How to extended lifespan of the car

For some people, car maintenance is nothing more than just filling up the fuel tank. If you believe that checking your vehicle before every single drive is a waste of time then you cannot be further away from the truth.

Even though it is probably not at the top of your to-do list, regular vehicle maintenance can surely help you minimise the maintenance costs.

The article given below will tell you in detail about some of the benefits of car servicing and repairs.

Increased Driving Safety

Regardless of how well you drive, your safety is only as good as your car's condition. The surest way of keeping your vehicle in a good condition is by having it serviced regularly. Otherwise, it is hard to predict when your car can let you down, and it could risk your safety. As part of regular car maintenance, from a simple check on your tyres to your ignition system can increase your safety while driving.

If your car is older than 3 years old, legally you are required to get your car tested for road worthiness, known as the MoT (Ministry of Transport) testing. If you get your car serviced and maintained regularly, your vehicle is not very likely to fail the MoT testing either.

Boost Performance and Enhance Fuel Economy

For a lot of people, changing the driving style and the regular vehicle servicing and maintenance are two of the easiest ways to improve the fuel economy. According to the research, as a driver, you are very likely to see a 10 to 15 per cent enhancement in your fuel economy.

A superior car runs in a superior way and showcases outstanding performance. Regular servicing (in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines) will ensure that every part of your car runs in the most efficient way. Obviously this will not only boost the performance of your car but it will certainly improve the fuel consumption as well.

Extended lifespan of the car

Another benefit of regular vehicle servicing and maintenance is that it extends the lifespan of your car too. No wonder why all the warranty policies ask you to get your vehicle regularly serviced and maintained.

However, it is important to keep 2 things in mind in relation to the servicing and maintenance of your vehicle:

You have to get the servicing and the maintenance carried out by qualified mechanics. The repairs ought to be carried out in accordance with the recommended guidelines from the vehicle manufacturer. These are some of the most important things that you should remember about car servicing and repairs.

Looking for car service Honiton? Call us on 01404 598 214 for more details.

Car Services

Today, the whole world appears to be always on the run as people move from one place to another either for business or for personal reasons. If you happen to be among the many that does lots of motorway driving, car services are of paramount importance. Regular car servicing will ensure that everything in your car ticks along smoothly so you can go about your daily business a bit easier. Car services are also an integral part of preventive maintenance that will keep your car in tip-top shape and in good running condition all the time.

A regular car service usually include the following: change of engine oil and oil filter; checks on the levels of coolant, brake and power steering fluid; inspection of lights, turn signals, brakes, clutch, tire pressure, shocks, struts, suspension, wiper blades and batteries; a analysis of onboard diagnostics; and replacement of air filter and spark plug. A detailed breakdown of some of these services will give you a better understanding and appreciation of the benefits they offer.

Changing the engine oil and oil filter will largely depend on the type used during the previous service. The engine oils that we are now using have been upgraded from mineral to semi-synthetic to fully synthetic oils. Synthetic oils are generally superior in quality as compared to the old mineral type. It will last longer and provide better engine protection. For instance, there are synthetic-based oils that can protect the engine because of their magnetic properties. Others prevent the build-up of contaminants while protecting the engine from rust and corrosion.

Fluid checks for the brake, steering and coolant systems are equally important and they should be topped up as needed. As the car owner, you can do these relatively simple checks once in a while. Insufficient engine coolant can cause significant engine damage. This could be very costly if the head gasket or the big ends are damaged as this would require an engine replacement. On the other hand, lack of power steering and brake fluid can also lead to problems with control systems which are vital for driver safety.

Virtually all modern cars have integrated onboard electronics which typically include auto diagnostic features. A well equipped service garage can easily link into such systems to check for any recurrent or imminent problems that may have taken place since the last service, thereby giving an additional layer of security. Air filters need replacement every 25,000 to 50,000 miles. A choked air filter will restrict air flow to the engine which can lead to reduced power along with an increase in fuel consumption. Spark plugs may also require replacement. This component is inexpensive but is the most important piece for engine tuning. Most manufacturers recommend the replacements of spark plugs every 30,000 to 50,000 miles although long life units boast of having a lifespan of up to 100,000 miles.

