How often do you check your car?

Tallon

MOTORISTS ARE BEING encouraged to focus on taking care of their cars in 2012 after a poll by AA Rescue showed that men and women often neglect simple tasks to do with car health.

The poll showed that for most of the tasks, women were more likely than men to neglect things like checking tyre pressure (37 per cent of women neglect it compared to 32 per cent of men) and checking their oil dipstick (50 per cent of women check it; 63 per cent of men said they did.

“Oil is the lifeblood of your car and without the proper level, your engine can be severely damaged. Try to check the oil level on the dipstick every couple of weeks when your engine is cold and before any long journey,” advised Noel Keogh, head of AA Rescue.

Although women scored lower than men when it came to car checks, a significant proportion of both genders surveyed admitted to not carrying out basic checks – 29 per cent of participants said they hardly ever check if their lights are working, something that is particularly important in the winter.

The AA poll also identified the checking of coolant levels as the most overlooked regular vehicle maintenance check, as 56 per cent of those surveyed said it’s not something they really bother with.

Of these, 67 per cent of females compared to 48 per cent of men stated that they tend to forget about it altogether – even though the AA advises motorists to check their coolant levels roughly once a week.

More than 12,300 people took part in the poll, which the AA says “indicates that a significant portion of the Irish motoring population routinely neglect to check their car’s fluids, tyres and lights”.

To view a full car maintenance checklist, visit the AA site.

http://www.thejournal.ie/women-slightly-more-likely-to-neglect-their-cars-says-aa-315744-Dec2011/


So how often do you check your car? be honest

dgt

No

Before every journey at a minimum, you can never be too careful with a car. Things you thought were ok could suddenly break as I have found out to my cost many times

Mr Benevolent

No

dgt wrote: »

Before every journey at a minimum, you can never be too careful with a car. Things you thought were ok could suddenly break as I have found out to my cost many times

Yeah, but you have a Fiat.

(Disclaimer: So do I - technically)

I check my oil and coolant every week, other than that not much.

Plug

No

Checked all levels and lights and tyre pressures yesterday. Need to put a parking light bulb in.

dgt

No

Confab wrote: »

Yeah, but you have a Fiat.

(Disclaimer: So do I - technically)

I check my oil and coolant every week, other than that not much.

Touché :pac:

Driving a Fiesta at the moment and I still check it every time

EPM

No

Oil about twice a week, tyres pressures/threads and lights once a week. Tyres are only down 2mm after 20K km:)

flyingsnail

No

About once a week, just a quick look at fluid levels, tyres and lights.

Neilw

No

I've had a tyre pressure warning light on for the past 3 weeks, the joys of driving a rental

Fiona

No

Check all my levels and tyres once a month. Check all the wheels visually for any punctures before I set off on any journey.

Check for dings everytime I park it somewhere

seamus

Probably check the oil once every 6 months or so. I rely on the Dash display to tell me "Oil level OK" when I start the car. Probably shouldn't. I'd give my tyres a visual examination probably once a week and actually check the pressure every couple of months (or if they look a little flat).
Wouldn't be as fastidious as the "before every trip" people, though I would do a full check before a long journey or a long day in the car.

Automatically check the lights pretty much every time I turn them on.

Nissan doctor

No

Neilw wrote: »

I've had a tyre pressure warning light on for the past 3 weeks, the joys of driving a rental

I never knew rentals couldn't have an accident due to a defective tyre:rolleyes:

johnos1984

No

At least once a week. Although I had a loud knocking coming from the engine this morning so it had to be checked again

Neilw

No

Nissan doctor wrote: »

I never knew rentals couldn't have an accident due to a defective tyre:rolleyes:

It's actually a defective sensor, I checked the pressures soon after the light came on. It's happened to 3 of the rentals I've had, seems to be the cold weather (-10) causing it

puppetmaster

No

EPM wrote: »

Oil about twice a week, tyres pressures/threads and lights once a week. Tyres are only down 2mm after 20K km:)

2mm after 20k jasus what rubber you on? concrete compound :pac:

Id check Tyre pressures every other week, keep an eye on them daily. Lights id check weekly at a minimum. Oil and Fluids id say i Check Monthly. It tends to work out a little more than that as if i have to replace a light or add psi to a Tyre il then check everything within reason.

vectra

I will now?!

