Zero2Turbo
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram RSS
    Zero2Turbo
    • Home
    • Contact
    • Videos
      Featured

      Aston Martin Reveals Most Powerful DBS Ever The DBS 770 Ultimate

      By Zero2TurboJanuary 18, 2023
      Recent

      Aston Martin Reveals Most Powerful DBS Ever The DBS 770 Ultimate

      January 18, 2023

      Hennessey Reveal Track-Focused 1,817 HP (1,355 kW) Venom F5 Revolution

      January 9, 2023

      Bugatti Chiron 10-Year Ownership Costs As Much As R3.5m

      January 5, 2023
    • South Africa
    • Zero2Turbo Telegram
    Zero2Turbo
    Home»News»Avoid a Nightmare Car Journey: Essential Vehicle Checks
    News

    Avoid a Nightmare Car Journey: Essential Vehicle Checks

    By Zero2TurboMarch 8, 2016Updated:May 18, 2020No Comments
    Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp
    Share
    Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram

    The day has finally come. You’ve had this holiday booked since three months ago. You’ve been unable to concentrate at work, your mind occupied all the time of your epic road trip and glamorous destination. And now it’s finally time to be on your way. You’re all packed up and the reservations have been made at your destination. You get in your car and start the engine. Halfway there, you notice your lights aren’t turning on. There’s a strange hissing noise coming from the tyres. Then the battery dies. Your car comes to a halt. Your vacation is ruined.

    And then you wake up because it was just a nightmare. You realise that you need to make sure your car is working absolutely perfectly as part of your vacation preparations. Keep the nightmare from becoming a reality by following this guide!

    Here’s what you need to get your eyes on.

    Coolant
    How are your coolant levels? Your cooling system is made up of a radiator, a fan, a water pump, a ThermostatLab.com, sensors and an overflow tank. Plus a bunch of belts, hoses and clamps that connect them all together. It all works by directing fluid past the hottest parts of your engine then redirecting that fluid out to the radiator. The heat then gets dissipated into the cooler atmosphere. Repeat, repeat, repeat. The coolant fluids are water and antifreeze. If these levels aren’t correct, it could spell disaster for your engine.

    Oil
    While we’re on the subject of fluids, we may as well point out your oil. If your engine doesn’t have enough oil, it can cause a wealth of problems. Among those problems are overheating, unnecessary welding and general self-destruction. While you may be going on holiday to experience those things, you don’t want them happening to your engine. With the car level and the engine cool, get your dipstick and use it to check the oil level in your engine. If you need to top up, do so. Don’t overfill it!

    Water
    I can’t seem to get off the subject of fluids. You should make sure there’s water in your window cleaning system (as well as the appropriate cleaning chemical). You should also make sure you’re taking bottled water with you. You need to stay hydrated! Surplus water should also be considered, in case you’re left stuck for ages because the car has broken down en route. (I’m aware that this guide is supposed to help stop you breaking down en route, but you still never know!)

    Battery
    Once your battery is dead, everything is dead. Well, hopefully not you. But your car will certainly be dead. You must make sure that your battery is charged and strong. This is one of the few on this list that are actually pretty tricky to verify yourself. You can see it’s working, but it can be hard to tell if it’s draining too fast. You can get a battery check test from most garages and mechanics.

    Tyres
    Your tyres should be feeling rock solid. Give them a firm feel with your fingers and a few light kicks. There shouldn’t be any depression of the rubber. If there is, that’s a sign that you’ve lost too much air. You should keep them well-pumped; bring an air pump with you on your travels. It’s not just a flat tyre you need to worry about: a bum tyre is harder for your car to drag along. That means it uses more fuel and the handling becomes less responsive. You should also bring a spare, in case you do get a flat. Something tough with good grip like Bridgestone tyres should do.

    Window wipers
    This is England. When it rains, it pours. This affects your vision tremendously. You know what else affects your vision? Dead bugs. Long car journeys usually see a few unfortunate bugs flying in front of your vehicle and getting splattered. Your windshield wipers are vital at these points. Make sure your windshield wipers are working perfectly before you leave. You may not think it, but those blades wear down over time. If they become too worn, they start smearing the windshield. It’s recommended that you replace them at least once a year.

    Lights
    You need to make sure your lights are working. Like many things on this list, they don’t only protect you and others around you. They also keep you on the right side of the law. Check every single one of your lights. Your brake lights, your fog lights, dipped beam, full beam, indicators. They all need to working perfectly. Have someone watch you as you turn the lights on so they can verify that they work. If no-one is available, test the lights against a white wall or a shop window at night to see them for yourself.

    Leaks
    Your previous fluid checks will reveal to you if some of the levels were off. Let’s say they were. You top them up and everything is fine, right? Well, you also have to wonder why those levels were running low. It’s possible that you’ve just been using your car a lot for a long time and hadn’t been paying attention to those levels. Or it could be a leak. Thankfully, checking for a leak is relatively easy. Look under your car! Keep it parked on a dry bit of ground for a good few hours. Eight to twelve is best. After that, move the car and check the ground. If there’s water, oil, or anything any fluid on the ground, then you’ve got a leak. Get it fixed! The worst-case scenario here is that it’s your brake fluid. It cannot be ignored.

