Check Head Lights: Have a friend help you check your lights regularly to make sure the brake, indicator and fog lights are all still working. Also, keep an eye out for cracks and be sure to keep your lights clean.

Keep an eye on your windscreen: Regular inspections for stone damage and minor chips on your windscreen can save you a lot of money in the long run. A small chip can grow into a crack if you don’t have it professionally repaired before it spreads. Also, to maintain good visibility in all weather conditions, make sure that your screen wash remains topped up and that your windscreen wipers are replaced when necessary. Keep your windscreen clean – both inside and out.So, you have your travel bag packed and itinerary planned. How much could you pay in APD? The rates and bands below apply to flights leaving England, Scotland and Wales (but not Northern Ireland).

Your tool kit & in-car essentials: A happy driver is a prepared driver. To help ensure you’re always prepared, we’ve included some suggestions for items that you might want to keep in your car all year round.

Many cars come with a small toolkit, usually hidden somewhere under the spare wheel. Make sure that you know where it is and what it contains. At a minimum, it should include a jack and wheel lock opener. If you can’t find these, then it’s time to invest in them.

In-car travel essentials:
• Water
• Sunglasses – you can encounter glare in all types of weather
• Flashlight – a wind-up one is most reliable
• Hands-free set for your phone
• Multi-use car charger
• Small change or a phone card (in case you’re out of mobile range) 
• Up-to-date maps / GPS kit

Car care basics: 
 • Wheel lock opener
 • Jack
 • Jump leads
 • Multi-tool
 • Screen wash

Health and safety kit:
• First aid kit 
• Small fire extinguisher
• High visibility vest

Battery charge: This light should go on when you switch on the ignition and go off when the engine starts. If it does not go on at all, or comes on while you are driving, this indicates that there is an issue with your battery charging system. You should get off the road and switch off your engine as soon as it is safe to do so and seek assistance.

Oil pressure: Again, this light should go on when you switch on the ignition and go off when the engine starts. If the light stays on after you start the car or switches on during the journey, it may indicate that you need to top up your oil level. If the light illuminates and you find that your oil level is correct, seek assistance.

Brake system: This light should come on and stay on while the handbrake is engaged. If it stays on after you release the handbrake, this may indicate an issue with your brake fluid level.

Engine: If this light stays on after you’ve started the car, or comes on when the engine is running, it indicates an issue with the engine management system. Seek assistance as soon as possible.

ABS: This light should go on briefly when you switch on your ignition to indicate that your ABS system is working. If it comes on while you are driving, it shows that there is something wrong and you should seek assistance as soon as possible.

Brake system and ABS: If these warning lights come on simultaneously while you are driving, you should gradually reduce your speed and move your car off the road as soon as it is safe to do so. Be careful when using the breaks and seek assistance. 

The automobile has been around for more than a hundred years. It has evolved from gas buggies built in the late 1800s by Daimler and Benz in Germany and by Henry Ford, Ransom Olds, and others in the United States to our present day automobiles composed of more than 15,000 individual parts.

The early era cars were, at their time, complex machines that could only be enjoyed by the wealthy and repaired by dedicated and trained personnel known as mechanics. The traditional mechanic no longer exists today and has been replaced by highly trained personnel known as technicians.

Technicians often specialize in a specific area of the automobile such as drivability / diagnostics, electrical / electronic systems, drivetrain, transmission, suspension / steering / brakes, and body systems.

This specialisation has been made necessary by the many complex electronic and computer systems found in today’s cars. The relatively recent advent of electronic systems on the modern car has transformed it into a self-diagnosing and, to an extent, self-adjusting machine.

When you look under the hood of today’s automobile, the maze of tubes, wires, hoses, belts, and other parts may seem intimidating. Don’t let this first view alarm you. You can become more comfortable with what you’re looking at by becoming familiar with your vehicle.

We encouraging motorists to carry out regular basic car maintenance checks. Being able to do some simple checks ourselves could not only save money but it could help to ensure our car remains roadworthy, ensuring we and our family are getting safely from A to B.

The importance of looking after our car is highlighted following various research. It reveals around 7.2 million (21%) motorists claim no-one performs any basic maintenance checks on a monthly basis.

We should consider looking after our cars in the same way as we would our homes, carrying out regular checks and keeping the car well maintained will prevent it from breaking down and potentially needing work when it goes for its MOT.

