Get set for the school run with a Good Garage Scheme check

With the summer holidays now drawing to a close, many parents are busy preparing their children for

a new academic year, purchasing back to school items such as uniforms, stationery and sports kit.

However, one area that’s often overlooked is the family car and the need for it to be a safe and reliable workhorse for the school run. With this in mind, the Good Garage Scheme is encouraging motorists to get their cars professionally checked as term begins.

Good Garage Scheme workshops across the UK can offer motorists peace of mind by providing an expert 21-point assessment of their vehicle’s condition. All essential areas of the car are examined, including the condition and level of the coolant and engine oil, the tyres, wiper blades, windscreen and lights, in readiness for the wet and cold months ahead. Not doing so can increase the risk of having a collision, especially if a car’s tyre pressures are low, making it hard to maintain grip and easier to skid in wet conditions. Being able to see and be seen is also important as the daylight hours get shorter, making it essential to ensure that all bulbs are working correctly.

The check also includes inspection the operation of the air conditioning and ventilation system and, if required, a sterilising and deodorising service, to ensure effective window demisting and safeguard against nasty bugs and bacteria in the passenger compartment.

Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and find your local Good Garage Scheme member garage to carry out a Back to School Check.

Save Money on Your Next MOT

According to advice from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agengy (DVSA), around 40% of cars fail the MOT test at the first attempt.

• 30% of all faults relate to lighting and signalling
• 10% of all faults relate to tyres
• 8.5% of all faults relate to ‘Driver’s view of the road’

This means extra cost for repairs to improve the standard and possibly an extra cost for the re-test.

How can you save money on your next MOT?

By checking the following items before you take the car in for your test.

1. Are your lights working? Ask a friend or family member to come out to the car and help you check.
2. Are your tyres in good condition and is the pressure correct?
3. Are your mirrors, wipers and washers in good working order?

Remember - an MOT test is NOT a service

Don't be fooled into thinking that an MOT test means that your car has been serviced. The MOT is an assessment of some of the most important items on your vehicle checking that it meets legal standards.

It is not the same as having a service and it does not check the general mechanical condition of your car.

Find your nearest Good Garage Scheme member to carry our your next service.

Driving in Heavy Rain?

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) for this week's guest blog with welcome advice on driving in heavy rain.

Don't forget to charge your phone and download the Good Garage Scheme's Free app before you set off for a drive in bad weather.

Ensure your drive is as safe as possible with the following tips from the IAM.

• Before setting off, check for any weather alerts, traffic updates or planned road closures that may affect your journey. Only travel in extreme adverse weather conditions if it is really necessary.
• Check the lights and windscreen wiper blades are clean and working properly. Also check the tyre pressure and tread depth to ensure the best possible grip on wet surfaces.
• Plan your route in advance and try to avoid any roads that are prone to flooding, even if it extends your journey.
• Heavy rain often leads to damaged road surfaces and puddles can hide deep potholes. ­ Look for clues such as loose chunks of tarmac.
• In heavy rain, don¹t forget to switch on your dipped headlights so other motorists can see you easily. Reduce your speed when travelling in the rain to increase your stopping distance. This will also help you pass through large puddles and potholes smoothly without spraying other road users or risking aquaplaning.
• Torrential rain may interfere with the electrics of a vehicle causing a breakdown. Prepare for the worst by keeping your mobile phone charged and with the number of your breakdown service provider already saved on it.
• While you wait for help, keep your bonnet closed as soaking the engine will only make it worse.

Mark Lewis, the IAM's Director of Standards said, "Driving in heavy rain can be very hazardous, so please allow for the increased time and distance. Remember to lift your vision and always be mindful of vulnerable road users who need more time to react to a hazard. As long as you drive carefully and take extra care in the rain, your journey should be a smooth one."

With thanks to the IAM, the UK's largest independent road safety charity, dedicated to improving standards and safety in driving and motorcycling.  For more information about the IAM, visit their website.

Is your car ready for the worst winter in 65 years?

According to meteorologists, this coming winter could be the worst in 65 years.  With the complex weather pattern known as El Nino predicted to be the strongest since 1950, experts are warning of a long, harsh winter with heavy snowfall.  As if it couldn’t get any worse, some reports are also heralding the early arrival of plunging temperatures and snowfall as soon as this month.

Even if you are not one to believe in early weather forecasts, it is always better to be safe than sorry, which is why we are advising motorists to get their vehicles checked now to minimise breakdowns and repairs when the winter weather arrives.