Car Service Types

Cars, just like any other piece of machinery, require maintenance on a regular basis. If neglected a car will become inefficient and eventually will stop working - there's no two ways about it. This is why car servicing is so important - if carried out regularly it will ensure that your vehicle performs at its optimum level for much longer.

Car Maintenance

You shouldn't solely rely on garage and mechanics to look after your car though. There are a few basic checks that every driver should do, no matter how much their mechanical knowledge is or isn't lacking.

You can really save yourself money and increase your safety by checking your engine oil, coolant levels, tyre pressure and tyre tread depth.

Although it might not seem like much, by making sure that these four things are as they should be, you will save yourself a lot of trouble. After all, if any of these components are too low, the knock on effect to the rest of the car can be very dangerous.

Even if they do not cause an accident, they will definitely have an effect on your bank balance. Whether it is through repair costs (that could have been easily avoided) or through an increase in the amount of money you spend of petrol - due to the rolling resistance of your vehicle being much higher than it needs to be - you ignore these checks at your own peril.

Car Service Types

Even the most safety conscious driver should book their car in for a vehicle service at least once a year.

As a general rule, most establishments that offer to service your car have three types to choose from. These are (in order of the number of checks carried out):

Oil Service
Interim Service
Full Service
Depending on your vehicle and how much you use it, it is worth checking what is involved in each kind of service. Especially if you are concerned about money, because although it can never hurt to have everything checked in detail, there is often quite a big price difference between the service types.

The most basic service is the oil service. The general checks that you can expect with an oil service are to your lights, exhaust and tyres. As you would imagine from the name, your old oil will be replaced with new and your old oil filter exchanged for a new one as well.

If you drive a lot throughout the year, you might consider booking your vehicle in for an Interim Service every six months (or in between your annual Full Service).

One step up from an Oil Service, the average Interim will include somewhere in the region of 25-35 safety checks on your car - components such as brake fluid, handbrake travel, steering and suspension will be examined.

The most comprehensive service a dealer offers is usually the Full Service. Recommended by garages as an annual checkup, the Full Service will go through almost everything in a car, checking the levels and testing the condition.

With well over 50 checks, a Full Service will ensure that your car performs to optimum levels for the year following your service.

Not only do these service options act as fantastic preventative measures that help to keep your car safe, but when you have booked your car in for a service the mechanics that carry out the work might spot things which could affect your MOT.

If small issues are found, these can be fixed before they turn into big problems that cost you far more money.

Call us on 01404 598 214 for car servicing in Honiton. Book now for discount.

Looking for car service Honiton? Call us on 01404 598 214 for more details.

You've probably heard of a Car Service Plan before, but do you know exactly what a Service Plan is and how it can benefit you? Without knowing what it is, it can sound a bit like a luxury, but nothing could be further from the truth. If you want to spend a small amount of money every month (we're talking approximately R150) and be covered for your car servicing needs in the future, we suggest you read on.

What is a Car Service Plan?

First of all, let's talk about what exactly, a Car Service Plan is. Basically, it's a plan that will pay for the regular services of your car. The exact parts of the service that it covers will be stipulated by your car manufacturer, as most service providers of these plans will stick to what is recommended by the manufacturer. Parts, fluids and labour are the general elements that are covered. The plan can run over a certain time frame, or according to a certain amount of kilometres driven. Whenever your car is due for a service, the elements stipulated will be covered, no hassles.

Of course, there are limits: if you bring your car into the service centre in pieces, your plan won't cover it. Major mechanical damage and electrical faults won't be covered, but this is standard with all service plans. If you took your car for a service and they fixed all mechanical and electrical damage as part of the service, mechanics would go out of business, and so would service centres!

What are the benefits of a Car Service Plan?

As you've probably guessed, there are quite a few benefits to taking out a Service Plan.

