Small noises, big consequences!

If you’ve owned an older car, then you’re probably familiar with the increasing noises it makes as it ages. Just like humans, the creaks and groans get louder and more frequent!

While there are some noises from your car that may well just be down to age and you can put up with, there are some that are dangerous to ignore.  So let’s hear what your vehicle might be up to.

Click. Snap. Pop. when you turn the steering wheel or Creak. Squeak. Thud. when you come to a stop. You could have a problem with your ball joints.

Ball joints are the pivots that let your front wheels steer. They support the weight of the car and keep the front wheels attached.  

If they fail then your wheels may fall off, as seen in the picture below!

Moan. Whine. Squeeeeal. from the steering column could come from your power steering system. Unhindered steering is vital for driving your vehicle safely, so it’s best to get the noise investigated as soon as possible. Often the noise is only heard when you turn the wheel as far as you can in one direction and this could mean that the power steering drive belt is loose or damaged. Other problems come from air in the fluid system or not enough steering fluid.

Grind. Howl. from the wheels, especially on a corner, could mean that your wheel bearings or axle bearings are wearing out.  Bearings fail when they run out of grease or get dirt stuck in them. The increased friction burns up the bearing, which could bring you to a sudden stop at any speed. Or if your rear wheel bearing completely fails you may lose your back wheel, with axle attached.

Squeeeeeak. from brakes often tops the list of dangerous car problems. If you hear or feel anything unusual then you should have them checked, but some symptoms are more urgent than others. If your brakes start making loud metal-on-metal noises seek attention straight away. Ignoring them means you could destroy your brake rotors and brakes could fail completely. The picture below shows how the new brake pad should look versus the old.

There are many more noises that could be described here, but our advice would be that any noise from your car isn’t ideal. So have it checked out as soon as you can.  In the meantime let’s all dream about a silent, gliding car on a flat empty road. Aaaaaaaahhh!

Keep an eye on the outside too

We all do our best to look after our car by bringing it in for a regular service, but how much care do we take over its exterior?

Keeping your car looking good on the outside isn’t just about looking good! It will save you money on repairs if you take regular care and also help with the re-sale price when the time comes to say goodbye.

First let’s look at the paint. There are basically two primary types of car paint – water-based and solvent-based paints. Both use a liquid that holds the pigment in suspension so it can be sprayed, and once dry the two types of paints compare favourably. But whichever paint your car has, you’ll need to make some effort to look after it.

Even if you keep your car inside a garage overnight, it’s still out there in the elements most days.  The sun’s UV rays will have some effect on paint, and worse still can also affect the inside of your car by fading upholstery and the dashboard.  We recommend putting a reflective screen inside your windscreen. But added to that the gravel and stones that flick up off the road, sap from trees that you might park under and at the very worst bird droppings, will all leave marks on the paint if not cleaned away.

The birds took a liking to this Mini Cooper!

Some people like to wash their car every Sunday. Others say that a once a month hose down with some car shampoo is ideal and others swear by a wash and wax every 6 months.  Whichever your choice may be will probably depend on how dirty your car gets, but we’d recommend that you pay it some attention and make sure that dirt and debris don’t stay on its surface too long.

Waxing the paintwork after a wash will help you protect the car for longer, and the nicer your car looks the more likely you are to look after it.  An extra coat of wax on the bonnet to cope with the added heat there is recommended.

It’s also a good idea to touch up paintwork as soon as you see any nicks in it, so that the rust doesn’t set in. Or if it’s a larger dent have it seen to sooner rather than later.

This dent should have been attended to a long time ago. Look at the rust!

So love your car. If you leave us to look after the mechanical parts and you look its exterior you’ll be rewarded with a vehicle that’s a pleasure to drive and you won’t mind being seen in!