | Where |
|---|---|
Annual service, ignition, carburettor tune | Your home |
Brakes, hoses, belts, filters | Your home |
Recommissioning after storage | Home or workshop, depending on condition |
Engine strip-down and rebuild | Workshop |
For bigger work, see how we rebuild classic engines step by step and how we recommission classics and steam engines after storage.
How we can help
We cover Aylesham, Canterbury, Dover, Deal, Sandwich, Wingham and the villages around them. Labour is £30-£50 per hour depending on the job, and we agree the price on WhatsApp before any work starts.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work on vintage cars as well as classics? Yes. We maintain vintage cars, including a 1920s car, and air-cooled VW engines with twin carburettors.
Need help? Send a WhatsApp to 07563 350335 with your car’s make and model and we’ll come to you.
Areas we cover: based in Aylesham, we come to you in Canterbury, Dover, Deal and Walmer, Sandwich and Ash, Folkestone, Wingham, Bridge and Barham, Shepherdswell, and Adisham. See all areas.
Classic car needs some care?
Message us on WhatsApp with your reg and postcode for a price before any work starts.
WhatsApp for a free quote Call 07563 350335
Labour £30 to £50 per hour depending on the job. Send your reg number and we will reply with a price before any work starts.
Related guides
Classic Mini Problems: What Goes Wrong and How to Stay Ahead
Steam Engine Mechanical Repair in Kent: What We Do and Don't Do
