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With winter fast approaching (in fact it seems as though winter is already here judging by today’s temperatures) cars will need to be treated with extra care. I always remember during the last winter season the amount of time that my engine would not start because of the freeze. Well the good old days of having to scrape the ice from the windscreen and having to use warm water from the household kettle is nearly upon us. We didn’t really have much of a summer and so it seems Winter may just come that little bit earlier this year. With used cars especially, the cold weather can have quite an impact as the engines are more worn than that of their contemporaries with a newer engine. They also seem to take longer to start up in some cases and can be compared to an older person who has problems with their joints for example! Another quite common issue during the festive season is the car door “sticking” and unable to open. I have seen this on many occasions and I am in the unfortunate position of living across the road from a field, which when the wind is active, blows the frozen due off the grass and onto the right hand side of my car; therefore including the drivers’ door. Now many times in the past not only has the door “stuck” but also the door handle, window etc. Frequently I had to enter the vehicle from the passengers’ side just so that I could get in! Whilst this proved to be quite inconvenient, it was my only way of being able to make the car function unless I was willing to wait until the sun arose. However, during the early hours of the morning this was next to impossible and so it was my only option. In terms of unfreezing the windscreen – many people seem to think that de-icer is the best way forward. Whilst I agree to a certain extent – de-icer alone will not always provide the desired results and you will find that the cars windscreen will appear blotchy and only offer a clear view in certain areas. The very best way to remove ice from a cars windscreen is to boil some water in the kettle and then mix it with cold until it is just warm. The reason for this being that hot water could indeed crack the car windscreen and cold water will only make the freeze worse! Therefore, by using warm water – it provides a feasible solution to removing the ice. This, combined with anti-freeze is by far the best option on those cold winter mornings when you are in a rush to get to work.

There is so much information online sometimes it is hard to know what to believe. I was reading something the other day that shown that car repairs were one of the most profitable and frequent types of car maintenance in the UK. I read a report that was outlining some of the problems faced within the car industry and how some vehicle repair shops put the lives of drivers in danger by conducting less than satisfactory repairs. It did outline however that most garages did indeed provide a safe and reliable solution but warned car owners to beware of the so called “bogus” repair companies. The knock on effect of such goings showed that car crash levels increased, which in turn increased the levels of car insurance premiums. Apparently used cars repairs ranked third amongst the top ten complaints by consumers in America. Now of course, the U.S is a much bigger country than the UK but nonetheless, these statistics make for a negative reading. I suppose that is one of the main problems with used cars in that they normally not covered by manufacturer warranty as most are only covered for up to three years. However, a nearly new car may well still be under manufacturer guaranteed, which is an added bonus when purchasing. The report continued to show that one of the main faults that would occur from a shabby repair job is that cars would break down on the motorway at high speeds or when driving around town when using low rev rates. Imagine breaking down on the motorway at a high speed? It doesn’t bare thinking about and so the report advised all motorists to look in detail at the garages credentials before entering their car in for repair. Having a garage recommended by someone or word of mouth is probably the most important and reliable source of a garages credentials. In fact this is probably the best type of advertising in any business – not just within the cars industry. Also, getting a written estimate is advisable as you will get a much better idea of what work is going to be undertaken including the cost of parts, labour and any administration fees for example. By abiding to such things, it can provide a more trustworthy selection of repair centre and will stand you in good stead in terms of getting the correct job done.

We have all had them but how much do we actually know about vehicle repairs? Statistics from the UK show that the average cost of repairs for some used cars on a yearly basis is up to four hundred pounds. So much for just getting a flat tyre hey! Now this figure is just an average figure. Some makes and models of cars actually cost up to five times as much in yearly maintenance fees as the costs faced by owners of reliable used cars. Apparently we spend just less than four billion pounds repairing vehicles that are between four and eight years old. This being after the warranty expires. Now to me these statistics do seem quite high. However, manufacturer warranties are set for a reason and so with the costs in local garages as they are – it may not be such a surprise after all. So if this is the case, maybe it is time to look at those cars with a longer manufacturer warranty or, even better, those that are known to be reliable. Toyota and Nissan are just two that spring to mind as being efficient. Honda is another and regularly promoted this via media and television. Other attributions to overall repair costs are the price of manufacturer parts. Therefore, it isn’t just the garages and mechanic charges that we should concern ourselves with.