I don't need to check anything,

I drive an Octavia

:pac:

No, seriously though.
Check tyre pressure when the beeper sounds on the dash,
Check the oil every 5k or so as I know it doesn't burn any.
Coolant has a glance when topping up my washer fluid.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

No

vectra wrote: »

I don't need to check anything,

I drive an Octavia

:pac:

No, seriously though.
Check tyre pressure when the beeper sounds on the dash,
Check the oil every 5k or so as I know it doesn't burn any.
Coolant has a glance when topping up my washer fluid.

Proper cars have electronic dipsticks and coolant warning sensors
Seriously though, your MPG (which is important to some people) and tyre wear will suffer if you don't keep your tires optimally inflated. The sensor won't go off if your only 10-20% down. Making the assumption that your engine is not burning oil will give you an expensive fright if if every suddenly starts.

Vicxas

No

Ive an oil burning Corolla, so i check it every 2 weeks at a minimum

EPM

No

puppetmaster wrote: »

2mm after 20k jasus what rubber you on? concrete compound :pac:

90% motorway driving. I was surprised at the depth guage reading too.

vectra wrote: »

Check the oil every 5k or so as I know it doesn't burn any.

I'd be checking it more regularly. Your car is barely ran in and they are known to like a drop.

pred racer

The odd time

Never, or all the time you decide.

Oil, never the car tells me how much oil is in it when i start it ( was a bit dubious at first but it proved to be accurate) and it alway needs about a small top up at about 5k miles, half way through the service interval.

Tyres, never. I can always tell if ive got a soft wheel.( i dont really know how to explain this. apart from the car not driving correctly if u have a really soft wheel, if one is slightly down it travels differently over bumps it feels like its flexing) and the car handles really badly on wet roads if your tyres are not in good shape tread wise. This is gradual and very noticeable so my tyres(esp front) would always be changed before they reach the minimum.
There are many people round here that have gotten a few months motoring from my cast offs.

Lights, i can see the rear lights in my kitchen window when i turn in my yard, and if u dont know your front ones are gone id suggest an eye test.:p

Fluids, car tells me if the washer bottle is nearly empty, in 24 years of driving ive never yet had to top up coolant in a car, so i dont bother. Brake fluid gets changed when its supposed to, ditto gearbox oil otherwise i dont check.

I do check the white gravel outside my house every time i pull out. No marks yet!

Ive owned the car for 3 yrs and at this stage i know it fairly well, whenever i change, the checks etc increase until i have a feel for it.

Paddy@CIRL

No

I allocate a couple of hours once a week to cleaning the car inside and out, check oil, coolant, washer bottle, tyre condition and pressure and that all lights are working. I don't trust the OBC to keep an eye on these things for me.

vectra

I will now?!

Paityn Shallow Tribe wrote: »

Proper cars have electronic dipsticks and coolant warning sensors
Seriously though, your MPG (which is important to some people) and tyre wear will suffer if you don't keep your tires optimally inflated. The sensor won't go off if your only 10-20% down. Making the assumption that your engine is not burning oil will give you an expensive fright if if every suddenly starts.

I have the coolant warning sensor alright.
As for the oil?
They either burn it or they don't
This one apparently doesn't

EPM wrote: »

90% motorway driving. I was surprised at the depth guage reading too.



I'd be checking it more regularly. Your car is barely ran in and they are known to like a drop.

Good going with those tyres. Dunlops??

As for the oil?
I would prefer to look for a needle in a haystack once in a while than every week knowing I will never find it.
ie.
I know it doesn't burn a drop,

EPM

No

Yeah, the Dunlops. I drive easy too but was really impressed with that amount of wear.

As for the oil...if you're happy...

btkm8unsl0w5r4

No

vectra wrote: »

I know it doesn't burn a drop,

Lets hope your faith is rewarded

vectra

I will now?!

EPM wrote: »

Yeah, the Dunlops. I drive easy too but was really impressed with that amount of wear.

As for the oil...if you're happy...

Still, That is excellent miles on Dunlops on the rs

The Oil.
I check the Toledo every week as it has 190k miles on it.

