Reasons to Keep Regular Oil Change in Your Car Servicing Routine

Reasons to Keep Regular Oil Change in Your Car Servicing Routine

Having a car is inarguably the fulfilment of one of your cherished dreams in life. However, as an owner, you must take proper care to ensure the vehicle remains pristine. This would also enable you to use the vehicle for a longer period.

The Need for Regular Maintenance:

To make your cherished possession rule the highway even after years of buy, you must follow a proper maintenance routine. It includes various kinds of preventative maintenance, including inspection of the condition of the engine and wheels. A vital routine among them is checking the oil and lubricant levels in the car.

Why Change Engine Oil on a Frequent Basis?

On average, a car needs an oil check after every 4000 to 6000 miles. However, if you think you need to perform it earlier, you must not stop yourself. Visit a source offering car servicing in Hove today. The reasons for frequent oil checking and changing are mentioned below.

  • Removal of Debris: Oil collects different impurities, like dust and contaminants. This happens as the fluid circulates through the engine. Over time, it may thicken and create a harsh operating environment. As a result, it becomes hard for the car engine to perform well. In the long run, it may affect the fuel and power efficiency of the vehicle. The oil change process drains out the old oil and eliminates all the contaminants.
  • Proper Lubrication: This is another major cause for frequently changing the car oil and lubricant. Lubrication helps to move the vital parts of the car engine. Without a proper supply of car oil, the components would grind together, causing them to wear down and affect the working condition of the vehicle. Not changing the motor oil in time would make you replace the engine and cause other engine trouble.
  • Engine Temperature Regulation: The operating temperature of a car engine can be controlled effectively by the engine oil. They can reduce and absorb the heat caused by friction. When the oil ages, it won’t be able to perform this task. This puts the engine at risk of overheating. The cooling system can regulate the temperature, while the assistance of the oil prevents expenditure in engine damage.

These are a few major reasons to regularly check and change the engine oil. To get help from an expert garage, you must contact Rapid Auto Centre. We are a well-known name for car servicing in Hove that can provide you with a wide range of automobile repair and maintenance services. For more information, you can visit our website today.

Tips For Choosing the Perfect Garage For Mot Testing in Hove

Tips For Choosing the Perfect Garage For Mot Testing in Hove

MOT refers to Ministry of Transport Tests are important annual tests to check your car’s health and roadworthiness. You should have a current MOT to legally drive your car on the road. A new car doesn’t require MOT, but a car older than three years need to carry out MOT before driving. Choosing the best MOT testing centre in Hove is essential for your car, and here are some factors you should look into in a garage before taking your car there.

Factors to Find the Appropriate Garage For MOT Testing

Check whether they are approved for Carrying out Mot Testing: Look for a government-approved testing centre, as there are a lot of garages with all the relevant tools and equipment to conduct the test. However, their test results will not give you the best resell value.

Check whether their Services include a thorough Car Inspection: MOT testing includes checking all the vital car parts like lighting and signalling equipment, suspension, steering, seat belts, brakes, tyres & wheels, body structure, drivers road views, exhaust and fuel emissions, registration plates, bonnet, electrical wiring & battery, windscreen, wipers & washers, doors, and others. If any garage denies you for the examination of overall car parts, look for another.

Check Mechanics’ License and Certification: Before handing over your car, ask the mechanics who will handle it to show their certification and license. You can also pay a surprise visit to the garage to see their technical skills. This will help you to make a better decision for your car.

Additional Services: A qualified garage will also offer other services to meet their client’s requirements depending on the cars. 

Friendly Staff: No matter how well-skilled and experienced a car repair centre is, you can’t choose the one where the staffs are not friendly and responsive to your requirements. While entrusting your car to others’ hands, it is an important factor as you may have a bunch of questions about your car; you would not be able to ask those with rude staff.

We at Rapid Auto Centre are qualified to carry out any car or van test. Our advanced equipment and well-trained mechanics ensure clients’ satisfaction. We offer various garage services like brake repairs, full car servicing, professional tyre fitting service and others. Contact us today if you are looking for the best garage for MOT testing in Hove and the surrounding areas.

Car Service Basics: Top 3 Reasons Why Your Car’s Brake Pads Wear Out

Car Service Basics: Top 3 Reasons Why Your Car’s Brake Pads Wear Out

When you go out on the road with your ride, you should always ensure it’s in top condition. We are talking about more than just checking the condition of your engine or clutch. You should also take care of other technical components of your car, like the braking system.

Maintain the Brake Pads Regularly:

The brake pads have significant importance among all your vehicular units. A well-maintained brake pad can help to stop your car without a problem. The car manufacturer will tell you to maintain your brake pad after 70000 miles. However, it is better to hit a car service in Hove to check the brakes after every 25000 miles.

Why Do the Car Brake Pads Wear Out?

