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How easy is it to use your garage regularly?
During the winter months it can be a nightmare if you have to drive early in the morning as you may need to de-ice the car windscreen and side windows and run the car engine to warm up the interior. If you have the facility to keep your car in the garage during the winter nights it saves a lot of time and effort on frosty mornings.
Some people avoid using the garage because it is not easy to get the car through the garage doors as they are either too narrow or the doors are old and do not open easily. If the doorway is too narrow then you have n option but to leave the car outside however if there is a problem with the garage doors it could be easily rectified.
Getting a new electric garage door installed can take the hard work out of opening and closing the garage door as an electric motor raises and lowers the door at the touch of a button. This is especially useful on frosty evenings as you can simply pull up in front of the garage, operate the remote controlled opener and drive in, closing the door behind you. So, say goodbye to de-icing windscreens and say hello to an electric garage door.
Diagnosing faults win the comfort of your own garage
If you are having issues with your car or if you simply need to take it for a service or MOT then you will want to find a garage that you can trust. Many people are worried about having to take their vehicle in for repairs as often they cannot question what they are being told needs to be done due to their lack of understanding and experience.
If your car develops a fault, it is always good to try and have no idea as to what it may be. If you have the time, then you may decide to do a little investigation work first. If you have a garage at home, always park your vehicle in there to allow you to start stripping parts off it if needed. This will ensure that if you have to leave it partially stripped down over night, you have somewhere secure to store it and don’t have to worry about trying to remove it. You can buy simply diagnostic machines for around £50 which can be very useful in telling you what the issue may be. Simply plug them in to the plug in your car and get it to search for any fault codes that may be recorded on the cars on board computer. These codes will then tell you what the fault is and can help you to work out what needs to be done to fix it.
Keep your car safe from the elements by means of a garage
Very few people now keep their car in the garage and instead use the garage for all sorts of other purposes such as storage for garden furniture or even as a utility room. Not keeping the car, probably the second most expensive thing you own after your house, in a garage if you have one is a big mistake during very hot or very cold spells when the elements can really cause a great deal of damage to the car bodywork.
A vehicles paintwork will deteriorate over time but when exposed to blazing sunlight, high temperatures or frost it will show signs of deterioration quicker than if it is protected from the elements by being kept in a garage. The interior of the car may also become faded if the sun is allowed to shine on the windows for prolonged periods.
Keeping the car in the garage when not in use can also mean a welcome reduction in insurance premiums along with the added security that it brings against theft and vandalism. So, if you have the use of a garage at your property it is wise to use it for the purpose it was intended as it could save you money in the long term
Do not ignore suspension problems on your car
Cars can be very costly to run at the moment, especially with the rising fuel costs but its not only the running costs that you need to be aware of. For many of us, repairs to vehicles can come out of the blue and be an added cost that we could simply do without. For this reason, some people put off taking their car to the garage to have a problem investigated as they simply cannot afford the costs. Although you may think you are buying yourself some time to save up you may actually be costing yourself more money. Sometimes if problems are picked up early, they can be easily rectified. If left, they may end up causing more damage and costing more to repair.
Suspension problems are very common, and they can range from simple drop links needing to be replace to the more expensive shock absorbers or drive shafts. Often the only way to tell exactly what needs to be done is to get the car on the ramp and take the wheels off to have a look. Some garages will do this for free whereas others may charge a fee to investigate the issue. It is vital that you get any suspension repairs done asap as it can be very dangerous driving with these types of defects.
Changes to unleaded fuel that may affect you
Currently all UK forecourts are required to sell the new E10 unleaded petrol rather than the E5 unleaded fuel that it previously sold. The E10 fuel contains 10% bioethanol in each litre of fuel which is a renewable fuel created during the fermentation process of a wide variety of crops. By increasing the proportion of ethanol in unleaded fuel, indirectly it reduces carbon emissions which is good news for the planet.
So, are there any disadvantages for drivers who are having to use this new fuel? Thankfully, the answer to this question is very little. There may be a slight drop in fuel economy, but the majority of drivers will not notice the difference when all the other factors that affect fuel consumption are taken into account.
The main group of car owners that will need to find an alternative to using this new fuel will be those that own classic cars, or some cars manufactured pre-2011. The problem with the higher level of ethanol in the fuel is that in older vehicles it can cause rubber hoses and seals to deteriorate quicker making breakdowns more likely. Many garages still sell E5 petrol at a higher cost to the driver but for owners of valuable classic models they will need to use this and unfortunately shoulder the cost.