But preventing this is really simple and cheap, antifreeze  also acts as a summer coolant and rust inhibator, so it provides all year protection for your engine.

Getting your antifreeze checked is easier than most people think, either buy a simple tester from Halfords / local motor factors or book your car in for a full winter health check at your local garage ( £25 ish),although many garages will do a simple antifreeze check for free.

Antifreeze has a lifespan, standard IAT ( inorganic) should be drained and changed every 2 years, OAT ( organic) sometimes known as long life or advanced antifreeze should be replaced every 5 years. A word of caution though, never mix the two types of antifreeze specifications, as a quick rule of thumb if your car was manufactured after 2001 then it’s likely to be the advanced antifreeze but there are always exceptions so check your owners manual or speak with the main dealer or an expert. Also note that although your cars manual says use one type this may not be the type that’s in there at present.

If you have any doubt as to the type of antifreeze currently in your car then you need to drain the entire system and flush it out with a hosepipe,  NEVER mix IAT and OAT antifreeze, the result will be the mixture turns to gel and blocks the small water passages within the engine / water pupm, the engine will overheat and damage will occour. Just because the colour in the shop is the same as in your radiator doesn’t mean they are the same, many antifreeze is actually colourless it’s only the retailers or manufacturers that add dye.

If you have to drain and refill your system then a mix of 50/50 antifreeze / water for protection down to -36 c is best for maximum winter protection. Do not mix any stronger than this as any stronger will raise the freezing point not lower it further. If you really want to go to town and do a proper job then instead of tap water use de inoised water, this will aid with the rust prevention within the system.

Remember if in doubt as to what type is currently in your cars radiator then drain it all out and refill with new, it’s a simple job and won’t take long at all

We know, summer was a shambles ( weather men called it mild?) well if last winter was anything to go by then where in for a long cold one again, the roads havn’t even been repaired after the last onslaught of rain, ice and snow, I dread to think what state they are going to be in next spring, anyone fancy a 4×4 yet? maybe battery powered jeeps are the way forward.

But until then make sure you are as prepared for the winter weather as best you can, a few simple low cost maintence tasks could make a difference,

Tyres,

Check the tread, 1.6mm is the legal limit but if yours are at that level now it would be a good idea to change them for some nice new one’s. For more detailed advice on car tyres and online tyre prices have a read through the buyers guides to budget car tyres. Check the pressures, get your owners manual out or read the information on the tyre sidewall to find out, a handy tip if the roads are covered with snow or are slippy is to reduce the pressure slightly, this will increase the contact area of the tyre on the road, bear in mind this will increase wear and fuel consumption.

Battery

If your car battery is getting tired now then there is a good chance that the first touch of frost one morning will prevent your car from starting, car batteries don’t perform well in cold conditions.

Screenwash

Top it up with a good additive that way it won’t freeze quite so easy. ( also put a can of de-icer in the car at the same time,) 100% screenwash additive is only good down to around -6 c

Oil change

If your oil hasn’t been changed for a while, consider a quick service, nice fresh oil will make starting easier in cold conditions, especially so with diesel engines.

Wiper blades

For around £10 they can make driving in bad weather so much easier, no more smeared windscreens when it’s dark and raining. Wiper blades are easy to change on most cars but places like halfords will fit them while you wait for a couple of pounds.

Warm clothes.

Okay so this is probably obvous in winter but if you do happen to breakdown or get stuck in the snow you may find waiting for the recovery companies takes a while and with the engine switched of a cars internal temperature will fall quickly, why not put that picnic blanket back in the boot? or becoming popular now are ceramic heaters, these cost £10 - £25 and are powered from a cig lighter socket, instant heat ( or cooling) great for demisting or di-icing windows in a morning.

Phone charger

Again another cheap and handy item that could be a life saver, get a in car phone charger if you havn’t got one already, imagine breaking down in a strange area or rural location with a flat phone battery, also many of the motoring organisations can use the signal to pinpoint your location.

A final thought is to keep the fuel tank full, you could end up on a long detor or stuck in slow traffic for hours because of road closurers, some people also carry a small can in their boot if they are planning a longer journey.

Interesting Survey regarding the condition of UK rural roads following two severe winters, how will a third bad winter further effect our road network, how much damage is being done to our cars because of poorly maintained roads, should our local councils be responsible for such damage, if it can be proved.

RURAL ROADS IN DANGER FROM SPENDING CUTS FOLLOWING TWO SEVERE WINTERS

• RAC survey indicates that 10 in 11 rural councils questioned¹ have not completed repairs required after last winter’s severe weather.
• Shortages in funding and higher levels of damage are highlighted as the main reasons why repairs have not been carried out.
• Spending cuts of up to 40% mean the UK faces years of poorly maintained roads and winter pothole damage.

A straw poll of 20 UK councils by RAC indicates that roads in rural areas have been hardest hit by last winter’s severe weather, with councils still struggling to deal with the backlog of repairs ahead of this winter.