If you do not take your car for regular servicing, your brake pad may sustain heavy damage. We mention the reasons for these damages in the following section of the blog.

  • High-Speed Drive: If you tend to drive with a heavy foot, there’s a greater chance that the brake pads will wear out quickly. The pads experience more strain to put a speeding vehicle to a halt. When you drive at a medium or slow speed, it becomes easier for the pads to put your car to a halt. As a result, these have lesser chances of damage.
  • Overloaded Drive: You may be driving with an overloaded weight if your car has an additional trailer or excessive luggage. When you try to stop your car with a lot of weight, there’s a chance of damage to the brake pads. This, in turn, wears out the pads and significantly reduces the car braking system’s lifespan.
  • Not Driving in Lower Gears: When you apply lower gears, your car naturally goes on at a slow pace. If you tend to downshift the speed while driving in a higher gear, your brake pads will sustain serious damage. You can also try speed moderation in automatic and manual control vehicles. This will help you change between gears easily and control the speed when you drive downhill. As a result, your brakes will remain in perfect condition.

Taking care of the brake pads is an important requirement if you consider your car valuable. Try avoiding these mistakes to experience a smooth drive. To diagnose the problems of the car brake pads, you can consult a trustworthy source like Rapid Auto Centre. We are one of the prominent car services in Hove, where you can get quality work from trusted professionals. To learn more, you can visit our website.

5 Tips for Car Maintenance During Changing Seasons

5 Tips for Car Maintenance During Changing Seasons

Car maintenance is an important consideration and must be maintained throughout the year. However, problems with cars generally occur when the seasons are about to change. From extremely humid summers to the freezing winters, you’ll notice that the mileage and performance of the car go down. To keep your vehicle running smoothly, even when the seasons change, you can get expert maintenance tips for the professionals in the garage. They also provide services for car repairs in Hove.

How to take care of a car during changing seasons?

Check the condition of the tires 

Tyres are the most affected parts of the car, and tyres are the first part that gets affected whenever the seasons change. For instance, the tyres freeze during the winter, and during the summer, the tyres unfreeze again. Hence the rubber present in the tyre tends to expand and retract with the temperature changes. Hence whenever the season changes, you must get the tyres checked immediately. 

Check the level of fluids

You must check the level of fluids and refill the same as the weather conditions change. When the temperature drops, it is essential that you mix the antifreeze mixture in the fluid so that the fluids remain in normal condition. You must keep checking the level of fluids, so they don’t get out of level.

Inspect the brakes nicely

Ice and snow during the winter can result in the skidding of cars. Hence before winter arrives, you must get your brakes checked. Again when the ice melts, it adds excess moisture to the brake fluid. To present such issues with the brakes. It would be best to focus on checking your brakes whenever the seasons change. 

Take care of heating and conditioning

When the seasons change, the car’s air conditioner and heater are checked. This will allow you to stay comfortable in the car during extreme weather conditions. So during the winters, your heater must work well, while your air conditioner must be in its best condition during the summers. Thus, whenever the season changes, take your car to the mechanic for a thorough check-up of the car’s internal systems.

Have a look at the battery

It is easy to forget about the battery since it’s placed inside the car. Whenever the temperature changes from humid to cold freezing weather, ensure you get the battery checked by the mechanic. 

For a wide range of garage services and car repairs in Hove, approach Rapid Auto Centre. Bring your car to us for a complete car body checkup. To know more, check our website.

5 Things to Check Before Taking Your Car for MOT Testing in Hove

5 Things to Check Before Taking Your Car for MOT Testing in Hove

MOT testing is an annual safety checking process to ensure that the vehicle meets all the safety standards before you can drive the same out on the road. The test is mandatory for all cars, and during the test, a few specific parts of the car are checked. If the car passes the MOT test without any faults, then your car is completely ready for the road.

However, many times, the car might not pass the MOT test because of a minor problem present in the car. Under such circumstances, before taking the car for MOT testing in Hove, ensure you get the same checked by the local mechanics.

There are a few key things you’ll want to check first. Here are 5 of the most important car parts that should be checked before taking the car for the final MOT test.

What are the things to check before taking the car for the MOT test?

Tyre tread and pressure

Ensure your tires have enough tread and are inflated to the proper pressure. This will help ensure a smooth ride and good gas mileage. A minimum tyre tread needs to be maintained in the tyre. Ask the mechanic about the same.

Lights and reflectors

All of your car’s lights and reflectors should be in working order. This includes headlamps, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals. It is unsafe to drive without these, but you could also fail your MOT test.

Windshield wipers

Check that your windshield wipers are in good condition and can effectively clear away rain, snow, or debris. Your car can’t pass the MOT test with defective windshield wipers as they help clear away the water and give the driver a clear view of the road ahead.

