Category: Servicing and Maintenance

Many of us spend so much time behind the wheel that it’s easy to get complacent and overlook basic maintenance, but it’s always wise to try and stick to good habits, particularly where the safety and reliability of your car are concerned.

Here are five of the best habits any driver can get into, all of which can help you keep your car in good health:

1.Paying attention to warning lights

It’s tempting to ignore those lights that occasionally illuminate on your dashboard, especially if there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with how your car is driving, but this can be a dangerous habit.

The lights are there to warn you of problems with essential components like the engine, brakes and electrical systems, so you should always get it seen to when a symbol lights up.

2.Checking the tyres

Healthy, properly maintained tyres are an essential part of a well-running vehicle, so you should make a point of regularly checking yours.

Make sure they’re inflated to the right pressure (based on manufacturer recommendations) and keep an eye on the tread depth to ensure it’s above the minimum legal level (1.6mm in the UK).

3.Monitoring engine fluids

If you want your engine to run well and your car to be reliable, you need to make sure all vital fluids are at the right level. Oil is particularly important to lubricate the engine, but you should also keep an eye on the coolant and other liquids.

Don’t forget to keep your washer fluid topped up as well, so you always have maximum windscreen visibility.

4.Keeping an eye on the battery

A healthy battery is essential to a well-running car, so it’s always a good idea to do some basic checks on the battery.

Look at the terminals for signs of corrosion or mineral build-up, and if you notice anything, use a brush designed specifically for batteries to clean it off.

5.Fixing broken lights

Broken lights are another car problem that’s easy to ignore, especially in the case of indicators, brake lights and reversing signals, but all lights should always be kept in good working order so you can stay safe on the road.

When you notice a broken light, don’t hesitate in getting it fixed.

MyService.Expert from Fuel Card Services can give you affordable access to thousands of garages across the UK, making it easy to keep up with car maintenance and repairs.

The service history of your vehicle is one of the most important documents that you need to keep up to date. It provides an accurate record of the type of repairs needed on your car and when this work was carried out.

Ensuring you have a full service record is therefore paramount if you want peace of mind that your car is in the best condition possible. It is also a crucial check to undertake when buying a used car.

On that basis, there are a few key areas to get right within service history, including:

• What to record and how
• How to find a car’s service history
• What to do if service history records are incomplete

What is a car service history?

A car’s service history is quite simply a record of its maintenance and repair work over time. When you buy a new car, it should come with a service book that clearly marks out the date upon which its first service was conducted and the mileage of the car at the time.

This service book is typically preserved throughout a car’s lifespan and passed from owner to owner upon resale. Consequently, there should be a consistent record of a car’s maintenance history available to all car owners that can be used to gauge its general condition.

That said, there are sometimes gaps in service history that could cause issues for car owners, but let’s first look at how to find a car’s service history before exploring ways to fill these gaps.

Easy steps to find your service history

The first step to uncover any missing service history and to help fill in gaps is to contact the vehicle’s manufacturer and ask them to tell you anything they know about its history via its unique VIN number. This can be found inside the bodywork of your vehicle, usually the door bay and engine compartment.

The manufacturer should then be able to tell you the dealership from which the vehicle was originally purchased and you can then contact them directly. In many cases, dealerships will either maintain the full records themselves or be able to put you in touch with the garage where the vehicle was regularly serviced.

Checking MOT service history

You can also find out the full MOT history of a vehicle by visiting the official website of the DVLA and inputting the car’s registration number. This also allows you to see any gaps in the history of the car, or if it was ever reported damaged or stolen.

A full service history is absolutely essential

If you ever come to sell your car, a full service history is essential in order to instil confidence among buyers. At the same time, a full history highlights the fact that all necessary repairs have been carried out on the vehicle to ensure it remains roadworthy and fit for use.

What we mean by ‘full service history’, is a clear record of invoices, receipts, dates and exact descriptions of the work carried out. It simply isn’t good enough to stamp a service book without including other essential information, and could be a huge red flag to buyers when you’re looking to sell a car second-hand.

Keeping your car fully serviced will also help to reduce the likelihood of being involved in a breakdown, so to have the documents that show you’ve been a vigilant owner will help to give much greater peace of mind to anyone interested in making a purchase.

How can Fuel Card services help?

Our MyService.Expert service can give operators and drivers within a commercial fleet access to a nationwide network of garages where professional mechanics are always on hand to assess the state of your vehicle and to carry out any repairs that are required.

What’s more, using the service grants you access to pre-negotiated maintenance rates, meaning you could get a great discount on the labour. To elaborate on just how great these discounts can be, we offer up to 25 per cent off all parts and labour, meaning you can make substantial savings when signing up with us.

Winter is coming to an end and that means warmer days and lighter evenings. Spring has sprung and it’s a fantastic time to make the most of your car.

That said, the beauty of spring brings with it some considerable dangers for those who fail to keep their vehicle in top condition. From glare in the evenings to wear and tear from the colder, icy months just gone, there’s plenty of reasons you need to stay on top of your vehicle’s maintenance.

Avoiding glare as the days get lighter

As the evenings become lighter, the sun begins to set during what for many people is the daily commute home from work. As such, it lies low in the sky just as millions of people are taking to the roads during rush hour.

