Keeping Your Car Road-Ready: Essential Tips for Maintenance and Breakdown Prevention

Keeping your car in good condition isn’t just about avoiding breakdowns: it’s also about staying safe, saving money, and making sure your vehicle is legal to drive. Regular maintenance might seem like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Read on for our simple and essential tips to help keep your car road-ready and prevent common problems before they crop up.

Why Do Cars Need Regular Maintenance?

Like anything with lots of moving parts, cars wear down over time. From your tyres and breaks to your engine oil, nothing lasts forever. If each component of your car isn’t checked and maintained on a regular basis, along with safety checks on the whole vehicle, your car can become dangerously unsafe and prone to a breakdown or expensive mechanical failure.

In the UK, the law requires drivers to pass an annual MOT, a test designed to ensure your car is safe, reliable, and road-legal. This intends to ensure that all cars on the roads in the UK have met an acceptable standard. Many garages will offer a pre-MOT check to give your car a once over and ensure it passes its MOT. The MOT itself is usually around £50 but any necessary fixes to ensure your car meets the legal standard will be charged on top of this. Taking good care of your car in between MOTs will help you to avoid a nasty or expensive shock at the garage.

Our Essential Tips

Regular Oil Top-Ups

Your car’s engine needs clean oil to run properly. Oil keeps the engine parts moving smoothly and helps stop them from wearing out. Check the oil level once a month using the dipstick. If the oil is low, top it up. If it looks very dark or dirty, it may be time for an oil change. Keeping the right oil level helps your engine last longer.

Tyre Checks

Your need to have high quality car tyres to keep safe on the road. Check your tyre pressure regularly, especially before long trips. Also look at the tread: it should be at least 1.6mm deep. Worn or underinflated tyres can be dangerous and affect how your car handles, especially in rain, and will require replacing immediately. Healthy tyres will also help with fuel efficiency.

Essential Fluids

Your car uses several important fluids. These include brake fluid, coolant, screen wash, and power steering fluid. Check their levels regularly and top them up if they’re low. Make sure the fluids are clean and not leaking. Each one plays an important role in keeping your car safe and running well. Without them, your car might overheat, lose control, or have trouble stopping.

Address Warning Lights

If a dashboard warning light comes on, your car is telling you something’s wrong. Don’t ignore it! It could be a small problem now, but waiting too long might make it worse and more expensive to fix. Check your car’s manual to see what the light means and get it looked at as soon as possible.

Regular Servicing

Getting your car serviced regularly is very important. A service checks all the key parts of your car to make sure they’re working well. Mechanics can spot and fix problems early before they get worse. Regular servicing also helps your car pass its MOT and stay safe, reliable, and fuel-efficient. Check your car’s service schedule and book it in when it’s due.

Have You Considered Extended Car Warranty?

Taking care of your and following our tips for maintenance and breakdown prevention is certainly the best way to keep it road-ready car day to day. However, no car is immune to costly mechanical failures. Extended car warranties offer a huge range of benefits including financial protection against unexpected repair costs, peace of mind in knowing your car is protected, and potentially an increased resale value for your car.

Your extended car warranty can cover various car components including the engine, transmission, and electrical systems, helping you to avoid the financial burden of a major mechanical failure. Many plans also include extras like roadside assistance, car hire, and cover for labour costs, adding even more value and convenience when you need it most.