Top Tips For Servicing And Maintaining Your Car – SlideShare
Looking after your care is something you should always do, no matter your motoring knowledge or DIY ability.
If you look after your car, your car will look after you, saving both your vehicle and your pocket in the long-run. After all, by just taking the time to carry out a few regular maintenance tasks, you can save yourself the shock of a hefty garage bill or two!
So, in order to keep you and your car motoring safely and worry-free, here is our short guide to looking after your car. Enjoy.
Here at Smartway, we’re passionate about the quality of your vehicle, and offer mobile car body repairs in London. So, for more information, or to speak to one of our expert team – please do not hesitate to contact us on 07732 542500 today!
Watch It! Two Common Risky Scenarios for Your Car
You’re a good, careful driver, and your car is your pride and joy. You’d never put it at risk, right? Well, we hate to say it but there are so many different ways that a car can get scratched, scraped and banged up there’s no way for even the best driver in the world to avoid them all. Here are just a couple of the risky scenarios we all face almost every day.
The Shopping Run
You need to pick some bread, milk and other essentials, so you pull in to the supermarket car park for some quick shopping. Watch out, though, because you’re about to face a gauntlet of potential damage to your car!
The Careless Door-Opener: Somebody parks next to you and doesn’t realise how close they are before throwing their door open. Bang! That’s a dent in the side of your beloved motor.
The Surprisingly High Curb: You want to minimise the risk of damage from that guy? Simple, you look for a space at the inner end of the row, so there’s at least no chance of them getting you from one side. You pull in nice and close to the curb at the edge to give whoever’s next to you as much room as possible. Too close; you clip the curb and whoops, you’ve nicked or scuffed your nice shiny alloys on it.
Bollards Everywhere: Why does a car park need so many bollards? Combine this with a careless door-opener in your own vehicle (often over-excited kids) and there’s another dent in the door.
The Trolley-Squeezer: People love to try and take the most direct route possible – even if that means squeezing between two cars (neither of them their own) with a heavily laden trolley which of course has a wobbly wheel sending it off to the left. If you have the poor luck to be on their route, you could end up with scratches down the side of your car, dents in the side, a wing mirror left askew, or even a smashed light.
How to Survive
Choose your parking space well. Don’t be tempted by the spaces closest to the shop entrance – that’s where everyone who’s in a hurry will be, and they’re the most likely to be careless. Look for where the trolley sheds are, and steer clear of them so you’re not on the trolley-squeezer’s route. Careless door-openers in your own vehicle can be curtailed by sitting them in the back and using the child locks!
Failing that, well, you could always order your groceries online, right?
Parked At Home
When you get home, where do you park your car? On the road? On the drive? In your garage? Sadly, there’s some kind of risk wherever you choose.
Vandals: If your car is parked out in the open, then there is always the chance that it could be targeted by vandals. This can include broken windows and wing mirrors, scratched bodywork, stolen hub caps and much more.
Weather: Again, if you’re parked outside there’s plenty that nature can do to your car. High winds could bring down trees, or even rip off a neighbour’s garage roof and drop it on top of your car. A heavy hail storm could cause dents and scratches.
Trees: It might seem like a good idea to park your car under a tree for some nice shade. It’s not, especially if you’re leaving it there for any length of time. First of all, you’re offering the birds a perfect opportunity for target practice, and the trees themselves can drip sap which can also damage paintwork. Add to that falling leaves – and the chance of falling branches – and it’s a recipe for disaster.
Bags and Coats: No, really. Many garages are a pretty tight fit, and the same can apply to driveways which leave you squeezing through between your car and the wall to get to the door. If you’ve got zips, buckles, decorative studs or basically anything a little bit sharp on your bag or your clothing, you could end up scratching your own bodywork.
How to Survive
Well, that’s a tricky one, considering that there’s something that can happen wherever you are! Parking inside is always going to be safer than outside, though, so long as you have the room to get your car in comfortably and move around it.
