Responsible drivers know that they should get their car serviced regularly: but exceptional drivers take it to the next level by making sure that their cars are always in great condition, especially before a service that is being undertaken in advance of a lengthy road trip. Here are some car servicing tips that you shouldn’t ignore, especially as you get your car ready for a road trip or two.

Service to a Schedule

Sticking to the recommended servicing schedule for your car is a must if your car is to remain in great conditions, and also maintain its resale value. Having a beautifully maintained car that purrs when you start it up can add value to the vehicle, even as it keeps you safe and sound on the roads. Most cars need at least an annual service, but some also benefit from interim services at six monthly intervals. If you’ve already committed to your holiday, and you’ll be in Beaconsfield – perhaps visiting the world famous model village? – when your service is due, you can book car servicing in Beaconsfield at Broadway Autocentres to maintain your car’s perfect record.

Keep an Eye on the Battery

Car batteries – in fact, all batteries – tend to be overlooked: ignored and taken for granted until they break down or fail, at which point they become an enormous inconvenience! Issues of this sort are easily avoided by keeping an eye on your battery, using pure water to top it up when necessary and generally maintaining it in as best condition as possible.

Know Your Car

One of the most important factors in noticing when your car is beginning to go wrong is knowing that something is not quite right. For that, you need to know what your car looks, feels and sounds like when all is well. Pay attention when you are driving, and try to note – whether in writing or just by remembering – how the car handles: is the turning firm and responsive, do the brakes work exactly as intended, are the tyres ‘noisy’. When you are consciously aware of all these factors in your vehicle, you are more likely to quickly and almost effortlessly pick up when something changes. Knowing that something subtle has gone awry, and immediately organising a service to remedy whatever the problem is, will keep you safely and inexpensively on the road for longer.

Keep a Record

Whenever you have your car serviced, make sure you or the mechanic fills in all the details into the log book (for preference, the latter, as they can use their company stamp to validate the details noted in the log book). This will not only stand you in good stead when it comes to reselling the car, if that is what you plan to do in the end, but it will also help you to understand what sorts of issues your can is subject to, and it can help future mechanics, should you need to take your car to a new garage for future work, due to being on holiday, for example, or from moving, for example, from the industrial heartland of the Midlands to the countryfied beauty of Beaconsfield in the heart of Buckinghamshire (home to the filming locations of Midsummer Murders, amongst many other quintessentially English television programmes and films).

Go to Authorised Dealers/ Garages

Finally, always take your can to a reputable and preferably authorised dealer. This way you will have peace of mind, knowing that spare parts will be correctly branded, or – at the least – approved by your vehicle manufacturer for use in your make and model of vehicle. Servicing your car offers you many benefits, but you can add an extra beneficial edge by adopting these steps with every service you undertake.