Basic Car Maintenance - Basic checks you can do yourself
By spending a few minutes each month to check over your car you can be sure that it is in good working order. This can save you costly bills for repair and by checking that your car is fit to be on the road you can save yourself costs associated with accidents such as injury and increased car insurance premiums. This article will look at a few checks that you can carry out every month in the comfort of your front drive.
Coolant - By simply taking the time to check the level of coolant in your car you can avoid very costly repair bills. If the coolant levels are too low then the engine cannot cool sufficiently which can result in heat damage to the engine. Simply keep the level topped up to maximum and avoid those costly trips to the mechanics.
Oil - The oil in your car plays a huge part in the smooth running of the engine. By choosing the right type of oil for your car you can make sure that all the working parts of the engine are being lubricated in the correct fashion. Always check the oil level before you set off on a long journey as insufficient oil can lead to excessive engine wear, especially around quick moving parts that can be costly to replace.
Tyres - The first thing to check when looking at the tyres is the tread that is available on the tyre. The legal minimum amount of tread on a tyre before it must be replaced is 1.6mm. Driving on tyres with less than 1.6mm tread is both illegal and dangerous. With less than the legal tread limit you are more likely to lose grip on the road and be involved in an accident that can lead to injury and increased car insurance premiums. if stopped by the police with illegal tyre tread you can be facing three penalty points and a fixed fine for each tyre that is below the legal tread, these penalty points can lead to an increase in car insurance premiums.
The second thing to check in relation to tyres is the pressure. Correct pressures can give you more control of the vehicle and reduce your risk of being involved in a collision. Correct and recommended tyre pressures can be found at some petrol stations and in your car users manual.
Washer fluid - Keeping the washer fluid topped up can help you to increase your visibility on the roads. By keeping your windscreen clear you can increase your visibility and therefore your awareness which can reduce your risk of accident which can help you hold onto that no claims bonus and keep car insurance costs down.
By keeping an eye on your car an taking the little bit of time that it takes to perform the above checks you could save yourself hundreds of pounds each year in repair bills and increased car insurance as a result of accident.