Salty roads and freezing conditions can cause problems for cars during the colder months, but being prepared beforehand can reduce this impact, not to mention the cost of repairs.

The Good Garage Scheme Winter Check will prepare your vehicle for driving in cold conditions.  This essential check not only carries out standard tests on bodywork, lights and suspension but will also address winter-specific concerns such as:

• Checking and recording antifreeze protection
• Carrying out a tyre report
• Checking the operation of interior and exterior lights
• Ensuring windscreen washers and wipers are in full working order
• Checking power steering operation and fluid levels

Ignoring the warning signs and simply waiting until your next annual service could mean your car faces problems and costly repairs this winter, particularly if the weather is to be as severe as is predicted.

It is quick and easy to find a reliable garage in your area offering the Good Garage Scheme Winter Check.  Simply visit our website and input your postcode to find a nearby garage. 

If you’re out and about this winter why not take our app with you?  A garage you trust will never be far away.

Spring is in the Air

As the UK emerges from the wettest winter since records began, the Good Garage Scheme is urging motorists to get their cars professionally checked to ensure they are safe and reliable in the months ahead.

Debris such as mud, stones, tree branches and extra water left behind in the wake of past storms has affected the surfaces of roads most noticeably with the increased number and size of potholes. These combined factors can have an adverse effect on a car’s vital components including the steering, suspension, wheels and tyres, as well as wiper blades, lights and heating systems that have been used extensively in the wet and windy weather. The good news for motorists is that the Good Garage Scheme's Spring Check is available at participating member garages from today.

The 21-point Spring Check provides an expert assessment of a vehicle’s condition, covering essential areas including the condition the brakes, tyres, wiper blades, windscreen and lights, as well as the coolant and engine oil.

With the first day of spring on 20th March and the prospect of warmer weather, the Good Garage Scheme is also recommending that motorists think about getting their air conditioning systems checked and cleansed. Harmful bacteria and mould may have built up in the ducts of car ventilation systems during the recent damp conditions, posing a health risk to drivers by circulating unpleasant bugs into the car.

Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and enter your postcode to find your local Good Garage Scheme workshop offering the Spring Check to ensure your car is in good health as the warm weather returns. Smartphone users can also download a free iPhone or Android app to help them locate a nearby Good Garage Scheme member anywhere in the UK. 

It's like having a friend in the know.

Save Money On Your MOT

The MOT test was originally called the "Ministry Of Transport test", it is now simply called an MOT. All MOT Testing Stations are regulated by the newly named Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which replaces both the Driving Standards Agency and VOSA. According to the government-run DVSA, you must keep any vehicles driven on the road in a roadworthy condition and records are updated on a database. The MOT test checks that your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards.  An MOT is required when a car is three years old (four years in Northern Ireland) and then annually after that.

As we all know the MOT test fee itself is not the most worrying cost but rather the repairs required  in order for your vehicle to pass the test.

A vehicle that does not have a valid MOT test certificate has its registration details automatically passed on to the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) of police vehicles. Certain static road-side cameras use ANPR too. An invalid MOT may also be an excuse for an insurance company to not honour a claim.

Here are some simple tips from the Good Garage Scheme to help keep the costs down:

Service your car regularly
An MOT test is NOT the same as having your vehicle serviced and does NOT check its general mechanical condition.The best way to avoid costly repair bills at MOT test time is to keep your vehicle in tip-top condition with regular checks and servicing.

Offers
Look for garages that offer discounts on servicing when MOTs are booked at the same time.

Check the lights
One in five vehicles fail MOTs due to an inoperative light bulb. Walk around to check your car's indicators and headlights, front and back. Ask for help from a friend or neighbour with checking your reversing light.

Be an early bird
Have an MOT test in the month before the current certificate ends. The new certificate will expire exactly a year from the existing one's end date (the earliest date you can do this is printed on your test certificate) so that you benefit. If you have the MOT test more than a month before the MOT's due date,  it will expire exactly a year later, meaning you lose out.

For more information about MOTs visit the Good Garage Scheme website.

Don't suffer from Bank Holiday Blues

If you plan to drive this bank holiday weekend, the Good Garage Scheme recommends you carry out a few simple safety checks on your vehicle before setting off.

• Make sure you have enough fuel
• Check the oil
• Check your lights
• Check your coolant level 
• Check your windscreen wash and refill if necessary
• Make sure your windscreen is clean and clear
• Check your tyres

If you are in doubt about how to check any of the above, or if something seems worryingly low, simply contact your local Good Garage Scheme member garage and ask if they could check it for you.

