Looking after you Car during Lockdown

Whilst the coronavirus pandemic remains a huge problem, many people are in lockdown. As part of that, they’re possibly not getting out at all and so their car remains out of action.

Eventually the lockdown will end, and life will return to normal. When that happens, you want to be sure you don’t need to call out a Kingsgrove mechanic or one from elsewhere to fix a flat battery or other problems.

Essential Steps to Protect your Car

If your car isn’t going to be used for a long period, it needs to be made secure. Ideally, that means locked away in a garage or, if none is available, on your driveway with the keys safely in the house.

Putting the car in a garage will protect it from sunlight, rain, dust, humidity, bird mess and anything else that can damage the paintwork. The alternative is a fitted cover but, before putting the car away, ensure it’s clean inside and out.

Wash thoroughly to prevent the build up of grime that damages paintwork, particularly removing mud and brake dust from the wheels. Rinse with clean water, dry with a micro fibre cloth and apply wax polish for added protection. Also thoroughly clean the interior, removing any organic matter that can rot and avoiding excess moisture that can cause mould and musty smells.

The biggest problem that is likely to result from prolonged inactivity is a flat battery. A trickle charger will help while driving your car for fifteen minutes every two weeks, or at least running the engine for that long will help to prevent this and also circulate oil to protect the engine. A full fuel tank will prevent condensation and rusting inside the tank as well as prolonging the life of the fuel.

The car should be left with the handbrake off to prevent it seizing up. Place chocks against the wheels if you’re worried it may move or remove the wheels entirely and put the car on axle stands to prevent flat spots developing on the tyres. Serious flat spots may require new tyres to be fitted by an Earlwood mechanic.

Check before you Drive

It’s essential you periodically check the condition of your car to detect problems and particularly at the end of lockdown before using your car. Make sure the brake discs aren’t corroded, the battery has enough charge, oil and coolant levels are okay and, for a diesel car, that the diesel particulate filter isn’t clogged.

To be really sure you’re good to go, a Bexley mechanic can check for problems and correct them. Don’t risk your safety when going back on the road.

Drive Safely in Wet Weather Conditions

None of us enjoys driving in wet weather. It can be dangerous and stressful, particularly after dark. While innovations such as ABS, traction control and vehicle stability control make wet weather driving so much safer, there are a number of ways you can mitigate the risk factors.
We take a look at five things that will help you to drive more safely in wet weather conditions.

Cut Your Speed

The number one piece of advice that you should take on board is to slow down. By reducing your speed, you’ll have more time to react should something go wrong. Avoid making any abrupt changes in speed or direction and try to keep more distance between your car and the car in front.

Be Seen and Be Safe

Most modern cars have automatic lights which turn on in adverse weather conditions, but if you still have the manual type, make sure that you switch them on.  It’s also advisable to ensure that your wipers are up to the job, so check them for wear or damage to the blades. It’s easy to change the wiper blade yourself, or it can be done as part of routine maintenance when you take your car for a service in Earlwood.

Keep Your Vehicle Well Maintained

Every car owner should ensure that they keep their vehicle well maintained by booking it in for a regular car service in Bexley. During a service, your mechanic will check the brakes, suspension, steering, tyres and ABS.

As part of your routine maintenance tasks, it’s essential to ensure that you keep a good eye on your tyres. If they lose more than 50% of their tread, their traction will be compromised, particularly in rainy conditions.

Pay More Attention to the Road

During wet weather, it’s sensible to avoid driving through puddles, even if they are relatively small as there is the potential that your vehicle will aquaplane. You should also keep a more careful eye on the traffic around you so that you can react quickly should an unexpected situation develop.

Be Prepared

Whatever time of year you travel, having an emergency kit in your car is always a good idea. In addition to the usual items, consider adding a rain poncho or waterproof jacket to your kit along with a torch in case you break down when it’s dark and wet.

Stay Safe While Driving in the Rain

Staying safe while driving in wet weather is mainly down to common sense, appropriate driving for the conditions and ensuring that your vehicle is roadworthy. And don’t forget, to keep abreast of upcoming weather conditions by listening to the weather forecast so that you know what to expect on the roads.

Getting the Most from Your Car’s Aircon

Aircon is an essential part of any car, and luckily, it now usually comes as standard with most modern cars. Great news for those living in Australia.
To get the most from your car’s aircon, follow the tips below and you can continue to reap the maximum benefits.

