Do you have an oil leak?

You may not realise that you have an oil leak until you take your car in to a garage to have something else done or notice oil on your driveway where you usually park. Oil can come from a number of different places on the engine. It may be coming from the gear box, the rocker cover or the oil tank itself. There are a number of different pipes and components that the oil runs through, so it any of these are damaged, it will cause the oil to leak out. If the leak is only small it may take some time before you have to top up your oil levels. If the oil leak is coming from the gear box you may not realise until it is too late and the gear box is already damaged.

If you notice oil coming from under the car or if you notice it sprayed on other components under the bonnet then you need to take it in to a garage as soon as possible for them to diagnose and fix it. If left, it may very quickly lead to further damage which can then be very costly. Often the oil is changed when you have your car serviced and oil leaks are usually picked up at this point, but it is worth always checking where you usually park the car for any new drips of oil.

Driving your car in icy conditions

With must of England having experienced snow at some point over the last few weeks, there have been a few days when the driving conditions have been quite poor. If we have snow and then the temperature drop to below freezing, this can make for some rather nasty icy roads which can be very dangerous. It may look like snow on the roads but it is actually ice and this can easily cause you to lose all grip.

Often on days like this it is advisable not to drive unless you have to. If you do have to go out you need to check that the tyres on your vehicle have plenty of grip. Driving with little or no tread on your tyres is bad enough in normal driving conditions but is extremely dangerous in icy conditions. Try and wait until a bit later in the day to drive if possible, as hopefully the temperatures will pick up a little and melt the snow and ice. When choosing your tyres, it is important to consider if you would have to drive if the roads were bad. If so then you should invest in snow or winter tyres. These will need to be swapped over though in the summer months.

Issues with electric windows or mirrors

often was an optional extra that you could choose to have when ordering your new car.

Electric mirrors can be very handy. Many vehicles allow you to fold the mirrors in which can be great for on street parking or when in a car park as this helps to avoid them getting clipped by passing motorists. Some allow you to fold the mirrors just from the touch of a button on your remote or even do it automatically when you park others may require you to press a button when in the car. Electric windows are another great invention. It has avoided situations where drivers have to mess around winding down a window when driving which could be a hazard. Instead with one touch of a button, you can open your window without becoming distracted.

As with anything electrical, it is great when it all works but the downside is the more electrical components you have on your vehicle the more likely they are to go wrong. IF you do find an issue with any of the electrical items not working then the first thing to do is check the fuse which is usually located in the passenger or drivers footwell or in the side of the door.

Car insurance renewals

When it comes that time of the year to renew your car insurance it is worth spending a bit of time shopping around for quotes. Car insurance can cost a lot of money especially if you are young, inexperienced or have convictions / claims on your license.

Very often car insurance providers will tempt you in with a good price for the first year, but you may find that your renewal price is significantly higher even though you have another years no claims discount and have not have any claims or convictions. This is why it is important to get some other quotes before your new policy renews. You may find that if you allow the policy to renew with your current provider but then try to cancel it a little later on that you are charged a cancellation fee.

There are some great comparison websites out there that will allow you to compare the price of your insurance across multiple providers rather than having to go to each one individually. Many of them also offer additional rewards such as cashback, vouchers or free gifts. Always take this in to consideration when buying your new policy as it may make a difference as to who you choose.

Selling your vehicle for spares or repair on an auction site

Should your car or van develop a fault that means it is beyond economic repair you may think that selling it for scrap is your only option but with some effort you may be able to achieve a higher selling price by selling it for spares or repair on an auction site.

It is important when deciding on the content of your listing to be honest about the condition of your vehicle and to state clearly whether it is in a driveable condition or whether the buyer will need to arrange a pickup truck to take it away.

The photographs that are uploaded should show any damage to the vehicle so that the buyer will be able to decide beforehand if they wish to make a bid. Offering the chance for viewing would be advisable if possible.

Any recent work that has been done on the vehicle and any service history should be stated as this will make the purchase more attractive to potential buyers.

Once the auction has ended hopefully the winner of the auction will be in contact to arrange collection however there are time wasters who will try to back out of the sale. It is possible to contact other bidders with a second chance offer is necessary.

Is your car dash board lit up like a Christmas tree?