My rs though.. Honestly.. Not a dribble does it use.

vectra

I will now?!

Paityn Shallow Tribe wrote: »

Lets hope your faith is rewarded

I have been around cars for a very long time and I know when an engine needs to be checked regulsrly. I can honestly say this one never burns a drop. Same went in my last car ( diesel again) @ 600 kilometers I put a liter in it. Sold the car at 20k and it never burned another drop after that. I spoke to the guy that services that same car now and it hasn't burned a drop since.

Must be the way I run them in :P

btkm8unsl0w5r4

No

vectra wrote: »

I have been around cars for a very long time and I know when an engine needs to be checked regulsrly. I can honestly say this one never burns a drop. Same went in my last car ( diesel again) @ 600 kilometers I put a liter in it. Sold the car at 20k and it never burned another drop after that. I spoke to the guy that services that same car now and it hasn't burned a drop since.

Must be the way I run them in :P

I know I don't have any dental decay, still get a check up a couple of time a year regardless . The only way you would know if its not burning oil is if your checking

Sorry to harp on, but its a bold statement. I have a desiel that had a bust drive shaft seal, which only leaked once warm so no puddles on the driveway. The way I know was because I was checking the oil (electronic dipstick) and had to top it up twice in quick succession other than that I have never added oil in 60k km other than the regular oil services, however I was glad I was checking that time (or more accurately that the car was checking itself).

dr.fuzzenstein

No

Check oil, coolant and tires about every two-three weeks, should do more, but haven't always time. Do all my own servicing, can't afford to have it done.
As for her car:
She hasn’t checked anything since she's got it.
I check her oil, tires, coolant (slow leak), window washer fluid, change the oil, all filters, lights as needed and do all other servicing on it.
Can't do the tires, so I have to tell her to go and get it done.
She just hops in, no care in the world, drives it, brings it back and complains if anything isn't right.
When I had huge jobs on it (new CAT once and replaced rear discs and left rear caliper the other time), she just complains that she needs her car and why is it taking it so long and she wants me to get a proper mechanic who knows what he's doing, etc...
Same around the house. If I wasn't here, there would be no light, no heat and no water, because I have fixed all these things over the years.
It sure is nice to be appreciated. I'm not asking for much, only not to be yelled at when I'm actually helping her.

L1011

Personal car: Every two/three weeks generally but that equates to every hundred km with the usage it gets. Its done more km since I got off work for Christmas than it'd done since it got serviced in April.... Tiny washer fluid tank and a slightly oil-hungry engine mean I have to go under the bonnet often enough.

Work car: I've never even opened the bonnet

In my defence, I've checked (and replaced) tyres, lights, etc. on the work one. Its in for a service every 10 weeks on average due to the mileage done. I'd top up the washer fluid at the next station once it started getting scuttery but that hasn't happened yet.

Hal1

No

I check the fluids and tyre pressure at the garage as driveway isn't level. I do a walk around the car to make sure all lights are working to. These are just the weekly checks.

pred racer

The odd time

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Check oil, coolant and tires about every two-three weeks, should do more, but haven't always time. Do all my own servicing, can't afford to have it done.
As for her car:
She hasn’t checked anything since she's got it.
I check her oil, tires, coolant (slow leak), window washer fluid, change the oil, all filters, lights as needed and do all other servicing on it.
Can't do the tires, so I have to tell her to go and get it done.
She just hops in, no care in the world, drives it, brings it back and complains if anything isn't right.
When I had huge jobs on it (new CAT once and replaced rear discs and left rear caliper the other time), she just complains that she needs her car and why is it taking it so long and she wants me to get a proper mechanic who knows what he's doing, etc...
Same around the house. If I wasn't here, there would be no light, no heat and no water, because I have fixed all these things over the years.
It sure is nice to be appreciated. I'm not asking for much, only not to be yelled at when I'm actually helping her.

Was exactly the same for me.......glad im not married anymore:D

vectra

I will now?!

Paityn Shallow Tribe wrote: »

I know I don't have any dental decay, still get a check up a couple of time a year regardless . The only way you would know if its not burning oil is if your checking

Sorry to harp on, but its a bold statement. I have a desiel that had a bust drive shaft seal, which only leaked once warn so no puddles on the driveway. The way I know was because I was checking the oil (electronic dipstick) and had to top it up twice in quick succession other than that I have never added oil in 60k km other than the regular oil services, however I was glad I was checking that time (or more accurately that the car was checking itself).