First of all, the biggest benefit: you need never worry about inflation increasing the costs of your services. Without a service plan, every time you take your car in, the price of a regular service will have increased to compensate for inflation. With a Car Service Plan, this doesn't happen. You pay a fixed instalment every month throughout your subscription to the plan. This also saves you money over time. So, a little instalment every month is all it takes to ensure that your car is serviced, and you get to avoid pesky inflation price increases. You get to budget your car-care with professionals.

Secondly, you know that you'll get a return on investment. Take Car Insurance for example. Car owners take out insurance for the possibility of an accident or car damage. No-one knows whether they will have to claim from insurance at some stage, but the risk of not having this type of cover is too great to take, so people do not mind parting with sums of money they may never see a return on. With a Car Service Plan, you know that your car will need servicing regularly. Whatever premium you pay, you know you're going to get a return on the monthly instalments because you will be claiming regularly for services.

Third but not least, your car will run all the better for regular servicing. We have all done it - procrastinated over a service and put it off until there is money available. As your car sits un-serviced but still in use, the wear and tear that has formed in the mechanics starts to degrade your car even further, and more quickly. Eventually, when you have a service, the cost of repairing the damage done by the wear and tear build-up can be expensive. If you get your car serviced when it is supposed to be, the car won't suffer from existing damage decreasing its performance. The car will also last longer and be far easier to sell, as it will have a complete service history created for you by your service provider.

Looking for car service Honiton? Call us on 01404 598 214 for more details.

Car servicing in Honiton

As cars get more hi-tech and hi-spec it may seem less important to make sure that you get your car serviced. But this makes it even more imperative that you keep your car serviced and keep your service records up to date.

Making sure that your car is regularly serviced can help to make sure that your car is running as smoothly as possible and performing to the level that it should. It will also make the process of your car's MOT a lot less problematic as issues can be picked up and dealt with beforehand to keep your car roadworthy.

Although many people see servicing as an added cost on and one that they don't see worthwhile, in fact it is an investment worth making - as well as helping to make it more likely that your car will pass its MOT having your car serviced could save a lot of money as any problems can be put right quicker and cost less due to being only minor.

It is also important for car owners to remember their safety when wondering whether to get their car serviced as although it may cost you money if there are some problems there is a chance that a serious problem or malfunction in your car could cost you a lot more.

If what you have just read has persuaded you that you need to keep up to date with car servicing it is important to check on the quality of garage you choose to have your car serviced at in order to make sure that you get the best possible checks. Making sure the garage is familiar with your car and its parts could also be important and enable you to get the best value for money, but as long as you choose a reputable garage you should be fine.

When taking your car in for servicing it is well worth thinking about any possible noises, sounds from your brakes or problems your car may have had and letting the mechanics know in order to make sure that these areas are checked. Although a good mechanic will be sure to find any problems, it can help them to pick out and deal with problems faster and will also give you peace of mind that the results you get from your service will be top quality.

What is meant by the servicing of a motor vehicle?

Every car has a service schedule as long as the car is under the warranty period. The service of a vehicle refers to set of maintenance procedures that are carried out after a fixed duration of time has passed by or if the car has travelled a fixed distance. The intervals between these services are specified by the manufacturer of the car. Some of the recently made cars have the due date of the next scheduled service written on their instrument panels.

After a service has been completed on a vehicle, it is recorded in a service book. This book is rubber stamped by the service center once the servicing is completed. The resale value of a car is bound to be high if it has a complete service history.

What are the various tasks performed during the servicing of a motor vehicle?

There are many maintenance tasks that are carried out during the servicing of a motor vehicle. Some of them are changing the engine oil, replacing the oil filter, replacing the air filter, tuning the engine, proper greasing and lubrication of the components, check the brake pads and replace them if they are worn out, checking the level as well as refilling the automatic and the manual transmission fluid, replacing the spark plugs and replacing the fuel filter.

Some of the mechanical parts of the car might prove unsafe to be operated on a road. The service center advices and notifies their customers about such parts as well. Clutch, the battery of the car and the gearbox are examples of such mechanical parts. Car servicing in Honiton is done very efficiently. It is ensured that the cars are serviced in the proper manner. The service centers also try and ensure that the cost of the servicing is kept as low as possible.