How To Take Care Of Your Tyres

 

Stroll into our Roseland Automotive Centre or visit any Kingsgrove mechanic, Bexley mechanic, or Earlwood mechanic, and we’ll all tell you the same thing: tyres are one of the most important parts of a vehicle, and keeping them well cared for is of paramount importance. Despite being one of the most vital parts of a car, many drivers forget to take good care of their tyres, which can bring about expensive and even dangerous consequences. Improper tyre care and maintenance can result in damage, wear and tear, and even blow-outs, which can cause an accident. However, it’s relatively easy to take care of tyres, and there are a few things you should do regularly to keep them in good shape and your vehicle legal, safe, and roadworthy.

Have Good Driving Habits

Good driving habits are just as important as maintenance if you want to keep your tyres in tip-top shape. Harsh and excessive breaking, too much acceleration, and lots of stopping and starting in traffic can cause them to wear very quickly. This is why it’s a good idea to drive as carefully and smoothly as you can and avoid harsh braking and high speeds.

Check Tyre Pressures

Tyre pressure greatly impacts a car’s handling, braking, steering, and mileage. Under or overinflated tyres not only damages them but also increases fuel consumption. Improperly inflated tyres can even cause a blow-out, which means a whole new and potentially costly replacement, and is incredibly dangerous since you can lose control of your car.

 

Check your tyre pressure every month and make sure your tyres are properly inflated including the spare. It’s also wise to check the pressure before going on a long journey, or if your vehicle is carrying more weight than normal.

Check For Wear and Tear

Performing a physical check of your tyres is also important and will allow you to see any signs of damage. You should look for indicators of wear and tear, which includes bulges, cuts, punctures, and any objects that may have punctured the tyre’s surface. If any damage is spotted, it’s vital to get it checked out by a professional mechanic, and repaired or replaced if necessary.

Don’t Overload the Vehicle

An overloaded vehicle carrying a lot of weight can affect the handling, as well as wear the tyres down due to heat. This can even cause a tyre explosion, which is extremely dangerous and can cause you to have an accident. Therefore, find out exactly how much weight your car can safely carry, and never exceed that load.

Check Tyre Treads Regularly

Tyre treads impact both performance and safety, particularly in certain weather conditions. In Australia, the minimum legal tyre tread is 1.5mm, and any lower than that deems your car not fit for the road and is not only unsafe but also puts you at risk of fines.

Keep Wheels Aligned

Improperly aligned wheels can result in uneven wear across the tyres, which can weaken them over time. Unaligned tyres can also impact your control of the car and increase fuel consumption. This is why it’s important to get the alignment checked whenever your car is in a garage and get them aligned if they aren’t right.

 Be Careful Mounting Kerbs

Drivers often mount the kerb without a second thought, when they’re pulling into a busy street, parking at the roadside, or trying to avoid an obstacle. However, driving up the kerb can damage tyres, weakening them over time and even risking a blow-out. When mounting a kerb, you should try to do it at an acute angle, slowly and carefully, and avoid scraping the tyres against the side of the pavement, as this will help to prevent damage.

Don’t Make These Mistakes with Your Car Air Conditioning

 

As we head into summer, we’re going to rely on our car air conditioning to keep us comfortable as we drive. It’s become an indispensable addition to any modern vehicle and it’s something that most of us don’t even think about – until it goes wrong! But did you know that there are a few things you can do to ensure that your air con doesn’t let you down or have too much of an effect on your fuel consumption?

Our local Kingsgrove mechanic shared four of the most common mistakes that most of us make with our car air conditioning.

Putting it on Full Blast

We know that it’s tempting to crank up the air con as soon as you get in the car, especially when the temperatures outside are soaring. But that’s not the best way to cool down you and your car. Rather than turn it up full blast as soon as you get in the car, the best thing to do is open your windows and door to allow the trapped air to escape before you switch on the air con. When you do switch it on, use a low setting to start with – you’ll not only cool your car more efficiently, but you’ll avoid the adverse effect on your fuel consumption.

Directing the Air Flow Directly at You

Most of us position the airflow vents so that they’re pointing straight at us. However, if you reposition them so that they direct airflow around the car, the cooler air will be circulated more quickly and more evenly.

Always Relying on Aircon

While it’s far more pleasant to drive in an air-conditioned vehicle than with the windows down, there are some occasions when you should perhaps switch it off and open the windows. One such occasion is when you are stuck in traffic. Cutting down your aircon use will mean that you won’t need to re-gas your air con as often which, in turn, means fewer trips to your Bexley mechanic.

Forgetting About Regular Maintenance

Just like any other component of our vehicle, the air conditioning system will require regular maintenance, and yet we rarely think about it until we have a problem. So, instead of waiting for a problem, schedule regular maintenance appointments in your diary. Our local Earlwood mechanic suggests that A/C should be serviced every two years or so.

Are You Making These Mistakes?

These are the four most common mistakes that drivers make with the air conditioning in their vehicles. As you can see, they not only affect the efficiency of the aircon but may affect your fuel consumption too. Isn’t it time you paid more attention to your aircon?

Do You Worry About Trips to the Garage? Follow this Guide and Leave Your Worries Behind

 

For many people, the thought of finding a garage and Belmore mechanic they can trust can fill them with anxiety. With our handy guide, we are here to support you find a garage and mechanic that you can trust and bring your car to without any worries.  

What are your first steps to finding a garage?

Nowadays, many of us jump straight to our computers or smartphones to search for the answers for many different things, including finding a garage for our car. It is just one of the ways you can begin your search. Take some time to read reviews that have been left by existing clients to find out what others have thought of them.

