Living on a small island has lots of advantages. One of those is the ability to travel around in a short space of time. The UK benefits from an extensive motorway network which, if I’m honest, has its moments, especially during bank holidays. But on the whole, it can be pretty convenient for day trips. That is, of course, if your car is in good condition!
As more of us embrace the concept of a staycation, day trips in our cars are becoming more popular. Rather than sit around the house and garden on our day off, we head out, whatever the weather.
Of course, just like a tradesman is only as good as his tools, so are our car trips only as good as our vehicles allow. A vehicle is much easier to neglect than it is to maintain. We’ve all done it – you know your car needs an oil/water check but you think it can go the extra miles without it.
Exactly the same can happen with tyres or, as I experienced a number of years ago, with a timing belt. Had we heeded our car servicing facility’s advice, we would have had our service, and therefore our timing belt changed, 2 weeks earlier and we wouldn’t have suffered irreparable engine damage. We had to write our car off and didn’t even have the opportunity to save money on spare parts as the car couldn’t be fixed.
Spare parts are always a major concern too and it’s hard to save money on spare parts. We all know they can be expensive, but having a cost effective yet reliable vehicle, like a Dacia, for example, can really help: Automobile Dacia.
This is especially so when it comes to replacing car parts, like when you need Dacia spare parts online in good condition: SPAREpartstore24.co.uk
Regular Servicing
The main problem that arises from not servicing your car regularly is the often exorbitant cost of unexpected urgent repairs. It’s bad enough that you are left without a vehicle while a major problem is dealt with by your mechanic. But when you add in the fact that the problem could have been easily avoided had you got your car serviced on time, it really makes you feel awful. I’ve got the t-shirt, trust me!
Here are a few of the warning signs you’re car can give you that it needs a service pronto:
1. Strange Noises
Any new noises coming from your car should be looked at before they develop into serious problems.
Here are some of the sounds you may hear from your car and what they could indicate:
Louder-than-usual exhaust noise – This could be a hole or crack in your exhaust. These tend to be easy to fix but must be checked out as there’s a risk your exhaust pipe could simply fall off.
Squealing when you step on the brake – This could be an indication of worn brake pads.
Whining from under the bonnet – Usually caused by a loose belt, which in turn can cause all sorts of issues from overheating to battery problems.
Metal-on-metal – Any scraping sound coming from your car needs to be looked at. This could be a broken part of your car scraping on something else, causing extra damage.
Uneven engine noise – You’ll usually hear this when the car is idling. It could mean the engine is misfiring and needs fixing urgently. It could be an easy fix, such as replacing spark plugs. However, it could also be a more serious problem with your engine and how it handles the air/fuel mixture.
Crunching gears – As the gearbox get a lot of wear and tear, fluids and parts will need replacing. If you hear a crunching noise as you change gear, it’s time to get your car serviced.
Metal-on-metal – Any scraping sound coming from your car needs to be looked at. This could be a broken part of your car scraping on something else, causing extra damage.
2. Vibrating or pulling under braking
This could be down to worn brake discs or pads, a suspension problem, or a problem with your steering. It’s not safe to drive like this so you must get your car serviced as soon as possible.
It could also be a sign of tyre wear, so check that your tyres have at least the minimum requirement of tyre tread – 1.6mm – and that they’re not wearing unevenly.
3. Reduced Comfort
If you notice that speed bumps are becoming a problem, your car is riding low or you can hear your tyres scraping on the wheel arch of your car, you need to get your car looked at immediately.
Any of these symptoms could signal an issue with your suspension. If not dealt with, the resulting damage can be very costly indeed.
4. Car Fires
It’s just about everyone’s worst nightmare when it comes to their cars. You’re driving along, happy as Larry, and suddenly your engine catches fire for no apparent reason. You have to pull over urgently, even unsafely, and jump out of your seat and get as far away from your car as possible.
Car fires can obviously be caused by accidents, but much more frequently they are due to mechanical failure. An oil or, even worse, a fuel leak, causes the liquids to come into contact with areas of the vehicle which are hot enough to ignite them.
Good, regular car servicing will greatly reduce the chances of this happening
The financial benefits of regular servicing
However high the upfront costs of servicing your car may appear, the fact is that cars that have a good service history last longer, perform better, and in the long run cost less to maintain. Nowadays it’s easier than ever to find companies that provide car servicing for various makes and models. However if your car does need repairs, there are ways to save money on spare parts.
And it’s not just the performance of your car that will improve if you service it regularly and save money on spare parts. Fuel efficiency can be massively improved if your car is in good condition. Why waste money at the pump when you can save it instead?
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