Have your aircon regularly serviced

Servicing your aircon is one of those things that can often slip through the net or be on your never-ending to-do list. However, getting your aircon serviced ensures you are getting the most from the system and that it will be ready when you need it most and cool your car down quickly, vital for those hot summer months.

It can be serviced along with your car service in Kingsgrove at Roseland’s Automotive and we can check that all components are working.

Don’t bother switching it on before you drive

It can be tempting to switch your engine on five or ten minutes before you get into the car. However, your aircon functions best when you are driving, so turning it on before means that it will not cool your car down as quickly and you will waste fuel.

Recharge your aircon when needed

If you find that your car is not cooling down as quickly as it used to, the chances are your aircon is running out of gas and needs recharging to work at its optimum level. When you go in for your car service in Belmore, ask for your aircon to be checked and recharged if necessary.

Check the filter is clean

A dirty aircon filter can stop your aircon from working effectively because the air cannot flow as well. If it is clogged up, it will need changing. If you need any help with this, your friendly team at Roseland’s Automotive can help you.

Set the temperature to its lowest

You may naturally set your aircon to its lowest temperature to cool down your car as quickly as possible, but this is also the best way to get the most from your aircon.

Turning it to the lowest temperature means that all your aircon needs to focus on is getting rid of the hot air. If you choose to set it to a certain temperature, it means that it might also need to warm up the air to get to that temperature and therefore use more fuel.

Avoid re-circulating

If you have a re-circulation function for air in your car, turn it off to ensure everyone on your journey remains cool and comfortable. Your aircon system takes the air from the front of the car and re-cools it when in this mode and therefore those in the back seats can get hot and stuffy.

Follow these tips for a cool and comfortable journey.

4 DIY Car Maintenance Tasks That Will Save You Money

Keeping a car on the road can be very expensive, especially if you’re driving an older vehicle. If you’re looking to save a few dollars, rather than take your car to your local Lakemba mechanic for regular servicing, there are a few maintenance jobs that are easy to tackle yourself with a little bit of knowledge.

Let’s take a look at 4 DIY car maintenance tasks that will save you money and keep your vehicle running smoothly. 
1. Changing the Oil

Changing the oil is a relatively easy task as long as you have the correct tools and equipment. To carry out the oil change, you’ll need a jack and jack stand, a socket wrench, a drain pan, funnel and oil filter wrench.

You can find out what type of oil you need from your owner’s manual or by checking online, where you’ll also find step-by-step instructions on how to change the oil. If it’s your first time, you may want to have someone with you who’s experienced in carrying out oil changes.

2. Changing A Tyre

Many people don’t know how to change a tyre but rely on roadside assistance to help out. Depending on where you are when you get a flat tyre, this can prove to be a very costly experience. If your car has a spare tyre, learning how to change it could save you hundreds of dollars!

You’ll need a properly inflated spare, a jack and jack stand and a lug wrench and for safety, it helps to have a reflective vest, gloves and a flashlight just in case it’s dark. With practice, changing a tyre should take thirty minutes or less.

3. Jump Starting Your Car

If you’ve ever experienced a flat battery, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. However, jump starting your car is a relatively simple task.

All you need is a set of jump leads and another car of course. However, you do need to know what you’re doing with the leads as the process can cause hydrogen to be released from the battery, which may explode should it come into contact with a spark from the engine.

If in doubt, ask your Kingsgrove mechanic to show you how to jump-start your car the next time you take it in for a service.

4. Replacing Brake Pads

Changing brake pads is a more difficult and complex task, and it may be that it’s one job that you prefer to leave to your Earlwood mechanic. However, learning how to do it could save you hundreds of dollars and, with practice, will only take about an hour to complete.

You’ll know when your brake pads need replacing as they will start to squeal.

If in doubt, visit your local service centre

While ‘doing-it-yourself’ can save you a considerable amount of money, if you have any concerns about your ability to carry the job out safely and correctly, you should always take your vehicle to a professional.

5 Things Your Mechanic Wants You to Know but May Not Tell You

Whether you’re booked in for a service or your car needs an emergency repair, there are a number of things that you can do that will help your local Lakemba mechanic to carry out the work quickly and efficiently.

Mechanics are usually willing to accommodate customers, especially if your car breaks down and you need it up and running urgently.

