Photo by Hosea Georgeson on Unsplash

When something goes wrong with your car, it can very expensive to fix. Many problems often start small and can be prevented by making sure that your car is maintained regularly.  

To make sure that your car gives you many years and miles of happy motoring, you’ll need to keep on top of this essential maintenance. 

Make Sure You’re Starting From A Good Place

If your car is new, then everything should be in perfect working order, with no wear and tear.  

If you do buy your car second hand, try and use a dealer, like Century Cars, who have signed up to the AA Dealer Promise. This means that the car sold to you is guaranteed to be in good condition, with a minimum 6-month MOT and service history. 

Oil Levels 

Newer models of car have onboard computers which monitor many functions from tyre pressure to antifreeze levels. If you have one of these cars then it will tell you when your oil is running low.  For everyone else, you’ll have to do it the old fashioned way and check the oil levels yourself.  

If you are running low on oil, your engine won’t perform to it’s best levels and could damage the motor, leaving with you with costly repair bills. 

Check your levels once a week,  

Tyre Tread Depth & Pressure

In the UK, it is illegal to have a tread depth of less than 1.6mm in a continuous band around the central three-quarters of the tyre. 

Punctures themselves are one of the most common causes of breakdowns.  Sometimes, this is unavoidable, especially if you get something stuck in your tyre, causing a puncture.  

Check your tyre pressure once a week, you can find the recommended pressure for your vehicle in the manufacturer’s handbook.  

Brakes 

Brakes are one of the most important safety features on a car.  Always test them after moving through deep water. If you suspect that they aren’t working as well as they should, take your car to the garage to get them checked and the brake pads replaced if necessary. 

Battery 

If your car is having trouble starting, you may need to get your battery tested at the garage.  Do it as soon as you notice something might not be right, you don’t want to get stranded with a dead battery. 

Coolant Levels

Failing to keep your coolant levels topped can lead to huge bills if your engine overheats. 

As with oil, the levels should be between the minimum and maximum levels.  Coolant levels are generally stable, so if you notice a sudden decrease, take your car to a garage as soon as possible as it could signal a much bigger problem. 

Radiator Antifreeze Levels

During the winter months, anti-freeze stops your engine and radiators freezing.  Without it, you could be looking at thousands of pounds of damage to your car. Make sure you keep your levels topped up, especially in the winter months.