Many councils are also worried by the implications for the road network of this week’s Comprehensive Spending Review, which they believe could see transport budgets reduced, as part of local government budget cuts, by up to 40%. They fear this will result in a spiral of deteriorating road conditions which could be both damaging and potentially dangerous for the UK’s motorists. While this is a worry for councils in all areas, it is particularly of concern for rural councils where the road network is often the only means of transport in more remote areas.

Ten out of the 11 rural councils² questioned reported that not all necessary road repairs had been carried out since the ‘Big Freeze’ last winter, while 75% of urban councils say this is the case. Of the councils whose repairs had not been completed at the time of the survey, just over 20% expected the repairs to be completed by the start of this winter.

The research also showed many councils had budget deficits as a result of road spending due to last winter’s damage, with individual shortfalls of up to £10 million. They fear they are running out of time to make repairs before another winter, leaving the road network vulnerable to further structural weakening.

The results of this survey highlight the views of motorists from the 2010 RAC Report on Motoring3 with 88% believing their local roads are getting noticeably worse.

A spokesperson for one rural council in England said: “Two severe winters in a row have taken a severe toll on our highway network with record numbers of potholes reported and highway maintenance increasingly on the agenda.

“The local highway network will continue to decline, more and more roads will fall into disrepair and reactive costs (potholes) will continue to climb reducing further the resources available for preventative maintenance.”

A spokesperson at a rural council in Wales said: “We are hopeful that MPs will be aware of the need for a fully functional network. Roads are a lifeline in this kind of area.”

A spokesperson for a rural council in Scotland said: “[Filling potholes] is part of our annual plan for maintenance. This has increased from £5.96 million to £6.26 million. This small increase will not be sufficient to pay for the frost damage repairs. This is not the whole story because pothole filling or patching is not sufficient to repair many of the frost damaged roads, which require resurfacing.”

Adrian Tink, RAC Motoring Strategist said: “The latest ALARM4 survey advised that £9.5 billion is needed to bring the roads up to scratch, and that is in England and Wales alone. We are in difficult times, and I appreciate that spending cuts have to be made, but the long term impact of this could be terrible for the UK’s road users, particularly those in rural areas where roads are a lifeline.

“UK motorists pay an annual total of around £49 billion in motoring taxes, yet they face years of potholes and poorly maintained roads damaging their vehicles and drastically reducing road safety.”

The promotion works in the following way - select the Roadside, Recovery + At Home cover option, and the cost will automatically be updated to reflect the recovery element being free.
However this offer is only available on Personal based memberships, including single, joint and family ( not vehicle based membership).

Take advantage today on this great free offer from the RAC, you can see all cover options and compare RAC breakdown prices here.

Terms and conditions of the free recovery offer as follows;
RAC Free Recovery cover is only available when you purchase our standard UK combined Roadside, Recovery and At Home personal based product. Our Horse Trailer Assistance and Blue Badge cover are excluded from the offer. This offer is not available to existing RAC Members, and may be withdrawn at any time. The maximum online saving for this offer is £34 and is available when you select Family Cover (Personal Based Membership).

Whilst winter motoring brings it’s own set of challenges to the motorist so does the summer, in fact summer driving is more likely to catch us by surprise, as more of us will be packing the car till the roof with everything but the kitchen sink for a simple day trip, add this extra weight to your car, plus hot weather and traffic jams it all puts strain on the engine, many will overheat very quickly if stood still in traffic for even a short period of time.

How can I stop my car from overheating?

Well ultimatly it’s going to be hard especially with older cars, the trick is to be prepared, forwarned is forearmed as the saying goes, so let’s cover the basics,

Check and top up the water ( radiator, do the screen wash at the same time)

Fan belts, check and either tighten or replace if they look frayed

Oil, when was this last changed, top up or change

Air filter, again when was this last changed, take it out and check / clean or replace ( will also help improve fuel consumption)

Tyres, okay so not limited to the summer, but cars that are used to short local journeys could have older bearly legal tyres so check the pressures and shop around for new ones if needed rather than havng a blow out miles from home and paying over the odds.

Spare water, and no not just fro drinking, will come in handy if your car does overheat this summer, once it’s cooled down you can top up the radiator with it.

Our final tip won’y be popular on a hot day but can reduce engine temp, turn on the heater to hot, this opens the heater matrix and thus the hot water has to travel further around the system, giving your radiator a little longer to cool the water within it.

Happy motoring this summer!

Traditionally there have just been the big 3 breakdown service companies in the UK to choose from, RAC, AA and Green Flag, and as typical in any area low competion isn’t always in the best interest of the consumer, times thankfully have changed, well they have in the breakdown and recovery industry anyway.

Even More Breakdown Providers

Today we get many more breakdown option to choose from, I don’t just mean with the levels of cover such as roadside or home start type of thing, I’m talking about the number of breakdown providers, Autonational Rescue, Total Rescue, GEM motoring assist, Rescue my Car, and Asda. Asda car breakdown policies really do offer good value if you are looking for a more comprehensive breakdown service, and they cover the Republic of Ireland as standard unlike many other recovery companies.

How does this benefit me?

