Tiff Needell Advises on Summer Driving

With new research by the Good Garage Scheme revealing we are nation of motorists unprepared for long car journeys during the summer, Fifth Gear presenter, Tiff Needell will be speaking with radio stations this week on the importance of a Holiday Check for your car and advising motorists to visit their nearest Good Garage Scheme member for a check.

Photo courtesy of Tiff Needell

More than 41% say they have no plans to get their car checked before their next long journey, and this can lead to unwelcome breakdowns on holiday or even while travelling to the airport.

What precautions should you take before a long car journey?

• Give your car a visual check. Are there any visible cracks or bulges on the tyres, and are they looking as full as normal? Check with your tyre pressure gauge
• Ensure your fluid levels (namely coolant and oil) are topped up sufficiently. This five minute job may mean the difference between a trouble-free journey and parking at the road side with an overheating car.
• Ensure you have plenty of water in the car for you and your passengers (including any pets) when travelling in hot weather.
• Lastly, make sure your air conditioning system in the car is clean. A musty smell from the vents is a tell-tale sign there may be bacteria lurking.

If you are unsure about carrying out these checks yourself and want peace of mind before you set off, visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and look for a garage you can trust for a Holiday Check.

It's like having a friend in the know!

Love your Car!

Miles Better says, "Love your Car"

Roses are Red, 

Violets are Blue, 

Look After Your Car 

And it will look After You!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the Good Garage Scheme asks you to spare some affection for something you may often overlook...your car.

It's always there to take you and your family to work, school and for the all-important weekly shop, but do you give your car the due care and attention it deserves?

Whether it’s booking that overdue service, checking the oil or making sure you make a note of the due date for your MOT or insurance renewal, there are plenty of ways to show you love your car.

The Good Garage Scheme can help. Simply visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com for motoring advice or to make an appointment with your local member garage for a Winter Check.

 

Car Frozen? Don't Panic

Winter car care advice this week comes from expert, Mike Fields Fields Car Centre in Woking, Surrey.

 

Door locks frozen?

Spraying WD40 in them regularly will help prevent this.  Spray the door latch too.  Or use a lock de-icer for key entry or specialist tool.
Now with keyless cars, spray de-icer around the edge of the door.  Don't force the handles, work on them slowly using the de-icer.  Hot water is not really a good idea as it will cool very quickly and refreeze all around.

 

Frozen windows?

You may want to open your windows, but be careful, the window runner mechanism and glass can all be frozen meaning that it won't move, or like the wipers, the motor works but the mechanism stays put.  Result = broken window regulator, glass becomes unattached or worse still the glass shatters.  If you don't need to open them leave well alone!

 

Wipers frozen to the screen? 

Ok, you're in the car and turn engine on, if you have left the wipers 'on'   the night before it's trouble.

Every year we get people into the garage whose wipers no longer wipe!   Usually what has happened is they have gone to start the car with the wipers left on from the journey the night before.  The rubber wiper blades have frozen to the screen and when the motor is turned on the wipers stay put!  The linkage will work loose and even when the wiper has defrosted it won't work anyway.
A simple solution...we can just re-tighten the mechanism, but it can be worse with bent linkage and wipers. So use the de-icer to free rubber from screen and gently pull away.

 

Hope these few tips help, but really the best advice is, the scouts' motto - 'Be prepared'!

With our thanks to Mike Field of Fields Car Centre in Woking, Surrey for the advice.
Fields Car Centre have been a Good Garage Scheme member since 2010 and have a five star customer rating.

New Year - New Car?

If you are thinking of buying a new car this year, be prepared with handy advice courtesy of the Institute of Advanced Motoring (IAM).

The prospect of a shiny new car is exciting. But don’t make a hasty decision. With advances in the latest road safety technology and the latest technical features in new cars, try to get the most out of your money.

Firstly, decide on the type of car you need. Do you need to ferry the children around and make the school run? Or do you want a car with enough luggage space for the holidays you have planned. It may be your car is simply a means to get from A to B. Just make sure your choice fits the purpose.

While we’re often led by the way the car looks, it’s important to be clear on your budget from the start. Make sure you know how much you are able to spend. The price displayed often isn’t the total price of the car. There are other costs to factor in such as insurance cost and other running costs too.

Don’t forget to check for hidden extras. There’s nothing worse than finalising the details of the car and then learn that there are additional charges for number plates and delivery.

It’s often the question on everyone’s mind. Petrol or diesel? Check out the running costs before you buy. Diesel cars offer better fuel economy but are more expensive. It’s important to factor in car depreciation. Think about how much the car will decrease in value in its first three years and how this will affect the price of the car if sold second-hand. VED is related to carbon emissions, so the lower the emissions, the better.

Once you know your budget, work out how you will be financing the car. Whether you’ll be taking out a loan, asking family and friends or using your savings, it’s important to plan a budget. Don’t be swayed by something out of your price range.

Most importantly, test drive it. There’s no other way of knowing if you’ll like it without driving it. Remember, if you’re going to spend a long time in it commuting, you need to make sure it’s what you want.

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank the IAM for this week's guest blog. For more information on the Institute of Advanced Motoring, please visit www.iam.org.uk.

Off to Uni With Your Car?

Over the next week or two, university students will be packing their cars and heading off to university either for the first time or returning for the new academic year.

If you are taking your car and keeping it on or near the university campus, you will want to be able to locate the closest trustworthy garage, should you need a helping hand with your car.  



The Good Garage Scheme is a network of over 2,400 independent garages throughout the UK that work to a Code of Conduct and have their customers’ best interests at heart.

The easiest way to have peace of mind and convince worried parents that you are organised is to download the Good Garage Scheme’s free app for your phone. 


From there you will be able to type in the town or postcode of your new university home and find a local Good Garage Scheme member to service or repair your car should you need to do so before you travel home again.

The app is free and was chosen as a Top App by The Sunday Times in 2011 and 2012. Visit the Good Garage Scheme website and download the app today.

The Good Garage Scheme…it’s like having a friend in the know!