Information about Cheap Cars, Car Parts, Car Loans and Others

In a time when it is hard to keep a hold of your hard earned cash it’s perhaps a prudent decision to cut back on your expenses. One way to save some money is to acquire a basic understanding of car maintenance. If you are able to maintain your car yourself, then the money you would have spent in your local service centre to have a small issue checked up, could be spent elsewhere.

Wheels/Tyres

Remove brake dust regularly:

This is perhaps one of the easiest things you can do to keep things running smoothly. Ensure that you regularly clean off any muck that collects on your brakes. If this collection of grime and water is not removed, the heat that comes from the brakes will harden the stick to the wheels. For the best results when trying to remove the dirt, use a damp sponge and plenty of elbow grease.

Tyre Tread:

The legal limit for tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm across 75% of the centre of the tyre. However it is generally accepted by many experts in the field that once a tyre’s tread depth gets lower than 3mm it is time to buy some new ones as the level of grip is significantly reduced.

Regularly keep an eye on the tread depth of your tyres. To check how deep the tread is, place a ten pence piece between the tread. If the tread is over the perforated dotted pattern all along the edge of the coin then your tyres are legal.

I might seem that buying tyres may is not a way to cut costs, but paying for a fine or for repairs brought on by an accident due to worn out tyres will end up costing you far more!

Tyre Pressure:

By doing this on a continuous basis and ensuring that the levels are at a safe level you can save money on your fuel bills. This is because a car tyre with low air pressure increases the rolling resistance of the tyre when in motion. To compensate the engine must work harder – increasing fuel consumption. Also, a tyre with incorrect air pressure can adversely affect handling capabilities of the vehicle.

Engine

Checking the coolant: 

This is another simple task that almost anyone can perform. One thing to note however is that most engines stored the coolant in different locations. If you are uncertain where you can find your coolant container, it is best to look it up in the manufacturer’s handbook.

After you’ve located the coolant receptacle – wait for the engine to cool down before checking – you should notice markings on the exterior that say “high” and “low”. Make sure that the coolant level is between these two markings. If not, top up as required.

Finding out oil levels:

This is quick, simple and something that all motorists should be capable of checking. If oil levels are either too high or too low then this can cause serious damage to your engine.

In order to verify the oil level is at the correct level, you should first position your car on even ground. Before checking the level, allow time for the engine to cool down.

Once the temperature has dropped, find the dipstick, clean it with a cloth and then place it back into the dip tube. Wait a moment before pulling it out slowly. Have a look at the levels on the dipstick – if the level is in-between the high and low marks then the car will be fine. However, if the oil level is too low top it up accordingly. Sadly if there is too much oil in the system, you will have to drain the surplus oil from the vehicle yourself –which is a tricky and messy job – or take it to a garage.