Breaking down in bad weather is no fun at all

– while we can’t stop the rain or snow from falling,
One Stop Motorist Centre can help to make sure your car is in tip top condition

ONE STOP CAN DO THE FOLLOWING

Ensure your tyres are in good condition (legal limit of 1.6mm) and pressures are right.Underinflated Tyres Also Waste Fuel & increases tyre wear, which could wear through a set of tyres in just a year. Need another reason?

If you are doing a lot of driving over the winter, invest in some winter tyres,

Tyre treads are important all year round but, in wet or icy conditions, you will depend on them for safety.

Have your battery checked before winter , as the battery is is being used it its maximum, as you use your lights, heater, heated screens, wipers etc a lot more

Ensure your anti-freeze Level & Strength has been tested and is below -15 or below If you forget to top up your antifreeze in cold conditions, you won’t be going very far at all.

Check the water tank under your car’s bonnet once a week or before long journeys.

If the level is below the minimum and maximum marks on the coolant reservoir, it’s too low. Refill with a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze to help prevent freezing, which could crack your car’s engine block.

Ensure all Oil levels are topped up
Your Vehicle Has plenty of screen wash
Make sure your windscreen wipers are in good condition not split or rubbers gone hard as will make driving harder at night It is vital that wiper blades clear the screen efficiently and safely. An unclear windscreen could net you a fine of up to £1,000 for driving with restricted vision.
check on all your lights

TIPS For Defrosting Your Windscreen

1. Turn on the engine and switch the defroster to the highest setting
2. If you have air conditioning, turn it on (most cars will as you turn on the defroster)
3. Gently lift the windscreen wipers off the glass and replace to ensure they’re not stuck
4. Brush any thick lumps of snow off the windscreen, mirrors and windows
5. Spray de-icer onto the windscreen
6. Use an ice scraper to remove frost from your windscreen
Avoid pouring hot water onto mirrors, windows or the windscreen – this can shatter the glass or refreeze quickly, restricting your vision.

Stay near your car when de-icing. Keep your engine off, doors locked and handbrake on when de-icing. If you leave your car while it’s running you’ll leave it exposed to theft.

Get equipped in case of emergency

Carrying a few small items in your car could come in handy in the event of a breakdown. We’ve come up with ten essential items:

1. Scraper and de-icer
2. Warning triangle
3. First aid kit
4. Reflective clothing – jackets, armbands and stickers
5. Boots
6. Jump leads
7. Food and a warm flask of water
8. Mobile phone with breakdown firm contact details
9. Tow rope and shovel
10. Blanket

Thors Hammer, a big block Chevy is super charge methanol injected and at the moment it’s about 1300hp – Nick stresses the ‘at the moment’!

Thors Hammer, sponsored by One Stop Motorist Centre and Body Shop was a year in the making and has now had two seasons on the track. After a first year of development Nick and his team achieved major improvements to the car culminating in a personnel best this year of 7.91 sec.

Nicks team and supporters will be at Santa Pod for the last meeting this year and expect to be impressed.

Thors Hammer

Questioning the severity of the sound is a smart immediate response, because the difference between a squeaky joint and near catastrophic engine failure can be a big one. In some cases, a sound could mean that you need to rush to the mechanic, while others only require you to make an appointment for later in the month. Unfortunately, most of us need to log some serious spanner time before learning to recognize the various sounds a car can make. That’s why we’re covering the three most common sounds your vehicle may make and what to do if you hear one.

High-Pitched Squealing

Most modern brakes have a metal ‘squeal’ tab built into them to alert you that the pads are worn. The squeal occurs when the wear indicator clip or pin rubs against the brake disc because the pad is too thin. The sound might be intermittent at first, causing some confusion over what the source of it is. But as you continue to drive and use your brakes, the sound will become more steady – and you’ll hear it every time you step on the brakes. Sometimes you might hear intermittent squeals due to the construction of the pad and the wear against the brake disc, which isn’t an indication of a larger problem.

What to do: At minimum, check the brake pad thickness (or have a professional check for you). If they are worn down, change them. The longer you drive with worn brake pads, the more likely it is that there will be damage to the brake disc.

Mechanical Sound with Loose Steering
This one is a combo act. If you feel that the steering wheel has loosened up and at the same time you hear clicks in the front of your vehicle, it probably means you have worn joints. Most commonly, it will be either your tie rod ends or your upper and lower ball joints that have gone bad.

What to do: It’s very important that you take your vehicle to the mechanic right away if you notice these warning signs. It can be dangerous to drive with your car in this condition.

. Mechanical, Knocking Sound When Turning
This knocking, metallic noise can be heard coming from the front of your vehicle. If you hear it only when making turns, it often signifies that you have a worn or failing

What to do: Take your vehicle to your mechanic and get the CV joints checked. Once again, this is another repair that needs to be taken care of sooner rather than later to prevent further damage and potential accidents.