This article is written by Autocentres Ltd, one of the leading suppliers of Tyres in Newport.
Taking your car to the garage can be a daunting experience for many motorists. The fear of your car going up on the rack and then being told that there are a load of problems with your car and a hefty bill to boot is enough to make many have fear or anxiety when visiting a car garage. However, knowing when it’s time to visit the garage as well as setting up a routine for when you should get your car checked is key in ensuring that you know what’s what and you aren’t met with any nasty surprises.
In countries such as the UK & New Zealand – there are strict tests that must be carried out each year to ensure that vehicles are safe on the road. However, the US for example have looser vehicle inspection regulations depending on which state you reside in which makes it even more important to find a trusted garage or mechanic to ensure that your car is in top working order and doesn’t break down on the road.
This blog post lets you know exactly when to visit a garage or mechanic as well as well as why it’s important to arrange for regular maintenance if you are not already doing so. If there is a time that you have known it was time to visit the garage – let us know in the comments below.
Knowing When Something is Wrong With Your Car
In an ideal scenario – you will want to prevent issues with your car but sometimes – you don’t have this luxury. There are a number of things that you can check for whilst driving or while your car is not in use. If you find an issue – it’s probably a good time to visit a garage or mechanic.
Checks While Your Car is Stationary
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Check your tyres. If your tyres have obvious deflation, embedded objects such as nails or bulges in the tyre wall. Your tyres are one of the most important parts of the car as they are the only thing separating you from road so it’s important to ensure they are in good condition. Check the tyres for wear and you are good to go.
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Carry out visual inspections of the car, although it’s important to remember it’s quite hard to diagnose issues from just looking at the car. If you are unsure about anything then it’s highly recommended to get your car seen by a professional.
Checks While Your Car is On the Road
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Listen for noises when you are driving from both the inside and the outside of the car. If you can hear rattling on the inside or outside – you should definitely get your car checked as this could be an indication of many issues.
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When it is safe to do so, let go of the steering wheel and see if the car veers to one side. This can be an indication of tracking issues with the car or alignment issues with the wheels which can be fixed at the garage.
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If the car feels bumpy or is feeling uncomfortable on the road – you may need to have your suspension looked at.
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Test wipers regularly even when it is not raining – you won’t want to be caught in a storm or heavy rain with your wipers not working correctly.
Regular Maintenance to Keep You Safe on the Road
You will probably see varying information online telling you how often you should have your car checked every year. At an absolute minimum – you should visit the garage at least once a year for servicing. This can find if anything is wrong with the vehicle as well as tune it to be more efficient on the road. As we discussed, in the UK we have annual mandatory safety checks (MOTs) which need to be passed in order for a vehicle to be road legal. If you reside in a country in which there are more lenient checks – we highly recommend that you visit a garage every year at a minimum and every 6 months if you want to be safe rather than sorry.
Some vehicles’ onboard computer or dashboard will also notify you when it’s time to visit the garage. This can give you a good indication of when you need to get your car checked.