As well as making all of the necessary checks, don't forget to download the free Good Garage Scheme app before you set off. If you have any motoring worries while you are travelling or visiting family and friends away from home, you can locate a reliable garage using the app no matter where you are.

Over 13,500 motorists have already downloaded the app and The Sunday Times listed it as one of the Top 500 Apps in their App List two years in a row.

Here are some of the comments received from those who have already downloaded the App:


"Can't believe it's free!"

"A genuinely useful app, simple to use and the kind of app that gets you out of a hole when you need it."

"Very helpful"

"It’s a great application I found especially when you are on the move and you don’t know where you can get your car fixed. It’s so easy to use. I don’t remember if I have found something as useful as this recently."

‘This is a very useful App especially when you’re on the road a lot, off on holiday around the UK or just on the move’

Easter Holiday Driving Advice from the IAM

If you’re driving somewhere nice this Easter to indulge in a spot of egg rolling and family feuding over whose fault it was that the Easter eggs were left next to the heater, consider taking some time to prepare yourself and your vehicle for the trip.

At any time of year it is important that you check that all of your lights are working. You should also ensure that your tyre pressure is correct and that they have enough tread – particularly since you are likely to be facing some poor road surfaces after the wintry weather we have experienced in March.

What better time to give your car a spring clean? The grains of salt which have been spread on the roads over the winter period will inevitably have made their way on to your vehicle like tiny corrosive stowaways. Leaving a salt build-up can be damaging to your car, causing rust to appear.

When packing your vehicle for your journey, try to carry as little unnecessary weight as possible as this will increase your fuel consumption – do you really need those extra pairs of shoes? Pack your things as compactly as possible; making sure that nothing obstructs your view through the rear window.

Make sure your washer fluid is topped up before you leave, and give the windscreen and headlamps a quick clean when you stop for fuel.

If you’re taking the kids with you, it’s worth gathering up some tools to keep them occupied during the long periods spent on the road, in which you will need to concentrate, and they will need to be entertained. Portable DVD players and cordless games consoles are perfect, but don’t forget the headphones as the Super Mario Brothers tune may start to grate after an hour or two.

If you feel your eyelids getting heavy whilst driving, it’s likely that opening a window or turning the radio up will not cut it. Pull over somewhere suitable and safe, drink some strong coffee, and have a 20 minute nap while the caffeine takes effect. Sharing the driving is also a great option, if possible.

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) for their guest blog this week.  For more information about the IAM, visit www.iam.org.uk

If you are unsure if your car is up to a long journey to see family and friends over the Easter holidays, why not visit a Good Garage Scheme member near you that can offer a Spring Check for peace of mind?

Drivers - Get Ready for Shorter Days

On Sunday, the clocks turn back an hour – winter will officially arrive. As the days become shorter, we’ll be experiencing dark mornings and evenings.
 
Darker evenings also see the road casualty rates increase. Here are some frightening facts from 2011:

• The number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured in November was 14 per cent more than the monthly average.
• The number of cyclist casualties was 5 per cent higher.
• The rate of motorcycle casualties per vehicle mile was 28 per cent higher.

 
While the more vulnerable road users are at a significantly higher risk, cars on the road are also at risk. That’s why it’s important to take extra precautions when driving at night. Driving in the dark is a different experience to driving in the daylight. So keep an eye out for the motorcyclist in the darker clothing. Speed is difficult to judge while the following distances of other vehicles can be hard to see with a wall of headlights shining back at you.

Here’s some advice on adjusting your driving to the shorter days ahead.

• Turn your headlights on before sunset and keep them on for an hour after sunrise so that it’s easier for other drivers to see you in twilight. 
• It’s also important to make sure all your exterior lights are cleaned and working properly.  
• Keep the windscreen free of fallen leaves
• Make sure your windscreen and windows are clean both inside and out.

 
Make the most of other people’s lights – use the light shed by vehicles ahead or from roadside lights – not just street lights – to help you see further ahead.
On rural roads, drive on full beam whenever possible but dip your lights when faced with another road user to avoid dazzling them. If a driver approaching you fails to dip their own headlights, look away to the verge on the left-hand side to avoid being dazzled yourself. And make the most of other people’s lights – use the light shed by vehicles ahead or from roadside lights - not just street lights - to help you see further ahead.
 

If you are not sure if your car is in tip top condition for winter driving, take your car to a local Good Garage Scheme member for a Winter Check. Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com.



The Good Garage Scheme wishes to thank the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) for the above article. For more information about the IAM, please visit their website.