Prepare Your Vehicle For Winter
With the temperature dropping and the nights drawing in, now is the time to prepare your vehicle for the wintry weeks ahead.
You’ll be pleased to hear that many of the basic car maintenance checks can be carried out by yourself. However, if you do notice any issues or problems, we’d highly recommend that you get your car seen by a professional straightaway.
Here at Avalon Motor Company, we offer servicing facilities for any make or model of vehicle and all of our technicians are fully trained to the highest standards. When you book your vehicle in with us, we’ll perform a FREE vehicle health check and issue you with a report when you collect your vehicle from us.
CLICK HERE to find out more about our service plans and offers.
It’s really important to make sure that your vehicle is in good working order at this time of year, which will help prevent unnecessary breakdowns and potential accidents. Take a look at our top six maintenance tips below...
BATTERY
Your car battery is the biggest cause of a breakdown during the winter months as we tend to use the heaters and lights more often. This is one of the areas of your vehicle that you may well need a professional to check - should it be coming to the end of its battery life - now is the time to have it replaced.
You may not think you use your car often enough to have worn down the battery, but this may be doing more damage than you think! Shorter trips can actually have a detrimental effect on a car’s battery life, as can colder weather which will make them less efficient.
BRAKES
It is so important to make sure that your brakes are in good working order. In the winter, roads can become more slippery and unsafe and the last thing you’ll want to do is risk an accident. If you’re unsure how well your brakes are working or have any concerns about them, please get in touch with our service department to book in your vehicle.
COOLANT
All hail the hero of our car’s engine! Coolant has a vitally important role in the function of our vehicles; it is essentially diluted antifreeze which lowers the freezing point in your engine, so that it doesn’t freeze and cause damage during those extra chilly nights and frosty mornings.
ENGINE OIL
Keeping your engine oil topped up is really important to avoid potential damage or even a breakdown. Check it regularly and remember that too much engine oil can be just as bad as too little.
Your oil and filter should be changed every year using a reputable brand - as the old saying goes; buy cheap, buy twice! Make sure you check for warning signs of any engine oil problems, such as leaks underneath the chassis which will be noticeable on the surface where your car is regularly parked.
LIGHTS
Check all of your lights to ensure that they are in good working order - these include your brake lights, fog lights and number plate lights too! Any faulty bulbs must be replaced immediately or you could risk a fine. Did you know that it’s actually against the law to knowingly drive with faulty lights?
If you’re caught driving without working lights, you are more than likely to be pulled over by the police and be issued with a verbal warning as standard. This may also result in a fixed penalty notice of a £60 fine and three points on your licence, or even a vehicle defect rectification notice which orders you to fix the fault and provide proof within a 14-day period.
TYRES
Make sure you regularly check your tyres for wear and tear to ensure that they still meet the minimum tread and quality required by law. The legal tread depth on each tyre must be at least 1.6mm, but ideally a tread depth of 2-3mm per tyre is recommended for optimum safety.
You may want to consider changing to winter tyres to be even better prepared for the testing weather conditions during the months ahead. By doing so, you’ll benefit from deeper treads and even more traction - which is especially beneficial if you live in rural areas or hilly places. You could be fined up to £2,500 per tyre if they do not meet UK standards.
