Quinn Insurance: Car Maintenance Advice

LONDON, August 31, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Keeping a car on the road is expensive business. As well as giving you a great deal on your car insurance (http://www.quinn-direct.co.uk/) the kind folks at Quinn have provided us with some great tips for keeping your car in tip top condition.

Basically, keeping your car in good working order makes a lot of sense. There are always plenty of people who've been stung for expensive repairs when insurance & MOT time rolls around every year. A fair amount of this work can be avoided by taking care of your vehicle.

Here's the good news: you don't have to have the skills of Lewis Hamilton's chief mechanic to keep your motor running smoothly. So with this in mind, Quinn Direct - a specialist provider of car insurance for young people (http://www.quinn-direct.com/car-insurance/young-driver.html), have created this guide to car maintenance for you to check out:

Tyre Pressures

Always check your tyre pressures every few week or so. Under inflated tyres will make you car's handling worse, just like deflated tyres on a bicycle. Keeping the pressures checked and in line with the manufacturer's recommendations will prolong the life of your tyres. It will also help you save fuel. Refer to your cars handbook for the required pressures for your tyres.

Tread Depth

In addition to checking the pressure of your tyres, do pay attention to their tread depth. The minimum legal requirement for tread depth is 1.6mm. If your tyres become worn down, they can skid - especially dangerous in the wet. So if this does happen, you can safely assume that your tyres are reaching the end of their life, and it is time to replace them.

Oil Levels

It is advised to check your oil once a month. Make sure that the car has been stationary with the engine switched off for at least five minutes. With the bonnet open, locate the dipstick, which is usually a bright colour for ease of recognition. Pull it out of its tube and wipe the oil off with an old cloth. Find the oil level marks on the end of the stick.

Slowly push the stick back in the tube and pull out again. Check the oil level; ideally it should be between the upper and lower marks. If it is nearing the lower mark then you should top it up with the correct engine oil for your model of car. Do this by replacing the dipstick and opening the filler cap (often found on the top of the engine). Pour some oil in and wait a few seconds for it to drain down to the bottom of the engine, and then re-check the level. Be careful not to overfill as this can cause leaks.

Brake Fluid

Check to see if your brake fluid is at the right level (your dashboard will have a check light), however do not attempt to top it up yourself. Leave this job to the mechanic when you take it for a service.

Coolants

Top up your water levels in order to stop overheating. In the winter it is also advisable to have an anti-freeze agent in the water to stop the car from freezing up.

Windscreen Wipers

Depending on how often you use them, the wipers should be changed once or twice a year. Refer to your handbook on what replacement wiper you will need (this will save you money).

Bodywork

Check your bodywork for any damage and try to get it fixed as soon as possible. If you don't, then rust will set in. Invest in touch-up paint for small nicks and scratches that may occur.

Servicing

It is important that you get your car served by a professional mechanic every six months or so. This will allow the mechanic to check for damage to the engine and radiators etc, and he can then replace worn out parts on your vehicle. Brake pads wear out and can lose their stopping power, so these will be one of the things that will be checked and replaced as part of the service. Air filters will also need changing every 6,000 miles and the mechanic can do that for you too.

So there you have it, a quick guide to keeping your car in good condition. If you follow these straightforward guidelines, you can cut down on the amount of money you have paid out in repairs. Plus, your car will be more of a joy to drive! For more car money saving tips visit Quinn Insurance today.

Contact: Carrie Greene, +44(0)117-930-8800 and [email protected]

SOURCE Quinn Insurance