Horn

Your horn should be loud and clear. If it’s not working properly, you’ll need to fix it before your MOT test. For obvious reasons, a horn is an important part of the car. Horns alert cars and people walking on the road about the incoming vehicle. Hence without a proper functioning horn, your car will not get a clearance certificate from the MOT testing centres.

Oil level and condition

Check your car’s oil level and ensure it’s clean and debris-free. This is important for the longevity of your engine. This is an essential aspect that helps to pass the test.

Bring your car to Rapid Auto Centre. We are a class 4 MOT testing centre qualified to test regular cars for MOT with advanced equipment. To know more, check our website and book your dates.

4 Signs That Your Car Battery Needs Servicing

4 Signs That Your Car Battery Needs Servicing

Are you planning a holiday with your family? The last thing that you would want is your car battery to stop working right on the day when you’re all ready to start the journey. That’s why mechanics suggest opting for regular car services. This helps you stay updated with the condition of your car. For professional car service in Hove, approach reputed mechanics in town. Battery breakdown is the major issue that the majority of car owners face.

Hence whenever you face these problems with your car battery, make sure that you rush to the mechanics for battery services at the earliest. Making sure that the battery is in great condition will help you to avoid sudden road breakdowns.

Why should you get your car battery checked?

Trouble starting the car

Whenever your car faces the problem of starting properly, then it’s time to get your car battery checked at the earliest. If you hear noises like cranking while starting the car, then it’s surely time to get the battery checked. Sometimes there’s no sign at all. You will only see the car lights are not working properly. This is a sign that the car battery is having problems and must be taken to the mechanic for urgent review.

Strange smell

If you begin to get a strange smell like the smell of rotten eggs, then it’s often an indication that the battery is leaking gas. Since the batteries contain sulfuric acid, it is very damaging, and the car parts can get corroded in the long run. If the car parts are exposed to harmful acids for a long time, then there’s a high probability that the rest of the car will also get damaged.

Need to jump-start

If you’re required to jump-start the car frequently, there’s a problem with the battery. Especially when the battery is near dead, the engines don’t generally start on their own. Under such circumstances, jump starting is the only option left.

Poor performance in winters

In general, car batteries don’t work well during the winter seasons. However, if the temperature is very low, the battery might freeze. Generally, antifreeze solutions are used for this purpose. If you notice that the car is not performing well during the winters, then the battery is not in a feasible condition. Under such situations, you must take the same to the mechanic.

At Rapid Auto Centre, we have a team of experienced and renowned mechanics who can help you with a wide range of garage services. To know more, check our website.

What are the truths behind the MOT Tests?

What are the truths behind the MOT Tests?

For those who are aware of the term MOT test, it is an annual test which is performed to check the vehicle safety, conditions of the vehicle parts, judge the roadworthiness aspects and the type of emissions the car is producing. In simple terms, a car is required to pass the test to be eligible to be on the road. However, during an MOT test, the engine clutch and gearbox condition remain unchecked.

It is always illegal to drive a car without a valid MOT. If your card has failed the test, it is better to get it checked by a professional mechanic and approach the centre for MOT testing in Hove to fix the issues that are persisting in your car.

However, a few myths related to this testing process need to be discarded before going to a testing centre. Read on and get enlightened.

3 common myths related to MOT tests

Myth 1: Car fails MOT Test if lights don’t work
Many car owners feel that if the car’s front and rear end lights are not working correctly, the car will fail the test. If there is a problem with the bulbs, don’t panic; get them changed before you take your car out on the road. However, this is not a legal requirement and hence doesn’t affect the result of the MOT test.

Myth 2: Spare tyres must be legal

If the spare tyre is kept in the car and is not used during the mot test, it doesn’t play any role in the result. Many believe that the spare tyre must be legal for the car to pass the test.
However, this is a myth that needs to be discarded.

Myth 3: No insurance, no problem

Regardless of circumstances, a car’s insurance is a must and is a legal requirement. Although this is not a part of the MOT testing process, even if you pass the test, you may get into trouble on the road if you drive a car without insurance.

At Rapid Auto Centre, we provide complete MOT testing services. We have a team of mechanics who can help you with MOT tests. To know more check our website.

3 Points You Must Check After Car Servicing is Over

3 Points You Must Check After Car Servicing is Over

It is important to check and be sure of a few points before taking the car handover from the service centre. Car owners often make the mistake of taking the car out of the garage without checking the parts and changes that have been done in the same. Once the car is out of the service centre, the mechanics will not be liable for any problems or defects that might crop up in your car. Moreover, It is always advisable to take your car to a professional garage for car service in Hove. They are experienced, authentic and reliable and will provide you with the best services.

If you’re a novice in matters of cars, then here’s a list of points you can check from your end when the garage is done with the servicing part.

What things must you remember before taking a car out of the garage after servicing?

