By regularly carrying out these few simple, easy checks, you can ensure your car is running as efficiently as possible, lowering its fuel consumption and reducing the wear and tear on vital components that are sometimes very costly to replace. That’s how to save on car maintenance – by doing a bit of it yourself! If you’re really not confident about carrying out any of the below yourself, however, or need someone to take care of the checks that only a specialist like Brayleys can do, contact our servicing team to make a booking.

Tyre pressures

Tyres with insufficient air pressure create more drag, which means the engine has a harder time moving the car. This extra load uses up more fuel and even a few PSI can make a big difference over the long run. Incorrect tyre pressures will also accelerate tyre wear, so you can ensure your tyres last longer by regularly checking the pressures are correct. We recommend checking tyre pressures every month, more frequently if you do a lot of miles. And if you need new tyres, we offer a tyre price match guarantee.

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Wheel alignment

Similar to low tyre pressures, if your suspension system isn’t set correctly and your wheels aren’t in perfect alignment, this can increase drag and therefore fuel consumption. Incorrect suspension alignment also wears your tyres out faster. Brayleys has specialist wheel alignment equipment at most of its centres. Contact us to find the one closest to you.

Fluid levels

Your car will work at its best and be most efficient when all its fluid levels are topped up. This will ensure you reduce the chance of wear and tear or serious damage to the related components and systems. So it’s important to check the following levels:

• Screenwash fluid
• Engine coolant
• Brake fluid
• Power steering fluid
• Transmission fluid (on certain models) 

Oil changes

Changing the oil regularly – and using the correct type – can save you thousands. Incorrect or degraded oil doesn’t protect the engine sufficiently, which can lead to the accelerated wear of engine internals or even to their complete failure. For more information on the type of oil your engine needs, or to book your car in for an oil change, send us a servicing enquiry.

Filters

Blocked-up and clogged filters will make your car’s systems work harder and run less efficiently, leading to higher fuel consumption in many cases. It can also lead to components and parts being damaged, sometimes resulting in very costly repair work.

Air conditioning

By having your air conditioning system serviced regularly, you’re ensuring it runs at its most efficient. This will reduce its drain on the engine, thereby improving the engine’s efficiency and consequently its fuel consumption. Brayleys offers a very competitively priced air conditioning service – please contact us for more info.

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Servicing

You should have your car serviced regularly and at the correct times, to ensure it is running as efficiently as possible. This will ensure your car is achieving the best possible fuel consumption and will ensure the maximum lifespan of its components, by reducing wear and tear. Contact our servicing experts to find out exactly when you should service your car.

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Pre-MOT check

Before you get your car MOT tested, it’s a good idea to check as many of the obvious things as you can to ensure they won’t result in a fail and then a costly re-test. Easy things to check are:

• Boot, bonnet and doors – check they open and close correctly
• Check all fluid levels are correct
• Horn – does it work properly?
• Lights – indicators, brake lights and rear fog lights
• Seat belts – do they work properly?
• Tyres – check the tread depth and for any obvious damage
• Windscreen wipers – do they clear water well?
• Windscreen washers – make sure they apply screenwash evenly over the screen
• Windscreen – check for chips and cracks, particularly in the driver’s main field of vision

Get a vehicle health check

Brayleys offers very competitively priced vehicle health checks that will cover all of the above and much more. This will not only save you money but will also ensure your car is as safe as it can be, to protect you and your passengers. Contact us today to arrange your appointment and save yourself some money!