Owning and driving a car is simply a necessity for many
people; you need them to commute to work, go shopping and visit friends.
Unfortunately, automobiles are expensive pieces of machinery regardless of
whether you own a humvee or a Fiat Uno. Petrol costs are massively inflated by
high government tax rates, there are numerous fees and regulations to pay for
and purchasing a vehicle usually costs thousands and thousands of pounds.
However, one of the biggest expenses a car-owner face is the
maintenance and fixing of the car when things go wrong. Unlike in America where
vehicle standards are far lower, any vehicle allowed legally on British roads
has to be in pretty much near-perfect condition. When driving your automobile
your greatest responsibility is to protect the safety of yourself, other
drivers and any pedestrians crossing the road or nearby. Driving safely and
competently is, of course, vital to this but you are also responsible for
maintaining your car and ensuring that it’s safe for use on the road.
This is a good thing but can obviously leave you
considerably out of pocket at the end of the month unless you plan carefully.
When you are thinking “where’s a car service near me?” to yourself, it is understandably very tempting to try and
save some money by not paying for the services of a professional car garage and
instead try to do it yourself or get a ‘mate of a mate’ in.
Here are a bunch of reasons why you shouldn’t!
Cost Of Car Repairs
Nobody wants to spend money if possible - on cars, bills or
anything really! However, looking after the pennies becomes counterproductive
at a point because of a false economy. By choosing a dodgy garage that offers
cheap prices can lead to poor repairs or second-rate parts that soon fail. This
not only leads to safety issues but can mean you having to fork out for a new
part again soon after which ends up costing you even more money. Another thing
to consider is that by having a part wear out quickly (or having a mechanic
doing a substandard job) can lead to other parts of the car being damaged.
Safety
It almost goes without saying that having a car that isn’t
repaired properly is a danger to you, your passengers and other people.
Deciding to try and repair your car yourself (or maybe by that ‘someone’ you
know) is playing with the lives of you and other drivers. The mechanics that
are employed in a professional garage are eminently qualified and can be
trusted to do a good job as they repair vehicles like yours every day
. Dishonest or not fully
trained mechanics are a risk so always stay with the professional.
There are certain components of your car which are very
detrimental to its safety and should never be neglected:
Braking
A set of well-working brakes is hugely important in
protecting you, your passengers and pedestrians from a terrible car accident.
Issues with the brakes are usually discovered when there are vibrations,
unusual noises when in use or the car pulling to one side while driving. Common
problems include worn brake pads, an uneven rotor, faulty brake callipers and
leaking braking fluid.
A problem with your brakes can quickly develop, so it is key
that the mechanic can spot these signs before they affect the driveability, and
therefore, its safety. An inexperienced or unscrupulous mechanic may not notice
these signs or ignore them.
Steering
For obvious reasons, the steering of your vehicle can be the
difference between gliding comfortably along a B road and driving straight into
someone’s living room. If there is something ‘off’ with the steering of your
car then this should be looked at immediately as a ton of metal travelling at
up to 70 miles per hour is rather dangerous. Even if the vehicle is suffering
just a slight wheel alignment issue and is veering to the left while driving,
this firstly affects a driver’s driving accuracy, and secondly, can be
symptomatic of a greater problem.
Typical steering issues can include the loss of hydraulic
power caused by an issue with the belt drive. This can immediately make
steering more of an effort and compromise a car’s driveability. If the power
steering fluid reservoir is low it could also be caused by a defective part or
a crack in the hydraulic line. If is it the belt has slipped then this
component needs to be adjusted which requires significant technical knowledge.
Most modern cars today have power steering to help the
driver when operating their vehicle. If this fails the car is still drivable
but it can be problematic from a safety point of view if the driver isn’t used
to driving without it.
Tyres
Your tyres are the only part of the vehicle that actually
touches the ground (or at least they should be!) so it's pretty important that
they are in good nick as vehicles can weigh a lot, travel very fast and are
vitally important to its handling. Making sure that your tyres are properly
pumped should be your responsibility as is the tread, but if you a car amateur
who relies on your garage to do everything, noticing a problem and advising you
to rectify it is something that a professional garage will insist on.
Safety Systems
Some of the most important parts of making a car safe (for
you and your passengers) are its safety systems. All seatbelts and airbags
should be thoroughly inspected by a qualified mechanic including all the
screws, fittings and adjustments. The past few decades have seen an enormous
improvement it car crash survival rates, and these humble parts are a major
part of it.
Car Mechanic Accreditation
Trust is a big thing when it comes to garages. The vast
majority of people don’t know that much about cars and are relying on the
say-so of someone they don’t know on what to get fixed, how much it should
reasonably cost and whether or not they do a good job. Thankfully, with a
professional car garage, you can put these concerns to bed by firstly reading
reviews, and secondly by confirming that they are accredited. Here are some of
the accreditations that they could have:
Trust My Garage Scheme
Good Garage Scheme
RAC Approval
AA Garage Guide
Automotive Technician Accreditation
Acorn Tyres
For an unbeatable car service near you, get in contact with Acorn Tyres
. We are an
Aylesbury-based garage that boasts a team of highly experienced and qualified
mechanical professionals who are dedicated to helping drivers get back on the
road as soon as possible. Regardless of whether it is a malfunctioning engine,
a brake replacement or a simple MOT, Acorn Tyres treats every vehicle with the
same professionalism and attention to detail.
The purchase, maintenance and fuelling of any vehicle is
expensive, and it can be nerve-wracking when you discover a problem with it.
Thankfully, Acorn Tyres are honest, reliable and above all,
competitive on price. By leaving your car with us is guaranteeing your
excellent service and a safe pair of hands. Over the many years of our
operation, we are proud to say that we have built up a great reputation in the
local area and are keen to continue this into the future! We have a huge range of satisfied customers
who appreciate our commitment to quality, integrity and unbeatable expertise.
Acorn Tyres only operate the latest in tools and machinery
which allows us to perform faster, better and cheaper than our rivals. We offer
a very broad range of car repair and maintenance services that can keep your
vehicle on the road for longer. Acorn Tyres can service, maintain, MOT and
repair any automobile regardless of its manufacturer, model or age. Many other
auto repair garages will try and fob you off with substandard parts that may
run well for a year but then fail - we only use the best! For reputation and
experience at a price that you can afford, give us a phone call on 01296 612
075 or a chat or a free quote. Get in touch!
