Getting your vehicle ready for a journey on the motorway

Written by Declan
If you are planning on doing a long journey in your car, and especially if you are going to be travelling on the motorway then it is vital to carry out some checks a few days before you set off. Some people choose to carry out these checks out on the morning of their trip, but often if you find a problem, it is too late to try and rectify it before you are supposed to leave. For example if you discover you have a puncture then you may not be able to get a tyre fitted for a little while, which may well delay your trip, and if you have a flight to catch, you could end up missing it and therefore missing part if not all of your...
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Stopping distances and tyre wear

Written by Declan
Many of us are aware that stopping distances can be affected by many things such as the weather, tyre wear and tyre pressures but yet you may not realise exactly how much tyre condition can affect the time it takes your vehicle to stop. The law states that tyres must have at least 1.6mm of tread in a continuous band around the centre three quarters of the tyre, anything below this is classed as illegal and can cost you a fine and three points on your license per tyre. Although this is what the laws states, many mechanics and tyre fitters stress that really tyres should be replaced when they reach 3mm of tread. A new tyre starts off with 8mm of tread but once it gets to 3mm of...
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Should your car service be carried out at a main dealer?

Written by Declan
All cars and vans should be service in accordance with the manufactures schedule to ensure that components are checked and replaced when needed. All service schedules can vary from vehicle to vehicle so it is advised to check what is required for your specific make and model of car. There is often a huge price difference between getting your vehicle serviced at a main dealer garage as opposed to another independent garage. Some cars that are under a warranty must be serviced at a main dealer to ensure that the warranty is not invalidated. If you do use an independent garage, then check what parts they are using when replacing them. It may be that they are going to use non genuine parts, which may be ok as long as...
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Why is it so important to use a garage you trust?

Written by Declan
When it comes to finding a garage to carry out any repairs or servicing etc to your vehicle, you need to find one that is reliable and one you can trust. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to use a garage that we have had no previous dealings with due to a breakdown for example. This is not ideal but if you find yourself in this situation, you need to have an idea of what you are talking about to ensure that you receive a good deal. People that take cars into garages and say they have no idea what is wrong and could they fix it are asking for trouble. If you go to the mechanic and say that you have experienced an issue with the vehicle and detail what has...
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What is a car diagnostic check?

Written by Declan
If your car has developed a fault or have warning lights come up on your dashboard, then a garage may recommend that you have a diagnostic run on your vehicle. This can range in price from £30 upwards to £100 depending on where you take it. So what exactly is a car diagnostic check and how can it help with a fault? All modern vehicles have an on-board computer inside them which is linked up by sensors to different components within your car. These computers monitor things such as engine temperature, oxygen levels and replay issues and any faults found are stored on the on-board computer in a series of fault codes.  These fault codes need to be read by specialist equipment called a diagnostic machine. Not all garages have...
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