When the sun hangs low like this, it can significantly increase the chances of drivers suffering from glare. This can cause drivers to be temporarily dazzled and unable to see clearly – itself a considerable danger.

Ensuring that windows are kept clean and free from debris will help to reduce glare, while drivers themselves can lower their risk of being dazzled by wearing polarised sunglasses when behind the wheel.

Keep your car clean

The rigours of winter may be coming to an end, but months of freezing temperatures, rain, sleet and salt on the roads can take its toll on the bodywork of your vehicle. As a result, it’s important to ensure you are regularly washing your car and frequently checking all areas for signs of corrosion.

Bodywork around wheel arches, the boot and doors can be particularly susceptible to corrosion from salt damage. As a result, pay particular attention to keeping these areas clean and free from dirt/debris in order to maximise their longevity.

A regular wash also ensures that any dings, scratches to the paintwork or other minor damage can be picked up more quickly, again ensuring the elements do not have a chance to cause lasting damage to your vehicle that can be costly to repair.

Plan a service

Finally, it’s important to always ensure your vehicle is in the best possible condition to reduce the likelihood of suffering a breakdown. As such, spring can be the perfect time of year to get your vehicle serviced in preparation for the warmer, sunnier months to come.

It provides the opportunity to have a professional examine all aspects of your vehicle and identify any components that may be in need of attention following the harsh winter months.

MyService.Expert offers access to a nationwide network of garages where professional mechanics can help you to keep on top of your vehicle’s maintenance.

What’s more, when you sign up to our service, we guarantee great savings by offering discounts of up to 25 per cent on all parts and labour.

Can you trust your drivers to report minor damage to the company vehicles? English law states that regular inspection of commercial vehicles must be daily and consistent to ensure they are safe to drive.

MyDriveSafe.Expert makes it easy to do this, all from your Apple or Android smartphone. No more paperwork, no more guesswork, because it all runs on this free to download App.

Select your vehicle from the database by typing in the registration, choose from one of the industry-standard checklist templates for the type of vehicle or create your own, and go. You can then add photos and notes to any item. Once complete, checklist data is uploaded to the Cloud as soon as it detects an internet connection for you or your manager to review via an online portal.

Tom Cosway, Head of Commercial Business at Fuel Card Services, says, “It is worrying to see the high proportion of company car drivers who do not think car maintenance is their responsibility. Not only is this putting them at risk of the car breaking down, or causing a serious incident, it also creates potentially high repair costs for their employer.”

The MyDriveSafe.Expert web portal makes it easy to review any number of vehicle checks, so you can resolve issues before they become a problem. Each vehicle check is uploaded automatically to the Cloud so you can view them all in one clear and user-friendly dashboard. You can link multiple drivers to one vehicle, or one driver to numerous vehicles. The portal shows all the data you might need, from the length of time taken to complete the checklist to the vehicle’s precise location.

This simple innovation allows you to carry out an arduous – but essential – chore in a tenth of the time it would typically take. Plus, support for various motoring organisations is built-in MyDriveSafe.Expert’s templates, so it’s even straightforward for your fleet to comply.

Our dedicated team will help you to discover the advantages available with MyDriveSafe.Expert, ensuring seamless integration with your business.

Storms Ciara and Dennis were impressive, and now there’s snow, this year’s winter is bringing all kinds of ‘nasty’. Poor visibility and more variable road conditions mean drivers need complete confidence that their vehicle will keep them safe and sound.

At Fuel Card Services, we take the responsibility of fleet service and maintenance seriously and you can with MyService.Expert.

Dodge potential cold weather pitfalls and book a free winter health check from an approved garage near you using MyService.Expert. These chosen garages have made a genuine investment in delivering high standards of service and expertise. They will inspect tyres, wipers, lights, transmissions, battery, exhaust, oil levels, brakes suspension and coolant levels.

Tom Cosway, Head of Commercial Business at Fuel Card Services, says, “For delivery drivers, construction workers and tradespeople, the winter can be a particularly tough time with earlier morning starts in the dark. We’re helping out at MyService.Expert to make sure the weather doesn’t put the freeze on your business.”

It’s free and straightforward to join, and there are lots of benefits. Here is how it works: One of your vehicles is due for a service. MyService.Expert will send you an alert, then provide discounted costs from garages near you. You compare and select. We pay the garage and then invoice you. Easy.

The benefits of joining do not end there: Fuel Card Services’ partnership with these experts means you typically save 30% on work in comparison to going direct to a franchise dealer.

There is no joining fee, and no minimum contract to register your vehicles online. Also, there is no minimum number of cars, vans or HGVs.

Simplify your vehicle maintenance by booking work via the online portal. Here you can job authorise and pre-negotiate discount rates that cover servicing, repairs and maintenance. It also includes tyre replacement or repairs

The costings are transparent, based upon thorough working knowledge and up-to-date automotive data. Plus all genuine parts and repairs are protected under warranty.

All costs need your online approval before work begins. Doing this action is smooth, MyService.Expert is accessible anywhere and at any time on a WiFi connected device.

Just like your Fuel Card Services provides visible costings to keeping your business moving with fuel; think of MyService.Expert as your vehicle maintenance expense solution.

Visit MyService.Expert today.