Most new car owners schedule servicing for their cars and the dealership does what is necessary as the car is under warranty. However when the warranty is over, car owners tend to look at neighbourhood workshops that have been recommended to them by family and friends and here is where they choose to ignore to get some very important items checked.
First to be ignored is their car battery which in recent years has had a reduced lifespan from 24 months to less than 16 months. You also need to check the spare tire to make sure there is enough air and the sidewalls have not cracked. You do not want to be stuck at the side of the road with a flat tire and no spare tire or toll kit in the boot.
While you are in the boot, check to make sure your toolkit is also there and in working condition. Many car owners after sending their car for spray painting tend to have their toolkits go missing. Also whilst you are checking the boot, take out all the unwanted ‘stuff’ sitting in the boot and weighing down your car. (old newspapers, empty water bottles, broken slippers, that torn floor mat, etc)
Very important and often forgotten is to check their brake discs and pads to ensure they are still ready to stop in an emergency and have some ‘life’ in them. You do not want to drive right into a wall or guardrail or someone’s car rear bumper.
For cars with an automatic gearbox, please check the gearbox/transmission fluid. It is very often forgotten and can be costly mistake in our cities where heavy traffic heats up the gearbox.
Finally, please check the cars cooling system (from the fan to the radiator to the thermostat). An overheated engine can be costly to repair.
If these items fail while driving the cost to fix is not cheap and can be dangerous to you.
Get your car serviced and your tyres checked & rotated before the long festive weekend to avoid being stranded at the side of the road this coming Hari Raya.
