Category: Servicing and Maintenance

Driving over the speed limit is a bad habit that many people – if they’re being completely honest – would admit to.

The primary reason that all motorists should stick to speed limits is to maintain safety on the roads. Driving too fast increases your risk of hitting other cars because of increased braking distance, and also raises the likelihood of collisions with pedestrians resulting in serious injury or death.

Aside from these indisputable reasons to keep to the speed limit, there is another powerful motivation: to maintain the health of your car.

Here are three ways driving too fast can result in damage to your vehicle:

1. Putting strain on the engine

Driving at a higher speed than you need to – or than you should be, according to the law – has the immediate effect of placing more strain on your engine than is necessary.

This can contribute to the general wear and tear of components in the engine and increase the likelihood of faults occurring, which can be dangerous as well as costly.

It’s particularly important to be cautious of driving too fast and overworking the engine shortly after you have started the car in cold weather. If the oil in the engine is cold, it will be less effective in doing its job of circulating around the components to provide lubrication, which raises the risk of damage.

You can help to protect the engine at these times by not revving it too hard or driving too fast.

2. Hitting potholes and speed bumps

Potholes can be a major hazard to cars, particularly during the winter months, when water seeps into cracks in the road, freezes and expands, creating larger holes.

Failing to spot a particularly nasty pothole and driving right through it can damage your tyres, suspension and other parts of your car, and the impact will be even more pronounced if you’re driving too fast. Keeping to a reasonable speed is always a wise and effective way to protect your vehicle.

The same goes for speed bumps, which are in place for a reason. Ignoring warning signs and hitting bumps while driving over the speed limit is likely to damage your car and can also cause you to lose control, increasing the risk of an accident.

3. Damaging the brakes

Driving over the speed limit means your reaction time will be reduced, which is likely to lead to late and sudden braking. This places a lot of strain on the braking system, wearing out your pads and discs, which will have to be replaced to keep the vehicle in a roadworthy condition.

The worst-case scenario that can result from driving too fast is that you simply don’t brake in time and collide with another car, a stationary object or a pedestrian. Sticking to the speed limit and giving yourself plenty of time to spot hazards is the best way to avoid these events.

So, is speeding bad for your car?

The overall conclusion is that driving at excessive speeds runs the risk of causing damage to your car and to others. From excessive wear and tear to your engine, wheels and breaks, to the increased damage when you inevitably hit pot holes, your fleet vehicles will undoubtedly bear the brunt of driving at an unnecessarily high speed.

If you want to get your car regularly checked and serviced so it’s always safe on the roads, MyService.Expert from Fuel Card Services can help by providing pre-negotiated rates at thousands of garages across the UK.

Highways England has issued a plea for all drivers to commit to checking their vehicles more regularly, after figures showed the most common day for breakdowns is a Friday.

The government-owned company pointed out that even the most basic checks can help motorists reduce the risk of their car breaking down.

 

Simple precautions

Highways England recorded nearly 36,000 breakdowns on Fridays throughout 2018, compared to just over 29,000 on Sundays. The total number of breakdowns throughout the year was more than 223,000.

The company, which is responsible for England’s motorways and major A-roads, launched a dedicated campaign to highlight the positive impact even simple checks can have on car reliability and road safety.

It recommended:

• Checking tyres (especially before long journeys) to see that the pressure is suitable for the load and they are in good condition. Look out for cuts and make sure the tread depth is at least 1.6mm.
• Using the engine dipstick to check oil regularly and top up when necessary. Take your car to a garage if you’re topping up more than usual.
• Keeping windscreen washer fluid topped up to maintain a clean windscreen and good visibility.
• Checking indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lamps, reverse lights and brake lights to be sure they’re working properly.
• Look at your fuel level before setting off and make sure you have enough to reach your destination.

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said: “We want everyone to get to their destination safely and drivers can help themselves by carrying out simple checks before they set off. Breakdowns can often be prevented by carrying out basic checks.”

Simple steps and protective measures can reduce your risk of breaking down, but to keep your car in prime condition it’s best to take it to the professionals.

MyService.Expert from Fuel Card Services can help you save money on servicing and maintenance at thousands of garages across the UK.

Every motorist should give some thought to vehicle maintenance, since a well looked-after car will be safer, more reliable and easier to drive.

If you want your car to serve you well for as long as possible, one of the wisest things you can do is come up with a maintenance calendar. This will help you to keep up with important checks, ensuring you don’t overlook problems or faults that will get worse over time.

Maintenance calendar

The RAC recommends using the following system:

• Regular maintenance: Basic car maintenance is something you should do yourself on a regular basis – ideally once every couple of weeks, or before a long journey. Keep an eye on things like oil and water levels in the engine, tyre pressure and all your lights, including indicators, reverse lights, brake lights and fog lamps.
• Interim service: Arranging an interim service every six months or 6,000 miles (whichever comes first) will help you keep your car in the best condition.
• Full service: Manufacturers recommend that cars are fully serviced every 12,000 miles or 12 months – whichever comes first. Some vehicles feature diagnostic systems that will tell you when a service is due.