I know where you are coming from but sometimes we can be over cautious and become paranoid about these things.
Like when I used to drive bikes.. I would never worry about getting a puncture or a blowout when belting down the road at 130+ MPH.
Those that did ironically were the ones always falling off and having all sorts of accidents.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

No

vectra wrote: »

130+ MPH..

Opps some mary whitehouse wannabe will pick you up on that round these parts

vectra

I will now?!

Paityn Shallow Tribe wrote: »

Opps some mary whitehouse wannabe will pick you up on that round these parts

And I bet none of them ever fell off their high horses LOL

dr.fuzzenstein

No

vectra wrote: »

I know where you are coming from but sometimes we can be over cautious and become paranoid about these things.
Like when I used to drive bikes.. I would never worry about getting a puncture or a blowout when belting down the road at 130+ MPH.
Those that did ironically were the ones always falling off and having all sorts of accidents.

+1
I believe in just taking a run at things and not to worry too much.
If you go through life just thinking about every little thing that can go wrong, it will go wrong.
Best thing is to just lunge in and KNOW that everything will work out and it will!;)

btkm8unsl0w5r4

No

Thats all well and good, but its still sensible to check you air pressure, oil and coolant once in a while. If you get a thrill from flying in the face of caution then that up to you, but I think its generally sensible to make sure the metal can your body is traveling around in at 120kph is in basically good order, I am thinking particularly of the most neglected part the tyres. I don't really care, its just you might hit me before taking yourself out

Voodoomelon

I'm quite surprised by those survey figures. Just judging by neighbours and friends, i'd be surprised if any checked their tyre pressures, or anything else for that matter more than once a year. If even.

dr.fuzzenstein

No

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I'm quite surprised by those survey figures. Just judging by neighbours and friends, i'd be surprised if any checked their tyre pressures, or anything else for that matter more than once a year. If even.

It's how things are done here.
Fill your garage to the ceiling with worthless crap and let the car rot in the drive.
If you buy new, don't get it serviced, sure aren't those new cars guaranteed, why would I need to service it?
Then sell it on after three years, with the original oil, original tires, maybe just throw "bonnet never been opened!" into the ad and ask for 20% over the list price because it's been "lovingly cared for", had "one lady owner" and "never gone wrong".
If it does go wrong, get down to the dealer and kick up a stink because it's a lemon and the dealer is a cowboy, etc...
That's why asking for service history when buying a car gets about the same response as "I am Zongo from Planet Zorgo, take me to your leader!", no really, try it, it will get a less baffled response that asking for service history.

T-Maxx

Every morning and every night just before bed. Like the good like I am.;)

btkm8unsl0w5r4

No

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I'm quite surprised by those survey figures. Just judging by neighbours and friends, i'd be surprised if any checked their tyre pressures, or anything else for that matter more than once a year. If even.

I would say the cohort of people reading this forum will skew the results totally and is not representative of the population at large.

Voodoomelon

Indeed, but the survey was of 12,300 people. I wonder where the survey was done. Judging by previous figures published by the AA in the past, I wouldn't have any faith in it.

LCruiser Kid

No

Checks the jeep once a week for oil and coolant as well as screen wash. Doesn't take long to stick the head under the bonnet in fairness. Just makes me happier knowing all the levels are correct.

Some people are a disgrace, and or just too lazy to check their cars. Doesn't take long and could save people money in the long term.

vectra

I will now?!

LCruiser Kid wrote: »

Checks the jeep once a week for oil and coolant as well as screen wash. Doesn't take long to stick the head under the bonnet in fairness. Just makes me happier knowing all the levels are correct.

Some people are a disgrace, and or just too lazy to check their cars. Doesn't take long and could save people money in the long term.

And I bet any money my car will be as mechanically perfect and possibly better than some of those where owners live under the bonnet's of theirs

-Corkie-

No

I check my current Passat once a month for oil because it never burns a drop between services. However my last 1.9 which was bought new drank oil and I had to check it twice a week.