With many of us not using our cars as often at the moment, you may find that when you come to start using it again there are lights on the dashboard that were not there before. There are a number of different lights on the instrument panel and theses vary by model of car but often the most common ones are present on all modern vehicles. Some of the lights on your dash are warnings of simple things such as low fuel or low oil which is easily rectified by topping them up. Other warning lights are more serious. You may have had it, where you are driving along and you get a light or symbol come up on your dashboard that you have not seen before. This can be alarming but it is best not to panic until you know exactly what you are dealing with.
One light to look out for is the engine management light. Again, this can illuminate for a number of reasons, but when lit you may find that your car goes in to limp mode and will not drive above about 30mph until the problem is fixed.
You should be able to find out what the light means by looking in your handbook, but if you don’t have a hand book then search online will often give you the answers you are looking for.

Stripping down your vehicle and selling the parts

If your car is no longer drivable and you are considering selling it for scrap then you may want to consider if it would be possible for you to try and make a bit more money buy stripping it down and selling certain parts.

You may need a little mechanical knowledge or at least a good tutorial to teach you how to safely remove some of the parts but if you can, you can often more than triple the scrap value if not more. Depending on how much time you have and storage space, almost all parts can be sold to make money so if possible, strip off as much as you can. Bumpers, doors and even seats often sell for quite large amounts of money.

There are many ways in which to sell these parts. Some of the social media sites such as Facebook are great for selling cars and car parts but also places like Ebay often give you the best coverage.

Make sure that the vehicle is kept off the road once you have cancelled the tax and insurance, ideally in a garage or a workshop so you have coverage if the weather turns bad.

Is your Sat Nav a good substitute for your map book?

The majority of mid to high end new cars are fitted with a satellite navigation system as standard. These can range from a very basic one to a more sophisticated version that will allow you to enter your vehicle dimensions. Many people rely on their in-car system completely without thinking about having an overall view of their route. This can lead to major difficulties such as if the Sat Nav stops working for some reason or you need to make a detour because of an unexpected road closure.

It is a good idea to carry a map book in the car’s glove box for use in these emergencies as phone and data signals are not always available in all areas of the country so you could find yourself without the means to request help.

The real advantage with Sat Nav systems is when you are visiting a large town or city especially if you are alone in the car and cannot easily look for signage. As many cities have ring roads and one-way systems in place navigating your way to your destination could be difficult. Another advantage is that as you approach your destination you are prompted to follow directions to a car park nearby. The old A to Z street maps that were used would not be so convenient and could not be used when driving.

Should you always use genuine car parts when repairing and servicing your vehicle?

Vehicles can be expensive to run not just in terms of fuel, tax and insurance but also in repairs and servicing.

When it comes to repairing your vehicle, whether it be mechanical or cosmetic, you may have the option as to whether you use genuine or non genuine car parts. If you have a warranty either dealer or manufacturers the first thing you want to do if find out if the repair is covered by it. If it is then you may have to take it to a specific garage to get the repairs done. If it is manufactures warranty the parts will probably have to be genuine. If it is covered by a dealership warranty, they ae more likely to use non genuine parts. If you have an older vehicle not covered by a warranty and take it to a local garage they may give you the option as to what parts you wish to use.

Some people think that genuine parts are always better, but for certain repairs this is not always the case. Often you may find that the saving you will make on using non genuine parts means that you could afford to replace the part again in a few years if required and still have saved money. If you are in doubt, speak to an independent garage that you trust and ask their opinion.

Are you having airbag issues?

Airbags are a common suite in most cars now. They are often fitted in to the steering wheel, the passenger side above the glove box and the side impact areas of the vehicle. Air bags are a crucial part of the safety aspects of the car. It is proven than air beds can save lives and therefore it is vital that they are in working order.  It is not uncommon to see an airbag light flash up on your dashboard. This will often stay light if the car suspects there is a fault with the system. There may not actually be a fault with the airbags, it sometimes comes on if you have disconnected the battery for example. If this is the case, then the airbag light will need resetting.

If you have an airbag light come up on your dashboard then you need to take the vehicle in to a garage to get them to check what the fault is.  Before you do this, you may want to do some simple checks.  Many cars have a plug under the driver’s seat or under the passenger seat for the airbag.  If this plug becomes loose or is not correctly connected, then your airbag light will illuminate.

Check all the plugs to ensure that they are correctly connected and check to see whether the airbag light is still on.  If it is then you will need to take into a garage to have the car put on a diagnostic machine to find out fault codes or to be reset.