Don’t rely on the MOT

Your car will undergo essential checks as part of its annual MOT, but it’s important to remember that servicing and MOT inspections are very different things.

The point of the MOT is to complete a technical safety inspection of the vehicle to ensure it’s fit to be on the road.

A service, on the other hand, looks for general wear and tear and will replace parts and fluids if necessary, so you can feel confident your car is always in the best condition.

Other benefits of regular servicing

One of the best reasons to get your car serviced on a regular basis is to identify issues quickly. This reduces the risk of a minor fault or mechanical defect – which could be a straightforward fix if it’s spotted early – escalating into a more serious problem that will be costly and complicated to remedy.

Early detection also gives you the luxury of time in thinking about how to arrange and pay for any work required, rather than having to fork out for emergency repairs when something goes wrong.

If you use your car a lot, you’ll know that gradual deterioration of parts is a common problem in high-mileage vehicles. Servicing will help you keep your car healthy over the long term, ensuring that essential systems like the brakes and suspension don’t let you down when you need them most.

Finally, keeping on top of checks and maintenance will maintain the value of your car. If, at some point in the future, you decide to sell the vehicle, being able to provide a thorough service history will help you justify a higher price.

 

MyService.Expert from Fuel Card Services can help you realise the many benefits of consistent car maintenance with useful tools including calendar alerts for services and MOTs.

Much of the UK has been hit by wet and windy weather and low temperatures this month, leading to potentially hazardous driving conditions.

As well as raising the risk of accidents and disruption on the roads, cold weather can lead to various mechanical problems that all car owners should be aware of. One of the most common issues is a flat battery, as a road safety and breakdown organisation has warned.

Battery bother

GEM Motoring Assist has advised that being aware of potential battery issues at this time of year can help you avoid getting stranded at the roadside – a particularly unpleasant experience in the middle of winter.

The company pointed out that cold weather can cause a slowdown in the chemical reactions that take place inside car batteries.

When the temperature drops to 0 degrees C, a battery loses 35 per cent of its effectiveness.

GEM road safety officer Neil Worth said: “Cold weather also reduces the battery’s ability to hold its charge – meaning it’s potentially at its weakest when you’re likely to need it the most!”

If your engine fails to start but you can hear a slight noise from under the bonnet, a flat battery is the most likely cause.

Lack of any sound at all when you try to start the engine probably means a loose connection on the battery, or that it has no charge left at all.

If you have a good set of jump leads and another car owner willing to do you a favour, you can try to jump start the battery. However, it’s also possible that your car’s battery has reached the end of its lifespan and needs replacing.

“Batteries don’t last forever – in fact the average life of a battery is five years, so be ready to replace it when the time comes,” said Mr Worth.

If you want to get your car checked out for battery health and general reliability during the winter, MyService.Expert from Fuel Card Services can help by providing access to regular servicing and maintenance at thousands of garages nationwide.

Washing the car is usually seen as a summer activity, but it’s just as important (if not more so) to make regular efforts to keep your vehicle clean over the winter months.

Heading outside with a bucket of water and a sponge might not be the most inviting prospect when it’s freezing cold, but there are some very good reasons why you should be brave enough to do so.

Also take a look at our tips for driving in dangerous weather conditions.

Combating corrosion

One of the biggest motivations to continue regularly washing your car during the winter months is to fight corrosion, which can have a damaging impact on the vehicle’s paintwork and exterior finish, but also (and more importantly) vital mechanical components.

Corrosion can occur when the salt that is often spread across roads at the coldest times of the year comes into contact with your car’s metal surfaces.

If this salt is left in place for too long, it can start to eat away at the metal and cause rust, which not only looks unsightly but can also have an impact on vital parts of the car.

Accumulation of dirt and grime

Aside from the mechanical problems and more serious damage that wintry conditions can cause to your car, there are all sorts of cosmetic issues you’re likely to notice at this time of the year.

Inclement weather means your car is likely to come into contact with mud, slush and plenty of water on the roads, all of which can lead to dirt and grime building up on the undercarriage and lower portions of the vehicle.

If you take pride in the appearance of your car and want to keep it looking good all the time, you’ll probably find that it needs more attention in the winter than during times of better weather.

Clean interiors

Winter cleaning needs to go further than just the outside of your car, since all the water, mud and dirt that gathers on your footwear and clothes during these months will soon make a mess of the inside as well.

To keep your interior clean and presentable, even in the winter, it’s best to keep on top of it and clean regularly, rather than waiting for the grime to build up. Accumulations of moisture and salt on the interior carpeting can even leak through into the undercarriage and cause damage.

Winter tips

There are various things you can do to protect your car over the winter months. Spraying it with a protective wax can help to shield the exterior from rust and salt damage, keeping it in the best possible state despite seasonal conditions.

Using waterproof covers on seats can also be a good idea, along with replacing carpeted mats with rubber mats to provide maximum floor protection on the interior.

If you’re worried about the winter conditions having an impact on mechanical components and how your car runs, it’s a good idea to have it checked and serviced by professionals.

MyService.Expert from Fuelcard Services makes it easy to look after your vehicle with access to thousands of garages up and down the country.