Engine Oil degrades with time and use, so the more kms you do the more regularly you need to change your oil. The recommended service intervals listed by the manufacturer are to be considered the minimal intervals you should follow. When you change your oil, please ensure you always do the following. 1) You always use the correct oil ! I cannot tell you how many times we have had customers come in who have tried to change their own oil and had engine problems becuase they used the wrong oil. 2) Don't use cheap oils 3) Always put in the correct level of oil and check this level on a regular basis. Low Oil is the most common cause of engine failure and a recent survey established as many as 50% of the cars on the road are driving around without enough oil. No Oil will result in a dead engine within minutes, so keep a secial eye on your oil level, check it regularly and top it up as needed.
If you ever get an oil light show up on your dash, stop straight away and check it.
To run, your car needs four things, Fuel, Spark, Oil & Air and without any one of these your car will not run. Thats why its important to replace your engines air filter on a regular basis. If this filter becomes blocked with dirt it will reduce the flow of air to the engine and cause a range of problems. The air filter is relatively easy to replace by un clipping the air box, removing the old air filter and inserting the new one in its place. Most air filters are relatively inexpensive at around $25 and can be purchased from most parts suppliers.
Its important you check your tyre wear on a regular basis for the following reasons 1) Tyres with very low tread depth are dangerous and illegal. There is no use having a great car with good brakes and suspension if your tyres are worn out. 2) If you check your tyres you may notice that the tyre is wearing unevenly. By this we mean one side of the tyre is wearing more than the other. Often you will find its the inside of the tyre that wears when this happens, so make sure you get under the car and have a good look. As soon as you notice uneven tyre wear you need to see an expert to see if your camber, or toe settings are out.
Overall, its important to check your tyres and replace them when needed. Tyres can be expensive, but getting them replaced can save your life.
Tyre pressures are also an important part of how the tyre will wear. Check your Tyre Pressures
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Ok, well this one is a little harder, but if you get a torch and look at the brake caliper where the pads are mounted each side of the brake disc you should be able to pads and how much stopping material they have left on them. If your unable to see, you can call into the workshop and we can put it on the host and check for you. As you know your brakes are essential for your safety and as soon as your pads have warn down to the point that you have a metal backing plat clamping on a metal disc, your not going to 1) Not be able to stop the car, 2) You will more than likely hear load noises from your brakes and 3) If you will damage your brake discs as well. When we complete any services in the workshop, we always check the brake pads as a free service, so if your not sure, give us a call and we are happy to do it as part of your next oil change.
Under your cars bonnet you will find a range of fluids that need to be checked on a regular basis and topped up if needed. These include Radiator Coolant, Washer Bottle, Power Steering Fluid and brake fluid.
These fluids usually have bottles with clear markings attached indicating the recommended High and Low levels. Its recommended that you generally try to keep these bottles filled close to the "High" level.
So how do you know what fluid is what ? Usually on the top of each bottle will be a filler cap and on the cap it will say what its for. BUT, IF UNSURE, dont do it until you check with an expert as putting the wrong fluid in the the wrong place will result in disaster. EG: You can imange putting water in your brake fluid. You can see the following from popular mechanics.
Being made of rubber, Drive belts and hoses will deteriate and crack over time. Fortunately, you will generally be able to see small cracks in the hose or belt before it actually lets go and brakes.
When replacing hoses, its important you do the following 1) Always use new hoses that are built to manufacturer specs. Because of the importance of the part, its also important you only use quality hoses by well known manufacturers. 2) Often hoses will become stuck or welded to the pipe fittings. When removing them, be very careful not to brake them. This is especially true for the new plastic style radiators. If the hoses have not been changed in the car since new, its also wise to consider changing the radiator at the same time if you can afford to do so.
When replacing belts, its also important to replace them at the first sign of cracks. Once you loosen the tentioner (The thing keeping it tight), then the belt should come off easily. Put the new one on and retention and off you go. One useful tip is to take pictures before you remove the belt if you are worried about forgetting what way to put it back on.
This one is relatively simple, When you drive a car, you need to be able to see out of your windscreen. For this, you need to ensure you have good wiper blades should you run into heavy rain. With older style cars this simply means replacing the rubber blade, but for many modern cars you will need to replace the head complete head unit. We stock a range of wiper units and blades, so feel free to call in if you cannot find what your after.
As mentioned at item 6 (above), its important to always have enough washer fluid ready should your windscreen get dirty and need to be cleaned.
While strictly not related to the mechanics of your car, ensureing you have adequate insurance cover, your car is registered and you have roadside assistance is an important part of your overall vehicle ownership.
Headlights, like all lights dont last for every. They have special bulbs in them that provide high output light for night driving with minimal power. At the workshop, we stock a wide range of lights and fuses, so if your not sure, call in and we will see if we can help you out.
And lastly, we need to talk about the often overlooked item in your car, the humble car battery. In recent years, car have been manufactured with more and more electric items. Everything from the engine computer to the kids TV screens and phones now run off the cars electrical system. For this reason its more important than ever to replace your battery every 2-3 years to ensure your not left standard. See our Battery Page here.