Car trouble. Those two words are enough to strike terror into the heart of any innocent motorist. We rely so much on our four wheeled friends, when they decide to die on us, our lives can fall apart. How do we get to work? Who will do the school run? What about the weekly shop? It’s astonishing how quickly the fabric of our lives can unravel when one of the key components is taken out of action.
So what can we do to minimise the chances of our car suddenly keeling over on us? Well, the secret to keeping a happy, healthy car on the road is devoting more care and attention to it. Treating your car as if you actually appreciate the job it does, is a pretty good way of guaranteeing it will hang in there for the long haul…
If you are worried your car is about to kick off and cause some major trouble leading to domestic tailbacks and traffic jams of nightmarish proportions, read on. You may just have time to head it off at the pass…
Become an expert
That’s right. It’s time to start learning all about car maintenance. The better you look after your car with regular checks and maintenance, the less likely it is to throw a wobbly. Don’t worry, car mechanics are not rocket science and there is a lot of stuff out there on the internet to help you get yourself a motor-education.
Whatever car you drive, you can guarantee there will be an internet forum dedicated to it. For all mechanical problems, maintenance issues and questions about spare parts, go to the internet forum for your particular make of car. Online you will encounter some really clued up, passionate car-freaks who are just waiting to share their knowledge with you. Whether it’s changing the oil filter or replacing the windscreen wipers – you will probably find an instructional video or detailed written instructions that some benevolent soul has posted online. Make the most of this free resource, get your hands dirty and learn a new skill – it’s good for you.
Tyre tips
Tyre care is an important part of car maintenance. It is essential to keep tyres running at their correct pressure and to have them balanced for optimum performance. Changing tyres regularly so that they have safe levels of tread on the exterior is a legal requirement. Tyres that are left to degrade will not brake efficiently and are more prone to blow outs and punctures. One of the simplest and most convenient solutions to changing tyres is using online services such as www.bktyres.co.uk to order, deliver and fit your tyres either at home or your workplace. Customer focused services such as BK Tyres understand how inconvenient it is when your tyres aren’t up to the job and they work quickly and efficiently to ensure you get back on the road with minimum delay.
Older can be better
Modern cars can represent wonderful feats of engineering. The magic that takes place beneath the bonnet of cars coming off the production lines today is nothing short of mind blowing. However, there’s a downside to all the computer wizardry and high tech performance – when things go wrong, they go very wrong. If you happen to have an interest in DIY car mechanics, unless you also have a degree in auto-engineering and computing, you won’t know where to start with a modern model. This makes modern cars very expensive to fix. Bear this in mind when you are weighing up the pros and cons of different marques. You might actually be better off selecting an older car that you can fix with your own tool kit. Cars that rely on banks of on-board computers go wrong just as frequently, if not more than, traditional vehicles. There is a growing movement of car enthusiasts opting for older model family cars for these very reasons – they are easier to fix, you know what you are looking at when you lift the bonnet and you don’t need to be a computer boffin to get positive results.
Store it away
It sounds obvious, but many people overlook storing their car away from the elements. That’s what domestic garages are for! Shielding your motor away from wind, rain, grit and sand will lessen the likelihood of it succumbing to mechanical problems.
Any way you look at it, when car trouble strikes, it’s a real headache. Do yourself a favour and follow these four tips to help avoid the inconvenience of motoring meltdowns.
You won’t regret it…