Every December the roads out of Gauteng fill with packed cars heading for the coast, the Drakensberg and family homes in the Karoo, and every December a share of those trips ends on the hard shoulder with the hazards flashing and a long wait for help. Justin, who manages Car Care Clinic at The Square in Sunninghill, puts the first line of defence in the driveway, with three holiday car checks that take a few minutes before the car is packed.
Three holiday car checks before you pack the car
“Always remember to check your oil, your coolant and your tyre pressure before going on a long trip,” he said. “Really important as well is to keep the day to day maintenance up to date.”
Each of the three guards against a different kind of failure on the open road, from a boiling radiator on a mountain pass to a tyre that gives way at 120km/h. “Always remember to check your coolant for overheating issues. Always remember to check your oil for engine seizures. Always remember to check your tyre pressure for wheel alignment and tyre damages,” he said.
None of these checks needs tools. Coolant is checked with the engine cold by looking at the level in the plastic expansion reservoir against its minimum and maximum marks, and a radiator cap should never be opened while the engine is hot, because the fluid is under pressure and can scald. Oil is checked on the dipstick with the car parked on level ground and the engine switched off for a few minutes, and the level should sit between the two marks. The correct tyre pressures are printed in the owner’s manual and usually on a sticker inside the driver’s door frame or the fuel flap, and they should be measured while the tyres are still cold. A car loaded with luggage and passengers may need the higher pressure that manufacturers list for a full load.
What a breakdown far from home really costs
Towing a car over a long distance is rarely cheap, and few people budget for it. “A trip is always a little bit of a difficult situation due to the fact that you don’t want to get stuck far from home,” he said. “You end up spending more on a tow truck just to get yourself back to safety than you would rather spend on maintenance.”
The tow is often only the first bill. A breakdown hundreds of kilometres from home can mean nights in a guesthouse while parts are sourced in a small town, lost days of leave and a family spending part of its holiday at a roadside.
Motorists who would rather have a professional look before they leave can book in at the Sunninghill workshop, where a major service includes a computer diagnostics scan and a free 76 point safety check with a written report, backed by a 10 000km or six month guarantee, according to Car Care Clinic. The branch is at Sunninghill Square on the corner of Leeukop Street and Naivasha Road, on 011 202 5244 or sunninghill@carcareclinic.co.za.