    Unnecessary weight
    Just like the human body, your car must use more energy and fuel when it has a lot to carry. To maintain the speed you want to get it at, it has to balance out the added weight by supplying more power to itself. Check your trunk and make sure you’re not carrying any unnecessary heavy items. People often stow things like golf clubs and big boxes in the trunk and forget they’re there.

    Map
    With ubiquitous tracking and mapping software, the ultimate humiliation of this day and age seem to be that of being lost. Get a Satnav or use Google Maps on your mobile to plan your route. You can also make note of rest stops that are on the way so you can stretch your legs every now and then. Keep the blood pumping! You should also consider carrying an old-school paper map with you. Navigational software is notorious for battery consumption, so try not to rely on them for the whole journey.

    Share. Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram
    Previous ArticleStop What You Are Doing & Watch Top Gear Thrash The Aston Martin Vulcan
    Next Article Atarius Concept Create Extreme Kit For Ferrari 458 Italia

    Related Posts

    Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato Gets First Ever All-Terrain Run-Flat Supercar Tyre

    January 26, 2023

    Manhart Create Menacing Range Rover Sport With 641 HP (478 kW)

    January 26, 2023

    Bugatti W16 Mistral Visits Japan – Check Out These Stunning Photos

    January 26, 2023

    Porsche Vision 357 Revealed Packing GT4 RS Power

    January 26, 2023

    US-Owned Bugatti Centodieci Gets Epic EB 110 Le Mans Racer Spec

    January 25, 2023

    BMW M3 CS Officially Revealed Packing 543 HP (405 kW)

    January 25, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Popular Posts
    • US-Owned Bugatti Centodieci Gets Epic EB 110 Le Mans Racer Spec
    • BMW M3 CS Officially Revealed Packing 543 HP (405 kW)
    • 2023 BMW M3 CS Leaked Ahead Of Debut
    • Aston Martin Reveals Most Powerful DBS Ever The DBS 770 Ultimate
    • How to Avoid Insurance Disputes in a Car Accident Claim

    Latest Instagram Photos
    • Menacing Frozen Brooklyn Grey Metallic BMW M4 CSL sold by @bmwbryanston spotted in Linksfield recently by @thomasovitale 😎

Just 15 of these came into the country priced at R3.57m.

Would you prefer this or the freshly revealed M3 CS?

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #BMW #M4CSL #FrozenBrooklynGreyMetallic
    • The BMW i4 M50 is quite possibly the best EV we have had the pleasure of testing.

It's superbly comfortable but at the simple touch of a button, it switches from tourer to tornado and you find yourself instantly doing speeds you should not be doing.

While not all EVs will have the same refinement or scintillating performance, this was both relaxing and thrilling to drive.

The Gran Coupé is a handsome car with a sense of sleek length and disguises its hatchback as a booted saloon rear end and that M Portimao Blue metallic paint certainly garnered a lot of positive attention.

Compared with the BMW iX it’s less of a show-stopper, but comes with a much more attractive price tag – and while the i4 is still quite the financial investment (R1,6m) we feel it gives you excellent value in return.

Yes, we did have a few charging issues (Eskom) and if you don't have a Wallbox charger at home filling up with petrol is MUCH easier. However, that being said if you’re looking for an outstanding driving experience both on the twisties and on the highway, this is definitely worth considering if you have decided to make the jump to the electric car.

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #BMW #i4M50 #Z2TDriven #BMWi4M50
    • The totally bonkers Ferrari 812 Competizione was spotted in Bryanston today by Brad Ainge.

It actually makes the F12tdf look quite tame in comparison. Which would you rather have?

Priced around R14m depending on spec.

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #Ferrari #812Comp
    • Welcome the Mercedes-AMG EQE 43 4MATIC to SA 🇿🇦

Front and rear motors delivering 350 kW and 858 Nm of torque for a 100km/h sprint in 4.2s and a WLTP range of up to 535km.

Pricing is estimated to be R2,200,000.

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #MercedesAMG #EQE43
    • Our time has come to an end with the most potent version of Mzansi’s favourite bakkie, the new Toyota Hilux GR-Sport.

The 2.8-litre turbo diesel powerplant has been tweaked to push out 165kW and 550 Nm thanks to an updated ECU which also responsible for the much needed revised mapping of the six-speed auto.

The sporty Hilux gets new monotube shocks as well as stiffer coil springs which make the bakkie a lot more settled at higher speed and provide great feedback on some of the twisty bits. If you don’t have a full load at the back however, you might find it a tad too stiff and rather twitchy for day to day driving. 

Inside you get a load of sporty touches including “carbon fibre” trim pieces but the highlight has to be the race inspired front seats complete with Alcantara inserts and some GR badging on the headrests. 

For the Hilux customers, this is a welcome addition to the range as the exterior and interior aesthetics align very neatly with the GR brand.

Yours from R891,400. Are you picking this or the Legend RS?

#Z2TDriven #Toyota #HiluxGRSport #Hilux #GRSport
    • Kicking the week off with this gorgeous Giallo Ferrari F12tdf spotted in Lenasia this weekend by @theedesignstudio 

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #Ferrari #F12tdf

    Follow Us

    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube RSS
    Designed by Zero2Turbo.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.