CAR MAINTENANCE: Basic vehicle checks can save you £££.

       BASIC VEHICLE CHECKS CAN SAVE YOU £££ ON MOT & SERVICE COSTS

Vehicle maintenance can be expensive as well as a real headache. Every driver can easily carry out some basic vehicle inspections to keep their car roadworthy. If this is done regularly, it can save you a lot of money on vehicle servicing and certainly will reduce the chance of a breakdown. A good and easy way to ensure that your car is roadworthy is to follow the POWER check. POWER stands for Petrol, Oil, Water, Electrics and Rubber. These simple checks cover the majority of things that, a normal driver without mechanical skills, can do to keep their car in tip top condition.

PETROL: Make sure you always have enough fuel to complete your journey. Unless you are setting off for a long drive, avoid to have anymore than half a tank. If you fill up the tank to the brim, you could be carrying around an extra 30-60kgs of unnecessary weight resulting in using more fuel.

OIL: Check the engine oil on a weekly basis. Make sure your car is on a level surface and the engine is cold. Avoid to wait until you get an oil/service light in the dashboard as, by that point, the engine could have suffered some mechanical damage. Please refer to the owner’s manual to find out the type of oil to use to top up the level. If in doubt, take your car to an authorised dealership/mechanic. There are different types of engine oil and they don’t mix and match.

WATER: Check the engine coolant fluid on a weekly basis when the engine is cold. This fluid is in a sealed, pressurised circuit so it could last long time. If there is any loss, please take it to an authorised dealership/mechanic for a system inspection. Check the windscreen washer reservoir and top it up with either water or windscreen washer solution. The latter will actually prolong the life of your wipers and, as a result, give you a better visibility. It will also prevent the fluid to freeze in harsh winter weather.

ELECTRICS: Check all the light bulbs regularly and consider carrying a kit of spare bulbs and fuses so you can replace them as early as possible. A faulty brake light could lead to 3 points on your licence and an expensive fine if stopped by the police. Remember to also check those lights that don’t get used very often such as fog lights.

RUBBER: Check the conditions of the windscreen wipers. These can easily split and tear if exposed to freezing weather or hot summer days. Check the conditions of the tyres for thread and pressure. The thread depth must be at least 1.6mm across the central ¾ of breath of the tyre or this can again lead to 3 points and up to £1000 fine. The tyre pressure must be checked when the tyres are cold and the pressure values can be found on the owner’s manual. An under inflated tyre can affect the stability of your car and it will increase fuel consumption. Don’t forget to check the spare tyre! MG