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Winter tyres can be an excellent way to help you with your driving during the colder weather. However, many people question whether it is really worth it. Winter tyres can be an additional cost when owning and running a car is already pricey, and it might all seem like it’s just a little bit too much effort. Here are some of the things to think about when deciding what you should do: Do you live in a particularly cold area? If you live somewhere in the UK which is particularly prone to low temperatures, you might benefit from winter tyres more than others. You will get lots of use out of them if it’s regularly below 0°. Are the roads gritted regularly? It’s likely that the roads will be gritted more often in towns and cities where there is heavier traffic. If you live further out in the countryside, winter tyres could serve you well on narrow country roads. Do you have appropriate storage? Winter tyres can’t be used all year round as they will wear out more quickly in the summer. It’s easiest if you have a shed or garage where you can store the tyres whilst you’re not […]

Did you know that you can search and find current and previous MOT details online? Not many people realise that recently the government switched to online MOT checking meaning that anyone with the reg number and make of a car can find out if a vehicle passed or failed the previous MOT’s and also of any advisories. This can be really useful when it comes to buying a used car and can help you as a bargaining tool for getting the price down. Be wary of anyone selling a car that is not willing to give you the reg number initially as this may mean that they do not want you to carry out these checks, also if the seller tells you that there were no advisories and you find that there are, this should ring alarm bells. You can also check if a car is taxed and insured, as if a sellers is stating that they are still driving the vehicle but it is not showing as taxed or insured they may be lying.        

Owning a car can be expensive, not only do you have to worry about fuel costs, insurance, MOT and tax but also other repairs that may crop up from time to time. Tyres are something that you may need to change once a year or more or less often depending on how much your drive the car. Wheels should not need to be replaced unless they become damaged and often many of us don’t realise they are damaged until we suffer uneven tyre wear, loss of inflation in our tyres or lack of handing when driving the car. Even something such as a simple clip pf the curb can actually be enough to damage the wheel on a car and will often lead to it being replaced. Some damage may be able to be repaired but it all depends on where the damage is and the extent of it.

A water leek can be a nightmare for car owners. Sometimes your car will develop a slow leak which will require the water reservoir to be topped up every week or so and other times it will develop a sudden, fast water leak which needs attention immediately. Do not be tempted to drive a car which has a major water leak too far as it could cause the engine to overheat and if that happens you could find that you damage the engine (which will often cost a lot more to repair). If it is only a slow water leak then you can add some radiator welding solution that will go around the cooling system of the car ad find where the leak is. It will then work at setting in the hole and blocking the leak, sometimes this will work and will last for a long time other times it simply doesn’t work at all or only lasts a week or so.  

If the cost of repairing your car becomes more than the value of it then you may be faced with the idea of having to scrap the vehicle. Prices for scrap metal can vary from day to day, so a price you are offered may change if you check it again a week later. When considering scrapping your car, you may be able to make money if you strip the car down and sell the parts individually. You can often even make a profit (if you bought the car cheaply) by doing this but you need to make sure you have somewhere off road that you can store the vehicle and the time to do it. Some people are shocked to find that they are only offered £25 for their vehicle or even no money but a free collection service. With over 2 million cars scrapped every year in UK it is easy to see why they often do not fetch much when the market has a large supply of recycled metal already.

There is something very frustrating about your car windows getting fogged up. It can happen at the worse time and can in fact be very dangerous. Ideally when you set of for a journey you should allow your car to run for some time with the heaters on to demist it, but if like my car it seems to quickly mist back up again when driving you may need to invest in a demisting spray. Many car stores and hardware shops sell demisting spray but it can be expensive, especially if you are having to use it every few days. You can actually make your own demisting spray based on a vinegar mixture but I would always suggest testing this on a small area first when you have the time to clean it off if needed before you drive. Don’t be tempted to use your hand to clean a fogged up window and you will find when it dries it leaves streaks which can really show up in the sun and affect your vision through the window screen.

A turbo is part of a car which is a turbine-driven forced induction device. It increases the efficiency of the internal combustion engine and power output by forcing extra air into the combustion chamber. Turbos used to be mainly on high performance cars but often you can get a turbo version of many makes and models and even on diesel cars. Although turbos have many advantages and can make cruising up a hill no longer a struggle, they can also cost a lot if they go wrong. Often there is no sign that a turbo is on its way out although you may experience a loss in power at times. When it goes you will often see black smoke coming out of the exhaust and the car will either stop completely or continue at very low power. Replacing a turbo is not cheap and can cost in the region of a thousand pounds (depending on the car).

During the winter months, there is a much greater likely hood of breaking down. Firstly, you tend to put much more drain on the battery, particularly when defrosting the car on frosty mornings or using thee light s without the engine running. There’s also the bad weather to contend with. Whether it’s flooding, high winds or heavy snow, there’s a real risk of getting stranded in your car. It’s worth considering that if you are stranded due to bad weather, then a recovery vehicle may not be able to reach you immediately due to those weather conditions. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to pack a basic survival kit in your boot, just in case. Extra clothes, blankets and even a little food and water could be a life saver. Always make sure your mobile phone is charged before a journey and that you have the number of your breakdown service.

Buying a car seat for your baby or toddler can be a worry. You may not have a lot to spend but certainly do not want to skimp on safety and quality. The advice is to never buy a second hand car seat unless you know it has been looked after and not been involved in a car accident, so ideally only from family or close friends. There are many different types of car seats available and knowing which one to get can be tricky. When the child is newborn, they need to be in a rearward facing seat, this can be either Isofix or using the car seat belt. Once the child is old enough (although actually weight of the child is more important than age as children vary in sizes when at the same age) you can move them in to a harnessed front facing seat and eventually in to one that uses the seat belt rather than a harness. Car seats are put in to groups such as 0,1,2,3 and these groups tell you how the seat can be configured. Many group one seats can also be turned in to group 2 and 3.  

If you have more than two children you may have to consider getting a seven seater vehicle. Many people are put off with seven seater cars as the choice is limited substantially compared to buying a 5 seater car. Some families actually decide to have two cars and use them both when the whole family goes out, but this is not only impractical but also costs extra in terms of insurance, tax, mot’s, repairs, parking and fuel. You can now get some seven seater cars that are actually quite sporty. They offer the comfort and space that you need to seat your whole family whilst still maintaining an element of style. The Mercedes ML is a great example of this and with the added options of chrome bull bars and side steps you really can pimp your ride! Tinting the back windows and putting some nice alloys on can make a huge difference to the look of a car and does show that seven seaters do not have to be dull and boring.