Car Batteries
Average battery life is around 3-5 years.
Extreme cold (or hot) weather conditions can shorten the life of your battery.
Regularly using your vehicle and going on longer drives will ensure your battery re-charges fully, helping to prolong battery life.
A quick diagnosis test can determine the health of your battery, so if your battery is a few years old, it is worth having it checked.
If your vehicle turns over, but is slow (or will not) start, your alternator could be faulty and therefore not charging your battery.
If you are having battery issues, pop in or call Ray for advice.
Put your A/C on at least once a week all year round on the coolest setting (for appromimately 10 minutes) to keep the gas and oil pumping around the A/C system.
Have your vehicle pollen filter changed once per year to reduce air contamination and maximise the flow of air into your vehicle and A/C system.
If your A/C gas hasn't been topped up in a while, you may be due an A/C re-gas service (prices available on request). Re-gas every two years.
Have any A/C issues investigated at the earliest opportunity; it could be the failure of a componant allowing moisture to enter your A/C system. This issue might be easily fixed. However, if left could lead to a more serious problem developing, such as a leak.
Beware - leaks in A/C systems are extremely costly; they are usually the result of moisture entering the A/C system causing damage due to the age of the A/C system.
Off-Road
If you enjoy a bit of off-road driving, now is a great time to get your vehicle prepped and ready for the muddy season. Vehicle upgrades could include:
Off-read wheels and tyres
LED spotlights
Winches and bumpers
Underbody protection
Transmission upgrades
Supply ropes and shackles
Engine remapping
Raised air intake (snorkel)
Timing Belts
The timing belt in your vehicle is essential, the belt connects the crankshaft and the camshaft in the engine, enabling them to turn together in the right 'time' and ensuing the valves and pistons are all moving in time (hence the name "timing belt").
The belt is made from rubber composite, which over time degrades and becomes at risk of snapping. Cam belts breaking are an expensive repair (sometimes not cost effective to repair) due to the damage that can be caused to the engine valves and other components when everything is thrown out of time and smashes up.
To prevent this, it's essential to have the timing belt replaced usually between 60,000 – 100,000 miles, manufacturers give guidelines for timing belt changes but it may also depend on factors such as driving conditions, temperature and type of usage etc.
Replacing the timing belt isn't the cheapest maintenance job, other parts are often recommended to be replaced at the same time, such as water pump and auxiliary drive belt (depending on vehicle make). Garages will usually provide an estimate to give some idea of cost, but it's definitely a cost effective job as the alternative (fixing the damage from a broken timing belt) is going to be much more expensive.
For information about timing belt replacement, call Ray and Team on 01980 611695
