Car Safety/Winter Checks - what do you recommend?
Discussion
In my first year of 'shedding' and all is (touch wood) going extremely well. I bought a 1999 Avensis (with the tough as old boots no nonsense 3sfe engine) and it just goes. I'm trying to keep away from garages as much as possible, so bought a Haynes manual which has helped me no end (as has this forum)
The thing is, I do 35k a year (more likely to be 40k this year) and I've already racked up 'a years worth' of miles in just 4 months.
I look after the car (changing the oil at 6k intervals) and changing all filters each time - but things like brakes, brake pipes, shocks etc are foreign to me. I have three children and am constantly reminded that it'd be nice to see them grow up (!) so I was just wondering what you'd recommend?
I can see:
National AutoCentre do a wintercheck
As do ATS Euromaster
Toyota charge £20 (but I might get a £35 winter kit for free!!)
MOT is £30.
What would you do?
Once upon a time I'd have just driven it to the point of spontaneous combustion, but that doesn't hold the same appeal it used to.
TIA
x
The thing is, I do 35k a year (more likely to be 40k this year) and I've already racked up 'a years worth' of miles in just 4 months.
I look after the car (changing the oil at 6k intervals) and changing all filters each time - but things like brakes, brake pipes, shocks etc are foreign to me. I have three children and am constantly reminded that it'd be nice to see them grow up (!) so I was just wondering what you'd recommend?
I can see:
National AutoCentre do a wintercheck
As do ATS Euromaster
Toyota charge £20 (but I might get a £35 winter kit for free!!)
MOT is £30.
What would you do?
Once upon a time I'd have just driven it to the point of spontaneous combustion, but that doesn't hold the same appeal it used to.
TIA
x
If you go to Halfords/ATS etc then you will likely need new pads/discs, shocks, tyres, battery and an exhaust to see you through winter. If I were you I would check the tyres have a decent amount of tread, top up the windscreen wash regularly, check the fluid levels every week and put a spade and blanket in the boot in case you get stuck anywhere.
greygoose said:
If you go to Halfords/ATS etc then you will likely need new pads/discs, shocks, tyres, battery and an exhaust to see you through winter. If I were you I would check the tyres have a decent amount of tread, top up the windscreen wash regularly, check the fluid levels every week and put a spade and blanket in the boot in case you get stuck anywhere.
Agree with this. A 'winter check' will involve topping up your washer bottle, checking your coolant level, hopefully checking your antifreeze strength (probably the only thing you won't be able to do at home but a good indy will do it for a pint and a bag of crisps), checking brakes, exhaust, tyres and the state of your battery / charging system (which is easy enough with a basic multimeter).Garages love autumn more than they love 'plugging it into the machine'; £30 for five minutes work with the potential for more work, easy money.
As above, the best winter preperation is a shovel, a blanket and some drinking water in the boot. Along with some winter tyres, of course
greygoose said:
If you go to Halfords/ATS etc then you will likely need new pads/discs, shocks, tyres, battery and an exhaust to see you through winter. If I were you I would check the tyres have a decent amount of tread, top up the windscreen wash regularly, check the fluid levels every week and put a spade and blanket in the boot in case you get stuck anywhere.
My motor is booked in for an MOT this sat at Halfrauds... ill report back how it goes ! #nervousIt was cheap though !
yorkshireegg said:
Agree with this. A 'winter check' will involve topping up your washer bottle, checking your coolant level, hopefully checking your antifreeze strength (probably the only thing you won't be able to do at home but a good indy will do it for a pint and a bag of crisps), checking brakes, exhaust, tyres and the state of your battery / charging system (which is easy enough with a basic multimeter).
Garages love autumn more than they love 'plugging it into the machine'; £30 for five minutes work with the potential for more work, easy money.
As above, the best winter preperation is a shovel, a blanket and some drinking water in the boot. Along with some winter tyres, of course
I'm happy to check levels etc - I'm even going to attempt a coolant change in the next fortnight because it looks like it's still the original stuff! It's things like brakes that concern me, I'm not sure what I'm looking at.Garages love autumn more than they love 'plugging it into the machine'; £30 for five minutes work with the potential for more work, easy money.
As above, the best winter preperation is a shovel, a blanket and some drinking water in the boot. Along with some winter tyres, of course
There are a few ways to check brakes.
The best is to drive along a straight road, then press the pedal.
If the car stops in a timely fashion they work.
Most cars these days have brake sensors or squeaky bits that warn you when the pads are getting low.
If they are getting low, replace them soon.
Winter tyres are a good option for the miles you do.
But if you can stay at home on bad weather days you don't "need" them.
Your car probably has all seasons anyhow; as opposed to sports performance tyres.
New windscreen wipers might be a good idea if yours are worn.
Just drive sensibly and slowly.
Get a kit for the car boot.
Warm coat, blanket, heat packs, food, wellies, shovel, change of clothes.
Stuff that you'd want after a few hours of digging cars out of snowdrifts.
Get a kit for the car.
Water, heatpacks, book, snacks, hoody, gloves. Stuff you'll want if your stuck in a closed motorway for a few hours.
The best is to drive along a straight road, then press the pedal.
If the car stops in a timely fashion they work.
Most cars these days have brake sensors or squeaky bits that warn you when the pads are getting low.
If they are getting low, replace them soon.
Winter tyres are a good option for the miles you do.
But if you can stay at home on bad weather days you don't "need" them.
Your car probably has all seasons anyhow; as opposed to sports performance tyres.
New windscreen wipers might be a good idea if yours are worn.
Just drive sensibly and slowly.
Get a kit for the car boot.
Warm coat, blanket, heat packs, food, wellies, shovel, change of clothes.
Stuff that you'd want after a few hours of digging cars out of snowdrifts.
Get a kit for the car.
Water, heatpacks, book, snacks, hoody, gloves. Stuff you'll want if your stuck in a closed motorway for a few hours.
Coolant strength is easy enough to check - you get a little tube with a rubber ball on the end - it sucks up some of the mix and has a float in it so you can test the specific gravity of it IIRC. Haven't used it for years though, once you've changed the coolant on a car you know what mix is in there - and that's worthwhile doing.
Checking brakes is easy enough - remove wheel, look at front edge of caliper (on front wheels, rear edge on rear wheels), there are 2 windows where you can see the profile of the 2 brake pads on either side of the disc. Check that there is enough "meat" on them and they are at least a couple of mm from the metal backing. As far as discs go, make sure there isn't too much of a lip on the edge or scoring, and they aren't too think.
Agree that with this safety critical stuff it's always nice to get another opinion though. Find a council MOT station and get it tested every 6 months?
Checking brakes is easy enough - remove wheel, look at front edge of caliper (on front wheels, rear edge on rear wheels), there are 2 windows where you can see the profile of the 2 brake pads on either side of the disc. Check that there is enough "meat" on them and they are at least a couple of mm from the metal backing. As far as discs go, make sure there isn't too much of a lip on the edge or scoring, and they aren't too think.
Agree that with this safety critical stuff it's always nice to get another opinion though. Find a council MOT station and get it tested every 6 months?
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