Ask friends, family and neighbours for recommendations

Asking others which garage they use and whether or not they would recommend them is a tried and tested method of finding a service that you can trust.

If you are new to the area, ask your neighbours who they use, what sort of price they pay and how long they have been using the garage. If they are a loyal customer, the chances are they provide a good service.

Call and speak to the mechanic or pay a visit

You can often get a good feel for the type of garage you are interested in by giving them a call or even going to visit them in person. Ask yourself: are they friendly? Are they personable? Do you feel you can ask them any questions you might have?

Trust your instincts. If you feel comfortable with them, then you may have found an excellent Lakemba mechanic to take your car for its service and maintenance. If you do not, or they do not give you the information you need, walk away and find somewhere else.

Ask about quotations for work

If your car needs work, you probably want to find out how much it costs in advance. Ask your mechanic for an estimate of the repair and the labour. Do not forget that you can get quotes from more than one garage.

Beware of any quotes that appear to be too cheap. When it seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Contact us at Roselands Automotive Centre

If you are looking for a place to take your car that you can trust, give us a call at Roselands Automotive Centre, and we will get you booked in for a service or repair. We pride ourselves on the excellent service we bring our customers, and you can come to us with complete confidence.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch, and we will do our best to help you out.

How Can You Get Better Mileage from Your Car?

 

Although we may not be using our cars quite as much as in recent years, the cost of filling the tank with fuel is still a major consideration for most drivers. However, while we can’t control the price of fuel, we can do something about how we use our vehicles to ensure that we’re using our fuel efficiently. And improving fuel efficiency not only means good news for our bank balance but helps the environment too.

Regular Servicing is a Must

No matter what kind of car you drive, the way to ensure that it’s running optimally is by booking it in for a regular car service with an Earlwood mechanic. A qualified mechanic will quickly identify any issues and something as simple as ensuring a car is running well enough to pass its emissions test can boost fuel efficiency by 4%. More serious faults such as fault oxygen sensors can also affect the amount of fuel used. So, it’s always wise to ensure that that schedule a regular car service.

Check Your Tyres

Checking your tyres for damage regularly is a sensible precaution but did you know that the condition of the tyres affects fuel consumption? Always make sure that your tyres are correctly inflated. Although it may not be a part of a regular car service, your Kingsgrove mechanic can check wheel alignment and rotate your tyres to ensure better and more even wear.

Don’t Forget the Air Filter and Oil

Air filters and engine oil will be checked as part of our regular car service in Bexley. Cleaning or replacing the air filter stops dirt and other residues from entering the engine compartment and making sure that it’s changed between 15,000 and 30,000 miles can improve fuel efficiency by 6%. You’ll also see an improvement in fuel economy by changing the engine oil in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Pay More Attention to How You Drive

While fuel efficiency can be improved with regular servicing, how and what you drive will have a significant effect on how much fuel you use. Older vehicles tend to use more fuel than newer models. Smaller vehicles tend to be more efficient than those with larger engines. Ensuring that you drive as smoothly as possible will help you to save fuel. Speeding, sharp braking and rapid acceleration increase the amount of fuel you use.

The Bottom Line

There are several ways you can help to make your fuel go further but the bottom line is that you should ensure your vehicle is well maintained, regularly serviced and that you drive smoothly and within the speed limit.

Is Your Mechanic Qualified? Here’s What You Need to Know!

 

You wouldn’t visit a doctor or dentist if you knew they didn’t have the necessary qualifications or choose an unqualified hairdresser to give you the haircut of your dreams, so why would you trust your car to an unqualified Kingsgrove mechanic?

If you’re taking your vehicle to a new mechanic, you need to be sure that they have all the qualifications they need to look after your vehicle and that they know what they are doing. But how can you find out whether they have the correct qualifications? We explain how your local Bexley mechanic got their qualifications.

Pre-apprentice Studies

High school students can opt to take pre-apprenticeship studies in motor mechanics as part of their school curriculum. This will give them an idea of what it’s like to be a mechanic. Students can then continue their studies by joining an apprenticeship scheme.

Apprenticeships

Many Earlwood mechanics started as apprentices and embarked on a four-year apprenticeship. During this time, they will have supplemented formal learning sessions and assignments in the classroom with training both on and off the job.

Certificate Courses and Post Trade Qualifications

Following completion of their apprenticeship, qualified mechanics can choose to take specialist certificate courses to improve their knowledge of certain aspects of car repair such as servicing, maintaining, and repairing diesel engines. They may also take courses such as panel beating and bodywork repairs to qualify them to look after the exterior of vehicles.

Experience versus Qualifications

Although qualifications are a basic requirement of any trade, including that of a mechanic, experience can only be achieved by doing the job. Therefore, a mechanic with several years of experience under his belt is likely to be more proficient than a newly qualified mechanic.

Experienced mechanics are likely to have a broader knowledge and experience of working on different makes and models of vehicles and a greater understanding of mechanical problems and their symptoms. They’ll probably have a well-established system for carrying out routine car servicing and maintenance.

Motor Industry Association Memberships

In addition to relevant qualifications, many mechanics choose to join the local automobile association and other trade organisations. This shows that they take their work and business seriously.

How to Check a Mechanic’s Qualifications

If you’re in any doubt about a mechanic’s status, ask to see their qualifications. It’s also possible to check whether they are licensed through the Department of Fair Trading in each state. However, bear in mind that it’s not necessarily a requirement to have a license to practice in every state. And don’t forget about reviews from previous customers and recommendations from friends, family and neighbours - they will give a good indication of the quality and reliability of a mechanic’s work.