There’s no reason to get paranoid, though; here at Smartway London, we’ve got your back. As specialists in car body repairs in Wimbledon, we can help your car to recover from the not-so-gentle attentions of the trolley-squeezer, the careless door-opener, Mother Nature and whoever and whatever else may threaten the sanctity of your paintwork. For more information, get in touch with us today on 07732 542500.
Is Your Car Ready For Summer?
It’s not long to go now before we start rolling the clocks an hour ahead and get into the summer time mode. Your barbecue might be on the list of things to clean, and your lawn mower might make a guest appearance to tidy up the lawn, but let’s not forget about your trusty motor. It’s looked after you throughout winter, so get it ready for summer! By the way, if you can’t remember when the clocks change it’s the 29th of March this year!
Cooling
Your car’s cooling system has been pretty much ignored for the last couple of months while you blast heat through your car to avoid freezing over the winter. The hot weather can put some unwanted strain on the car’s engine and can essentially lead to overheating, so be sure to do all you can to prevent this happening.
Make sure your car’s battery and electronics are able to take the full impact of the fans and cooling system on full blast on its coolest setting. It is also worth having your cooling system flushed to make sure that there is no unwanted rust or other substances clogging up your tubes! Also, whilst you’re getting that done, have your hoses and belts checked. Better to be safe than sorry!
Windscreens
We all need to see when driving right? RIGHT. So it makes sense to take a little bit of extra care with your windscreen. They should be kept as clean as possible so that nothing impairs your vision. The odd stain, an empty water bottle, and low level sunlight right in your eye line can all cause some serious trouble, so it’s up to you to reduce the risk as much as you can yourself.
Things to check:
Wear and tear on windscreen wipers, front and back of course. How often they need changing depends on how often you drive.
The odd wipe down of the blades will make a great difference too.
Tired Tyres
Let’s face it, your tyres have probably been sat outside every day of the winter taking an ice cold beating, as well as getting you from A to B whenever you need it, so show your tyres some love and make sure that they are okay and safe to carry you through summer.
For starters, you need to make sure your tyres are legal on a regular basis, not just summer, so check! If you need to know more about the law on tyres head over to this article from the AA.
Summer time encourages more trips out and with that you wear your tyres more, so be sure to make sure you are safe and carry an appropriate spare tyre too!
All Abroad!
If you are lucky enough to be taking your car abroad this summer make sure you check the road laws in the country you are visiting. The AA and RAC have basic guidelines online but there are still plenty of things you can do to ensure your adventures are super safe!
When abroad make sure you carry the following:
– Jack
– Spare Wheel
– Jump Leads
– Spare Fuses
– Torch
– First Aid Kit
– Warning Triangle
– Hi Vis Jacket
Now that you have summer proofed your car, you need to make it look the part when the sun hits it on those long sunny road trips. We are specialists in car body repairs in Wimbledon so let us cover the scratches, pull out the bumps and sort out your car this summer! Contact us now using our online form – that will also allow you to upload pictures of anything on your car you want treated. Another way to get in touch is to call 07732 542500!
BLOODHOUND SSC: The Fastest Car In The World (So Far!)
When you imagined a car that can travel faster than a bullet fired from a Magnum 357, we’re guessing you didn’t predict that this monster of a vehicle-dream would be crafted in the good old year of 2015…
The supersonic car branded ‘BLOODHOUND’, is currently being put together at its design centre in Avonmouth, Bristol and project director, Richard Noble, hopes that it will beat the current land speed record of 763mph, set by the current supersonic car king, Thrust.
So, what’s it all about?
Simply, the BLOODHOUND SSC does exactly what it says on the tin – a supersonic car that aims to travel faster than any vehicle ever has before. This being said, it’s referred to as ‘supersonic’ because it is specifically designed to go faster than the speed of sound, and it’s classed as car because it has four wheels and is under full control of its driver.