People whose car warranty may have expired need to take care and ensure they are carrying out regular checks themselves and organising regular servicing.

Even those driving under warranty should be vigilant as they still have a duty of care for their vehicle between servicing, failing to keep oil or coolant topped up could result in a breakdown and a bill they're required to foot themselves.

Worryingly, the findings highlight that the most neglected check to be undertaken, despite being a legal requirement, is ensuring your car's tyre tread depth is at a minimum of 1.6mm. The survey revealed that just two in five (38%) motorists carry out this essential check on a monthly basis. We stock a range of tyres and will be able to help you with a new one while you wait.

Although these checks are basic, they are fundamental to keeping a car in good working condition; running out of engine oil could, for example, seriously damage your engine and repairs could be very costly. You could also put you and your passengers safety at risk; not having the correct tyre tread depth could, for example, increase your car's stopping distance which could have potentially dangerous consequences if you need to brake suddenly or stop in an emergency.

With everyone on a tight budget these days, car repairs are sometimes unexpected and can come as a nasty surprise. 

The video below encourages you to carry out regular basic car maintenance checks.

If not sure please bring your car to us and we will give a health check
and advise so as to prevent further damage, big repair bills and keep you alll safe on the roads.

If you want to save money and increase the reliability of your car, you should try to take an active role in its upkeep and maintenance. If you don't, you will eventually be forced to seek help for a major problem or breakdown. There are some simple things you can do to greatly reduce the chances of a major problem or breakdown. 

We assume that you are starting with little or no knowledge and that you want to learn what maintenance should be done for maximum dependability and economy. You will also learn what tools you will need.

Whatever your reasons for learning about your car, the first tool you need is an increased awareness of your car's maintenance and repair needs. Even if you don't want to become a full-fledged technician, you should try to learn what maintenance should be done regularly. Take a few minutes to read through your car owner's manual and note the recommended maintenance schedules.

Nothing thrives on neglect. Preventive maintenance can stop problems from occurring. With a small investment of time and interest, you can become aware of some of your car's needs and help to avoid expensive breakdowns. For example, there are two simple checks you can make as you walk toward your parked car:

1. Look at the tires. Soft tires spell trouble. It pays to be sure that your car's tires are inflated properly, according to the car manufacturer's recommendations. After your tires are inflated, look at them carefully. It's more difficult to judge when radial tires are properly inflated because their side-walls always have a characteristic bulge. Even so, each time you approach the car, look at each of the tires and compare what you see with your mental image of properly filled tires. If you're in doubt, check them with a good-quality tyre pressure gauge. At the very least, you risk damage to expensive tires by driving on them while they are under inflated. At worst, you are risking your life.

2. Look for wet spots or puddles under or around the car. Puddles can spell trouble.
They can be:

•   Engine oil (brownish, oily).
•   Automatic transmission fluid (reddish, oily).
•   Power steering fluid (reddish or light brownish, oily).
•   Engine coolant (green, red, blue, or other watery, sticky liquid).
•   Brake fluid (clear to brownish, smells like ether).
•   Gasoline (clear, strong smelling, also a fire hazard).
•   Water (condensation from air conditioning system, no problem).

Under a front-wheel drive transaxle, or under a rear-wheel drive manual transmission or differential, there may be oil or grease spots. Inside the wheels, you might notice leaking brake fluid. Any of these signs could be warning you of trouble.

But don't jump to conclusions; spots or fluids on the ground could have been left by another vehicle. If you are in doubt, check further wherever you normally park your car. Place a large piece of cardboard or several sheets of newspaper under the area of the car where you found the spots. Leave it there overnight. If something is leaking, you will find a fresh puddle on top of the cardboard or paper the next morning. Also try to note the location of the leak relative to the car. It may help you determine where the leak is coming from. But remember that as you drive, air flowing past the car can push these fluids toward the rear of the vehicle before it drips off. Also the fluids will flow downward from the source of the leak. Just to be sure, you should check the fluid levels (refer to manual) to help determine which fluids may be leaking.

If you find brake fluid leaking onto the ground, you should have the car's brakes inspected by a professional technician as soon as possible. Brakes are your car's most important safety system. Fuel leaks are extremely dangerous as gasoline is very flammable. Don't start your car if you find a puddle of gasoline. Have the leak repaired immediately.

Just by checking regularly for tire condition and for leaks, you have developed and used the first, most essential tool for effective car care - your awareness.