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Nothing is more annoying than driving along and hearing your tyre “pop” or seeing warning lights on your dashboard. Do you have to wait to make the repair until payday, or perhaps your MOT is due? Your daily schedule may be affected if your car isn’t roadworthy.

There are strategies to reduce the cost of car repairs. To avoid harming your engine, you can check the oil level beforehand. By performing a pre-MOT check, you can prevent the car from failing on minor issues that a mechanic would charge you for, saving you money on repairs. For instance, replacing your tyres, bulbs, and windshield wipers are inexpensive minor repair. Accessing the parts and performing the repair yourself is an option if you want to do it, but you might not get the same polished, professional result as a garage. 

A Hired car can offer exceptional value for money with the freedom to visit anywhere you would like. Things to consider when hiring a car

What size car do you need? The cheapest car may be too small for your requirements. How many people will be in the car, is there anything else to be carried, luggage, pushchair, etc.

Check what the rate you are being quoted includes; are there any hidden extras. Does it include unlimited mileage, is there a location surcharge?

Take out the proper cover.  In Europe, Third Party Liability and Collision Damage Waiver are usually offered, with Theft Protection being an optional extra. Make sure what you are covered for, or you may be liable for the full value of the car if it were to be stolen while hired by you. 

Check the car for any bodywork damage, even the smallest dent or scratch and make sure it’s detailed on the pre-rental inspection form, otherwise, you may be charged for damage that wasn’t your fault. 

When you purchase a new vehicle you will get a manufacturer warranty, which varies from 3 years to 10 years.  To keep the warranty you need to have your vehicle serviced with a garage recognised by the manufacturer. These services will be an interim or full service

At an interim servicing, the mechanic will change the oil and filter, checking the brakes are working correctly, check all fluid levels, check the tyre pressures and type treads, look at all the hoses to check for tears or small holes, replace the windscreen wipers and replacing non-functioning lightbulbs

The full service will include all of the elements of an interim service but all include servicing of the air conditioning and heater and replace ant spark plugs.

The service will be recorded in a service book by stamping the book and recording the mileage. Keeping this service book up to date will also help in the future should you wish to sell the vehicle.

Prior to modern-day oil sensors, it was recommended to check your oil level every week and for older vehicles, this is still the case. However, any rental will most likely be a modern car with the new sensors that notify you when the oil is low, but it is still recommended that you check the oil yourself every couple of weeks, after ever 1,000 miles and before heading on a long trip. Newer cars can also need topping up now and then.

When check the oil level, remember these tips:

• If you have just been running the car, allow it to cool before checking oil levels.
• Always pull the dip stick out, wipe it clean, then reinsert and pull out again to get an accurate reading.
• If low, top it up with a high-quality engine oil that is compatible with the vehicle.
• If you are having to fill the oil up often, this could indicate a leak and the vehicle should be inspected by a professional mechanic.
• Ensure that the rental company changes the oil every 3,000-5,000 miles or every six months.

For those that already understand the ins and outs of moving and are looking for a more affordable way to move house, renting a removals van could be a great option. It does also carry more risks such as property damage during loading or transport and the possibility of potential bodily injury. That is why if choosing this option, it is best if you are already experienced in home removals.

• The further the distance you are moving, the more complicated things become and more necessary using a professional moving service is. However, if moving shorter distances a DIY move might be easier and more befitting.

• When choosing a removals van, you want to choose a suitable size to avoid extra expenses. Check what sizes are available and be realistic in calculating the size of your move, go for a van that may be slightly bigger than you may need.

• Choose a trust worthy and reliable rental company as there are many fraudulent operations out there. Check reviews and seek recommendations.

Knowing whether or not to include car hire insurance can be tricky. You can be talked into things you don’t need by pushy sales staff or make the mistake of thinking you don’t need insurance when you do. Either way can be a costly mistake so always make sure you check the small print. Here are a few tips and terms to understand to help you make the best choice.

All car rental places should provide you with at least a basic insurance called a CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) or LDW (Loss Damage Waiver) which typically covers damage, theft and Third-Party Liability Insurance (sometimes called Supplemental Liability Insurance, SLI) which is in case you cause damage/injury to someone else. These still only cover ‘certain parts’ of the car or theft, so always check what the policy covers. This of course varies from country to country so you definitely need to do some research, before you get there.

CDW/LDW is usually included in rentals in Europe, Africa and Australasia, but generally not in the US or Canada. Always double check ahead of time online and if you can’t find the answer there, try a customer support number. If you want to be extra cautious, you can also get car hire excess insurance so that if there is any damage to the vehicle that isn’t covered within the insurance you won’t end up paying an excess cost of £100-£2000.

If you are looking to hire a wedding car then you will need to decide if you want a classic car or if you want a more modern executive car or sports car. Some wedding car hire businesses have a number of different types of vehicles and often they are on display so you can go and look at them. If you are getting married in the UK then you may have to consider carefully before hiring a soft top car. Think about what you would do if it was raining and you have to have the hood up, would you still be happy with it?

Before you commit to hiring a car for your wedding, be sure to check all the terms and conditions carefully. Find out if the price you have been quotes will cover all your journeys such as from home to church then to your reception and what would happen on the day if the car broke down or was in an accident – do they have a replacement vehicle that they would use?

A deposit may be taken and then full payment in advance of the big day. Be sure to confirm exact times with the hire company and check that they have directions to where you need to be taken to.

Renting a car while on holiday opens up a whole new range of options for activities to partake in and sights to see. Although some countries are easily accessed with the family car, renting is often the easier option as it means travel to the area is likely much quicker such as via aeroplane – in turn meaning there is more time to spend on the really enjoyable things.

There are usually various car rental services available, especially if you are visiting a popular tourist destination or a heavily populated city. It is worthwhile researching thoroughly beforehand to ensure you get the best deal and that you have all of the features you need as well as the appropriate legal cover and so on.

Some countries have quite weak laws when it comes to safety, so it is important that you check you are comfortable with the vehicle you are provided with, and if you have any concerns do not be afraid to make them heard. Additional accessories such as children’s car seats are often of a poorer quality and therefore less safe than the standards we may be used to, so be cautious about relying on them and maybe consider taking your own.

The gearbox is used to control gears when driving a manual car. These are some of the most common signs that something might not be working within the gearbox:

• Slipping. If you feel like the car is changing between gears, it could be slipping.
• Delayed engagement or difficulty shifting gear. You might notice that the car doesn’t respond as you would expect it to.
• Fluid leak. Look out for any fluid underneath your car. Fluid from the gearbox will be red or dark brown.

If you notice any of these issues, take your car to be checked immediately. Only a professional mechanic can tell you what is wrong and be completely accurate. Once you have found out the problems, ask about the process of fixing it and get a full quotation. It might be that you only need a repair if the issue is with something like gearbox fluid. However, a full gearbox replacement will cost more.

The cambelt is an important piece of equipment within your car engine. It will control opening and closing of valves to make sure the engine is working properly and to avoid combustion. You should think about getting a new cambelt approximately every 40,000-100,000 miles. The range is enormous, as it will very much depend on the model of your car and how well it is functioning in other ways.

If you cambelt does break, it will stop the engine. Do not attempt to turn the engine back on, as it will cause major problems. If you have broken down in the road, put on your hazard lights and make sure you get to a safe place. Your safety is much more important than your vehicle. You can then call a breakdown recovery service and have your car towed to a garage. Choose the garage you want to work on your car, and be prepared, as it won’t be a cheap repair.