However, when some customers consistently bring in vehicles with empty fuel tanks, dirty interiors and missing wheel lock keys and then ask for a job to be done as soon as possible, it can test the patience of even the most accommodating mechanic.

So we’ve put together five things that mechanics would like you to know before you bring your car to the service centre.

1.    Tidy and Clean the Interior of Your Car

If you’re having any interior work done such electrical wiring behind the dashboard, your Kingsgrove mechanic will thank you if you make sure that the interior of your car is clean and tidy.

You wouldn’t like to have to work surrounded by used tissues, empty drinks and food cartons and your smelly gym kit and neither do we!

2.    Make Sure There’s Fuel in the Tank

We often need to test drive your car to replicate and experience the problems that you’re complaining about first hand.

We also test drive your car once we’ve finished the repair. We don’t want to feel that we’re going to run out of fuel and if we do have to put some gas in the tank, you’ll be charged a premium for the inconvenience.

3.    Make Sure Your Wheel Lock Key is Accessible

If you’re booked in for a brake check or you’ve asked us to change or rotate the tyres, we’ll need access to your wheel lock key. We don’t want to spend our precious time searching for it and if we do, the time it takes will be charged.

4.    We Don’t Mind You Calling for An Update

Most mechanics won’t mind if you call for an update. However, always remember that sometimes things are just outside of our control.

It may be that it takes longer to get spare parts than we’d anticipated or that what appeared to be a relatively simple job proves to be more complicated than we originally thought.

Always bear in mind that it may be necessary for you to make alternative arrangements if we can’t complete the work on time.

5.    Don’t be Scared to Get a Second Opinion

We know that sometimes customers feel that mechanics are taking them for a ride. However, reputable mechanics will want to keep their reputation. So feel free to get a second opinion if necessary before you agree to the work.

Build a Relationship with Your Mechanic

Taking the above points into consideration when taking your car to your local Earlwood mechanic will go a long way to help build a good working relationship.
And the better your mechanic knows your car, the better the job they’ll be able to do for you.

Routine Car Maintenance 101

While most car owners in Lakemba rely on their local Lakemba mechanic to service and repair their vehicles, taking the time to learn a few basics about how your car works and keeping on top of routine maintenance tasks yourself can help you to prolong the life of your vehicle.

How Your Car Works

You press the ignition, and the car starts as if by magic. But how does this happen?

Put simply, when you press the ignition the car battery delivers power to the starter. This turns the crankshaft which puts the pistons in motion. These, in turn, fire the engine.

Air is then pulled into a chamber where fuel is added. As you step on the accelerator, the throttle valve opens allowing the gas and air mixture to pass through the intake manifold.

This mixture is then passed into the cylinders where the distributor causes the spark plugs to spark and ignite the gas and air mixture to enable it to depress the piston inside the cylinder and rotate the crankshaft. And it’s this rotation of the crankshaft that causes the wheels to turn.

As you can imagine, as metal turns against metal friction occurs, and that’s why your engine needs oil. In addition, it’s important to keep the transmission well lubricated to ensure that the moving parts don’t cease up.

Routine DIY Tasks

•  Checking Levels of Oil and Transmission Fluids. This involves removing the appropriate dipsticks and ensuring that the fluids are at the levels recommended by the manufacturer. If it’s dropped below the level, it will need topping up.


•  Checking the Air Filter. You can find the location of your air filter by consulting your vehicle’s manual. Remove the filter, check to see how clean it is and replace it if necessary. A clean air filter will enable your vehicle to run more efficiently.


•  Check the belts. If you notice any cracking or other signs of wear and tear, you should take your vehicle to your local Kingsgrove mechanic so that they can be replaced.

•  Inspect the Battery. If your battery becomes corroded, eventually it won’t start. When checking a battery always wear rubber gloves and eye protection. First of all, you will need to remove the battery cables.

Remember to disconnect the black negative cable first, then clean the battery posts by applying a mixture of baking soda and water with an old toothbrush. Further corrosion can be prevented by applying a layer of grease or petroleum jelly to the terminals. When reconnecting the battery always reconnect the positive cable first.

The Bottom Line

Regular oil changes and lubrication are key to keeping your vehicle running at its best. While it’s possible to do these at home, you will need some special tools, and you will need to dispose of used oils correctly and safely.

This is why most Earlwood vehicle owners prefer to take their car to their local Earlwood mechanic to ensure that the job is done properly.