Car Care Tips

A car’s engine is like organs are to the human body, if not looked after and maintained, things go wrong. Your engine is the must important part of your car and without regular attention, repair costs can add up. Below are a few tips to ensure your car goes further for longer.

• Check your cars manual, it provides a lot of useful information on how you should look after your car.
• Keep all fluids topped up and clean. Make sure to do regular checks of oil,  oil, transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid and so on.
• Use petrol/diesel from reputable petrol stations and never below the min guideline in your manual.
• Check belt tensions, problems can arise when belts are either too tight or too loose.
• Follow your maintenance schedule, there is a number of things that need to be regularly serviced or replaced at certain intervals (e.g. brakes, air filter, timing belt, spark plugs, etc.). Do this every 10,000-15,000 kilometre’s or once every year.
• Inspect hoses for cracks or holes, most of these can be replaced fairly cheap and will avoid problems occurring if ignored.
• Clean your engine every year or two, a clean engine will help avoid a variety of avoidable issues.
• Regularly check your tyre pressure and keep it at the manufacturers recommended level, this can help fuel consumption and stop accidents.
• At least once a year have your car checked by a professional
• Deal with any problems ASAP and watch out for warning lights on your dashboard.

Unless covered paint can be guaranteed to be exposed to the elements; sun, storms, chemicals, vandals and other motorists and susceptible to general wear and tear. This can result in your vehicle’s colour fading or become damaged. To protect your vehicles paint we recommend you follow some of the below tips.

• Nothing can replace the benefits of regular washing to remove any dirt or build up of harmful chemicals.
• Follow the washing with waxing for the enhancement of visual appearance and also provide a protection to the elements
• Repair any chips and scratches so as to prevent paint lifting and causing panels to rust.
• Also, remember to remove any bird droppings from paint work, harmful acids in in these droppings can damage, fade and even lift paint.

Areas on your car often neglected when caring for your vehicle are the wheel arches and underbody. Ignoring these areas when inspecting and care for your can rust in costly avoidable bills for in rusting and corrosion. Rust, corrosion, and holes in these areas can happen for various reasons like salted roads, loose chipping, build up of muck and dirt from roads, build up of pollutants and so on. This is easily avoidable and here are some things you can do.

• Fit mud flaps and make sure your wing liners are in good condition.
• When washing your car make sure to give some extra attention to washing the wheel arches and under body.
• Apply a protective film to wheel arches and the under body. There are several different types of sealers and spay guards to help protect these areas.
• Have your under body checked every year or two for rust and corrosion. We usually see NCT fails on even newer cars for rust and corrosion.