A team of some of the world’s most revered engineering talent are currently working on the BLOODHOUND, and on completion, aim for 0m – 1000m in just 55 seconds. So, that’s 150 metres in the blink of an eye, round about four and a half football pitches in one second… And that’s pretty speedy, right?
The British-made vehicle is being built as the fastest car in the world, hoping to beat the current record, set by Thrust Supersonic car in 1997. Being put together in Bristol, the vehicle is part of a private venture (although has gained substantial support from the UK government) and is being used as an education resource, hoping to encourage more pupils to study science and technology-related courses.
Overall, the car is a mix of car and aircraft technology, with the front sector being a carbon fibre monocoque (like that of a racing car) and the back sector boasting a metallic framework and panels (like an aircraft.) The vehicle itself will be powered by an EJ200 jet engine, that if fired straight into the air, could blast the car to an altitude of 25,000ft.
During the attempt of breaking the current land speed record, the rocket will reach a blistering 3,000 degrees – twice the temperature of inside a volcano!
The Statistics
Length- 13.470 metres
Max Height- 3 metres
Wheels diameter- 0.915 metres
Turning radius- 120 metres
Car Mass (fully fuelled)- 7786 kg
EJ200 Jet engine- 90 kN
Hybrid Rocket engine- 122 kN
Design speed- 1,690 km/h (1,050 mph)
Wheels rpm- 10,000
Length of track- 19 km (12 miles)
Current record- 1,227.99 km/h (763.035 mph)
Air Brake- deployed at 800mph
Parachutes- deployed at 600
For more information, check out the BLOODHOUND SSC official website for all facts, figures and updates of the BLOODHOUND’s progression.
Don’t forget that this week we also celebrate British Science Week, a 10-day programme of science, technology, maths and engineering events across the UK for people of all ages. Get involved! For more information, please visit the BSW official website.
Here at SmartWay London, we specialise in car body repairs in Wimbledon and provide a range of extensive services to enhance your vehicle. So, for more information, or to speak to one of our friendly and knowledgeable team – please do not hesitate to contact us on 07732 542 500 today!
What is Tested in an MOT?
An MOT makes sure that your car is safe to drive on the roads. It may seem like a pain shelling out money to get your car looked over every year, but it ensures the safety of yourself, your passengers and every other driver on the road. There are many things that are tested during an MOT and if you know what they are, you may be able to prepare your vehicle to make sure you pass the test.
Lights
19% of MOT failures are due to faulty lights, so give them a quick check before taking your car in. All lights must be in full working order, and must not be obscured. They must be the correct colour e.g. front headlights may have a blue tint but must be predominantly white.
Horn
Your horn must be able to produce a continuous uniform note that’s easily heard by other road users. It’s there to make sure that you can alert other drivers, so if it’s not loud enough, it’s no good.
Registration Plate
Your registration plate needs to be clearly legible at a distance of 20 meters, and it must be fitted correctly and securely.
Tyres
Your tyres must be appropriate for the vehicle and free from cuts, lumps, bulges and tears. The tread depth will be tested, and it must be at least 1.6mm deep.
Brakes
As one of the most important components of your car, the brakes will be thoroughly tested to ensure they’re in full working condition. The brake lights will also be checked.
Windscreen
Your view will be checked to make sure there’s no obstruction that could impede the view of the driver. If you have any large items hanging from your rear view mirror, remove these before the MOT test.
General Condition
The general condition of the car will be checked to ensure there’s no extensive erosion or sharp edges that could cause injury. If there’s any damage to the outside of your car, it’s a good idea to get that fixed before your MOT.
The MOT test will make sure that your car is working to its full capacity which will help to protect you and others. If you can conduct a few of your own tests, you may be able to save yourself from spending more money than is necessary. If the body of your car is in bad shape, we can provide you with car body repairs in Wimbledon. For more information about any of our services, don’t hesitate to contact us today by calling 07732 542500 to speak to a member of our team.
