With many businesses closed during the lockdown, now is probably the most challenging time to get hold of your mechanic.
But, that’s no reason to panic just yet – you’ve got this!
It may surprise you exactly how easy it is to do simple car maintenances by yourself, without the need for a trained professional. Yes, by watching a few videos online, you could save your vehicle from wear and tear, and possibly a good few hundred Rands for yourself.
Of course, just because you can do the basics, doesn’t mean that you should skip your scheduled services when we get to level one of lockdown. And in the case of an unexpected incident, car insurance is your best ally.
If you’ve given up on finding the solution in your car’s handbook, here is a quick and comprehensive guide on three things that every car owner should be able to do:
- How to safely change a tyre - Changing a tyre is not that difficult. Ensure you always keep a spare tyre and kit in the boot! Watch as we talk you through “how to change a tyre safely”.
- How to jump-start a car - Returned from your recent essentials run only to discover that you accidentally left your lights on and killed your battery? Don’t stress! Once you know how to charge a car battery, you don’t have to feel stranded during this time. As a bonus, you can save money in the future by not having to take the car to the garage. Keep a set of good-quality jumper cables on hand and learn how to jump-start your car in under 10 minutes.
- How to check your vehicle’s fluids - The fluids in your car act as a lubricant and coolant for your vehicle - imperative for your car to run smoothly and efficiently. These fluids include brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, coolant, and engine oil. The playlist below takes you through how to check your vehicle's essential fluids.
Keep in mind that your insurance provider may offer an emergency roadside assistance hotline - MiHelp is MiWay’s 24-hour roadside emergency assistance service.