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We all know that women are more independent than ever but
the one area where men are still ahead of the game is car maintenance.
To help women beat men hands down in every area, Diamond,
a direct insurer specialising in car insurance for women, has come up
with the following tips to help women maintain their cars themselves:
Weekly Car Maintenance
1. Check the Engine oil and top up as necessary.
To check the oil level park the vehicle on level ground, turn off the
engine and leave to stand for five minutes. You can then check the dipstick
level. The oil level should be between the minimum and maximum marks.
Top up as necessary using the recommended oil.
2. Check the coolant level (radiator level), keep it
full. Check the coolant level when the engine is cold.
3. Check the brake fluid level, top up as necessary.
Make sure that the brake fluid level is between the "MAX" and
"MIN" lines on the reservoir.
4. Check the windscreen washer level. Make sure
you add screen wash with your water. It is now a legal requirement to
have washers filled up, fill the reservoir up to the brim with windscreen
washer fluid when it is only ¼ full with water.
Every Few Weeks
1. Check the tyre pressure. If they are under inflated
or over inflated it increases tyre wear, fuel costs and can be dangerous.
Every two weeks, and before long journeys, you should check the tyre pressure
of every tyre, including the spare. Recommended pressures vary according
to load or speed.
2. Visually check for tyre wear and damage. Examine
the tyres for damage regularly; bumps or bulges, foreign objects, cuts,
cracks and tread wear. Replace the tyre if damage is evident.
3. Check tyre depth. The minimum legal depth for
tyre tread for cars in the UK and EU is 1.6mm across the central three
quarters of the tyre tread width, although the AA recommend 2mm. To check
your tyres, visually look and measure the 1.6mm tread depth indicators
on the tyres.
4. Check the operation of lights and wipers.
Look out for cracks and damage to wipers. Wiper blades should usually
be replaced once a year or earlier if smearing occurs. Check all lights
are operating correctly. It is advisable to use the help of a friend to
inspect the exterior of the vehicle whilst you are operating the controls.
Nicole Joyce, managing director of Diamond said, "I
am sure most women check their cars regularly. Diamond wanted to produce
a checklist for women, so they could keep a note of what they needed to
do and when.
Nicole, continued, "It is very important that you
also put your car in for regular servicing. This could mean the difference
between your car breaking down or not."
Issue date: 04-06-03
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