BUYING A NEW car is exciting, but the work doesn’t stop after signing on the dotted line: all too often we forget that our car needs TLC too, especially as we add miles to its clock.
We asked experienced mechanics from all over Ireland about the car maintenance mistakes almost everyone makes, and they gave us their expert advice on keeping your car in tip-top shape.
For John Lynch of Dublin Diagnostics, it’s all about servicing: “The biggest problem we see now is not changing the oil often enough, particularly with diesel cars”.
He says that manufacturer recommendations for service intervals of 20,000 or 30,000 miles are based on ideal conditions, which usually mean motorway miles, not city driving. “If you’re only bringing the kids to school every day the engine doesn’t get hot enough to boil off its contaminants. In these circumstances, the correct interval might be as low as 15,000 miles.”
Eddie Ryan of BestDrive agrees, and points out regular servicing can save you money in the long run. “A full car service every 12-18 months can save you up to 4% on your annual fuel costs,” he says.
“Don’t skimp on tyres,” John says, pointing out that the cheapest option might actually be a false economy. “I don’t recommend budget tyres on cars, as they don’t last as long as medium or high grade options.”
There might be safety implications too, particularly on wet Irish roads, as he finds they “don’t grip, don’t corner and don’t brake as well as a good tyre.”
John’s big bugbear though, is when customers don’t heed the car’s warning messages. “Don’t ignore engine management lights, particularly in a petrol car,” he says.
He warns that a simple job can be made much more complicated – and expensive – by driving while an engine management light is on. “Chances are the customer is going to do quite expensive damage to the engine. A €50 fix could go to a €500 fix quite quickly when this happens.”
Eddie Ryan of BestDrive recommends regularly checking tyre pressure “to reduce fuel usage costs, increase the average lifetime of the tyre and reduce the chance of costly punctures.”
Tracking should also be part of a driver’s maintenance checklist, according to Ken O’Connell of Marius Garage in Limerick. “Regular tracking is becoming more important, especially for rear-wheel drive vehicles,” he says.
“If the tracking has been put out by a pothole or bump in the road, the tyres can wear unevenly, and while they might look perfectly normal on the outside, they could be dangerously worn on the inside.”
“Don’t neglect the outside of a car,” says Simon Deane of Deane Motors in Dublin. “It’s important to clean and wax it regularly to keep the body in good condition. A thorough hand-wash and a power-hose to the underside after driving in bad weather will help keep it safe from salt or dirt.”
Deane Motors specialise in classic and performance cars, and for these vehicles in particular, he says “it’s very important to dry the car off thoroughly before putting her away. Moisture can lead to rust and mould if the car is not stored correctly.”
“Dr Google for the car world can be troublesome,” Ken says. “Of course research is a good thing, but being able to understand the information available and coming to the correct conclusion is also very important.”
He cautions against tackling problems yourself: “Customers should be wary of trying to repair things themselves, especially if there’s a safety issue.”
“We sometimes see customers arriving for repairs with parts they bought online, and they can be of poor quality,” Ken says.
He recommends paying a little more than online prices at a local parts provider. “There are numerous motor factors around Ireland selling good parts, often from the same original manufacturer the main dealers use. Plus, exchanges are often necessary, and they’re much easier and faster at your local store.”
It’s easily done – you leave the service book behind in a garage, or put it somewhere so ‘safe’ it’s never seen again. But Ken points out that losing your car’s service history or maintenance receipts makes it more difficult for mechanics to see what work has already been carried out on a car. “Sometimes this means that parts might be changed all over again while trying to diagnose an issue, adding unnecessary expense to the customer’s bill.”
Keeping all invoices, receipts and service stamps also helps with the future sale of the car, showing a potential new owner that it was well-maintained.
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