Caring for Your Vehicle During Lockdown – Our Top Tips

Throughout the UK lockdown, the majority of households have no longer had to travel into work each day, meaning cars were left idle on driveways, car parks, streets and garages.

With the country now in the early stages of returning to normality, drivers across the country are likely to begin using their vehicles more regularly.

Whilst it is unlikely your car will have suffered any major damage as a result of not being used for a few months, check out a few of our top tips for looking after your car throughout lockdown.

1. Battery

If your car has been sat idle for a number of weeks, there is a chance that the battery will be flat. If you have a flat battery, you can use a pair of jump leads and another car to jump-start the vehicle; follow the guidance in the video below to ensure you are doing this safely.

If you aren’t confident, or you think the battery might be damaged in any way, it’s always best to contact a professional instead, a new battery can generally be supplied and installed at relatively low cost.

Top Tip – If it is likely that your car will be sat idle on your driveway for even longer due to working from home, we recommend taking your vehicle out for a drive on a weekly basis to reduce the risk of the battery going flat.

2. Tyres

Over time, tyres lose their pressure and can become underinflated, this can be very dangerous as it increases braking distances and increases the surface area of the tyre in contact with the road, resulting in faster wear and potential overheating.

Before taking your car out, we recommend checking the tyre pressure to ensure it is at the recommended level (this is usually available in the vehicle’s manual), checking the tyre tread is at a safe level and carrying out a visual inspection for any damage. For more information, take a look at our guide to caring your car tyres.

3. MOTs & Servicing

Most motorists will be aware that there has been an extension of 6 months on MOTs due after 30^th March 2020, this measure will be in place for 12 months.

What drivers might not know is that despite the extension, drivers are still responsible for keeping their car in a roadworthy condition, failing to do so could land you a £2,500 fine and get you 3 points, so this certainly shouldn’t be used as an excuse not to get an MOT.

Fortunately, being classed as essential businesses, many garages have remained open throughout the lockdown, providing MOTs, repairs and servicing for key workers and those that need their cars to make essential workers.

Read our blog post to find out more about the 6-month MOT extension.

4. Insurance

It is important to remember that just because you are not driving your car, you still need to have it insured. As well as damage, insurance also protects you against fire and theft, both of which can still happen regardless of whether your vehicle is being driven or not.

If you are struggling to afford your insurance costs, many providers are being sympathetic and helping with payment holidays or payment plans, we highly recommend getting in touch with your provider rather than running the risk of not being covered.

Your Local Chepstow Garage  

At Autocare, we’ve remained open throughout the lockdown to help with servicing, repairs and MOTs for key workers and those that need to make essential journeys.

We have put a number of measures in place to protect customers and staff and would like to thank everyone for their cooperation and support.

If your car is in need of a professional service, repair or MOT, we can help. Give one of the team a call today on 01291 627137 or fill out a contact form and we will get back to you.