Match the work with the job sheet

After the service, the courage to prepare a job sheet mentioning the successful completion of the service. Before you take your car out of the service centre, make sure that you check the changes that have been done and mentioned in the job sheet. in case of any missing service actions, you must communicate the same with the mechanic and get it done at the earliest. The job sheet is two-way communication between the mechanic and the client to ensure that the work has been completed without any flaw.

Check the condition of the engine oil

You must check the engine oil condition every time you take the card out of the service centre. If the service mechanics change your car’s filter, then the engine’s level must have changed as well. If the mechanic has replaced the engine oil, you must check the current level to ensure everything is fine.

Check the bill in detail

Every service centre will prepare a detailed itemised bill after servicing the car, showing different expenses incurred. As a smart car owner, you must always check the bill in detail and match the same with the services that have been provided for your car. If you forget to check the bill, you might end up paying more than what has been given.

At Rapid Auto Centre, we provide trustable, affordable, fast and convenient car services. To know more check our website.

Why Should you Avail Immediate Garage Services in Brighton?

Why Should you Avail Immediate Garage Services

Every car needs immediate breakdown services after any collision or accident. Sometimes the damages are not noticeable; however, some internal damage might exist, which can reduce the lifespan and mileage of the car in the long run. Thus, if you choose not to change the parts and keep going with the same defects, you can end up in another fatal accident with the defective car on the road. Hence, taking the car to the garage for services immediately after a breakdown is necessary.

Brighton’s garage services from professionals can help your car move safely on the road. Here’s a list of a few instances that will give you signs that your car needs to be taken to the garage immediately.

Why should you get your car serviced after a breakdown or accident?

Car starting problem

Generally, the battery of a car is long-lasting and will last for about 5 years without causing any trouble. However, if you find that the relatively new model of your car is not starting, then there’s a high chance that the battery has been damaged due to the collision. If you think that the car is not starting because of gas or oil issues, you must get the battery checked by the garage professionals. Collisions and accidents can cause sudden problems or irreparable damage to the car’s battery.

Issues with tyres

After the collision, you must check the tyre’s condition. If you find any crack on the outer wall of the tyres, then take your car to an experienced garage service and get the same repaired at the earliest. If you keep using the car with these cracks, then there’s a high chance that the tyres will get further damaged. Replace the same and improve the mileage of the car.

Oil leaks

Car owners fail to notice the oil leaks most of the time. If you suddenly notice dark oil stains on the driveway, then definitely it’s time to get your car checked from the nearby garage. Collisions can cause oil leaks and sudden breakdown of the oil recovery option. Even if there’s no oil leakage, getting the same checked after an accident is essential.

Take your car to Rapid Auto Centre, a reputable garage servicing centre in Brighton. We provide all types of car repair services at an affordable rate. To know more, check our website.

Useful Tips to Consider for A Successful MOT Testing

Useful Tips to Consider for A Successful MOT Testing

MOT Testing is an integral part of maintaining your car’s safety and functionality. After passing the test, you get a safety certificate valid for a year. You should maintain it regularly if your car is older than three years.

Reasons for unsuccessful MOT Testing:

Various defects in the car prevent the car owners from clearing the MOT Test. 40% of the first-timers fail the test for various reasons. A thorough check by a professional car servicing before going to an MOT testing station can help to eliminate a lot of issues.

Maintain these Parts to Pass the MOT Testing:

In this blog, you can find some useful tips to find out the issues in your car. Fixing these issues can help you clear the MOT testing in Hove, Brighton.

  • Tread Depth: This is an important safety feature related to the car tyre. Maintaining the tread depth of the tyre is integral for better gripping on the road. You might fail the MOT test if your tyre tread depth is below 1.6mm. An expert in car servicing can find out the actual tread depth of the tyres.
  • Brakes: You should check the brakes of the car before going for an MOT test. You should not ignore if your car makes a screeching noise or pulls to the side. These problems are the main reasons you could fail the MOT test. You should maintain the fluid levels of the brake too.
  • Lights: The car lamps are a big reason why people fail the MOT test. You should see that all of them are running in perfect working condition. Don’t take time to replace the damaged or faulty car lamps. You can check the operational condition easily at your home. Just turn on the headlights, fog lamps, indicators and tail lamps.
  • Vehicle Exteriors: Check the vehicle body for any serious damages, like sharp edges and scratches. Your car should not be a potential danger to pedestrians or other cars. You should also take care in cleaning the car body before going to the MOT test. It is necessary as the testers can refuse to give a safety certificate to a dirty vehicle.

Maintain the good condition of these vehicle parts for successful MOT Testing in Hove, Brighton. For proper assistance, you can consult Rapid Auto Centre. They have a professional team who can give attention to keep your car up and running. They can also repair the damage to your car.