CARING FOR YOUR CAR

In between meeting you and having you as a regular and valued customer of ours for servicing, repairs and MOT’s there are ways that you can care for and keep your car in the best condition possible, below advises how you can do this (Or should you require we can assist in the majority of instances) with simple and manageable advise that we at One-O-One Service Centre hope you find useful.

• Have you got a Garage – Clear it out and make room for your car, By doing so you reduce the need for Air-conditioning or defroster (Known ‘Gas-Guzzlers’) as your car will stay warm in the winter with no requirement for ‘de-icing’ and cool in the summer.
• Tyre Pressure – Check the pressure in your tyres at least once a month, The best time to check your car tyre pressure is first thing in the morning when the tyres are cold and have been left unused overnight, using a gauge (Digital or manual) check the pressure against the manufacturers manual and the notice on the inside of your car door and inflate to the recommended levels of PSI (Pounds per Square Inch)
• Pump up your Tyres – Un-inflated tyres wear down faster and can also reduce the amount of miles, up to a massive 15%, that you can gain from your gas (Petrol or Diesel), deflated tyres can also shrink the life of your tyres by 15%.
• Using the right oil – Using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of oil can increase your vehicle’s gas mileage by up to 2%. If we are not completing this service for you and you decide to change the oil yourself remember to only use oil with the words ‘Energy conserving’ on the label, the additives in this oil will lower the friction.
• Gas (Petrol/Diesel) – Filling your car with ‘High-Octane’ gas is a waste of money unless your manufacturer specifies its requirement. This type of gas does not improve your mileage or the performance of the vehicle. Unless specified only use the regular gas as your vehicle will perform just the same but with a potential in monetary savings.
• Gas Cap – Gas can evaporate from the gas tank if it has the ability to escape, If you have a damaged, loose fitting or missing cap it can equate to losing up to 147 gallons of gas to evaporate every year. An ill-fitting or missing gas cap can also alert the ‘Check engine’ light to illuminate.
• Air Filters – If your air filter becomes clogged with dust, dirt and bugs your car can become less efficient and will need to work harder, consequently this can have a detrimental effect on your car’s performance and fuel consumption. By checking your manufacturers manual you will be able to see the recommendation on how often the air filters should be changed but  every 3 months or 3000 miles is generally the norm.

Don’t hold back on general maintenance, As with anything in life, your car or van’s performance will be influenced and determined by it being properly and efficiently maintained. By making sure your vehicle is regularly maintained and serviced you will safeguard the performance and quality of the car, improve the efficiency and ultimately save money on costly repairs due to issues that have built up from lack of maintenance.