More breakdown companies means more competition for your cash, now more than ever as everyone feels the credit crunching pinch, shop around for your breakdown cover, look out for introductory offers, online discounts, and more recently no claims bonuses for not using the breakdown service, with car breakdown cover starting at around £30 it has to be one of the few bargains left for the motorist today.

To compare all the UK breakdown providers visit Best Breakdowns comparison table

But cars do breakdown all year round, this equipment from the AA is really comprehensive, check out the list of products included;

• Hazard Warning Triangle
• High Visibility Vest (EN471 approved)
• High quality first aid kit
• 3.5 metre Tow Rope with flat design for easy storage
• Footpump with gauge
• Emergency Glass Hammer with seat belt cutter
• Emergency Camera with flash and 12 exposures
• Notepad and pen
• Tyre Safety Kit
• Large canvas type carry bag with handles and velcro.

To buy the kit for only £25.19, standard price in the AA shop is currently £27.99, just add the kit to your basket, then enter the code AAEMAIL for the discounted price. (Kit includes free standard delivery to UK mainland)

Cost of motoring is down year-on-year, although cash-strapped drivers feel no benefit

The cost of motoring for Britain’s 30 million drivers has fallen 5% (£123) in 2009 to £2,219, according to RAC’s annual Cost of Motoring Index¹. Despite this small reduction, an RAC poll revealed that eight out of 10 cash-strapped motorists still believe that the cost of running their car has risen². And in response nearly half of those surveyed (45%) have been making significant changes to their motoring lifestyle over the last year, such as reducing their car ownership and moving towards a one car household.

The drop in the cost of motoring has been driven primarily by the price of fuel. While the price of petrol and diesel has fluctuated over the last twelve months, costs have fallen overall by 10% to £1,184 per year. Diesel in particular has become much cheaper, with prices falling 14%.

The Cost of Motoring (CoM) Index focuses on the day to day running costs that have a tangible impact on motorists’ pockets. This includes road tax, fuel, insurance, maintenance and breakdown cover. For the first time the 2009 Index also calculates the annual running costs for used cars,³ which is £2,744, 24% (£525) higher than for new vehicles.

The return of the one car family

45% of motorists surveyed have made changes to their car ownership habits in 2009 and of these, a fifth have returned to running just one car. This group are saving on average £229 per month on the running costs of a used car according to the CoM Index. In addition to these new one car households, 28% of motorists stated that they’re using their car less and 6% admitted downsizing their vehicle for a smaller model. Unsurprisingly the need to save money was cited as the most common reason for making a change. And motorists are embracing these changes, with two-thirds claiming they won’t revert back once the economy improves.

Commenting on this year’s findings, RAC motoring strategist Adrian Tink said:

“It’s been a tough year for motorists, and while it’s good news that the costs of running a car have slightly dropped in the past 12 months, it probably won’t feel like it at a time when the family budget is being squeezed from all sides. So despite the drop, the overriding desire for drivers is to cut back where they can.

“We’re seeing motorists really question how they use their cars. The trend towards the one car family shows how people are prepared to make fundemental lifestyle changes for the benefit of themselves, their families and their pockets. But such change for a lot of drivers is still merely an aspiration, with practical difficulties caused by work and family needs or a lack of alternatives, such as inadequate public transport, stopping them in their tyre tracks.”

Women more likely to downsize than men

Women are twice as likely to have downsized their vehicle in the last 12 months compared to men. According to the CoM Index, a motorist can save £769 a year by downsizing from a large saloon to a small car. Small cars (e.g. Vauxhall Corsa) are £235 (11%) cheaper than the average to run. By contrast, large saloons (e.g. Peugeot 407) and MPVs (e.g. Ford Galaxy) are £534 (24%) and £635 (29%) more expensive to run than the average.

Women drivers have also quickly re-evaluated the role of a car in their lives, 9 out of 10 have found positive benefits in using their car less and 73% said the changes they’ve made will be permanent.

Avoiding going into the red is more important than going green

Only 28% of motorists cited environmental benefits as an incentive for change. Saving money was rated the top benefit, although 35% of those motorists who have made changes appreciated their actions had an environmental impact too. The CoM Index revealed that owners of used cars pay £29 (25%) more in road tax, proving that owning a newer and greener car can help reduce motoring costs.

Trapped motorists

One in four (26%) motorists surveyed said they couldn’t afford to downsize or reduce the number of vehicles they own, with a further 8% unable to sell their currentvehicle in order to fund a change. This group of motorists are effectively trapped, unable either to raise the money, secure a loan or sell their car outright to buy a smaller vehicle. Only 6% of those surveyed, who’d made changes by downsizing their car, mentioned the scrappage scheme as the reason for their change.

According to the CoM Index, maintenance costs are £421 (115%) higher on average for used cars, further compounding the problem for this group. Most used vehicles, between three to six years old, require significant investment in new tyres too, which can account for up to 40% of annual maintenance costs.

A further 34% of motorists polled considered reducing their car use in 2009, but didn’t; deeming public transport a considerable barrier (21%), as well as not wishing to sacrifice the freedom their car provides (41%), and recognising that they would be unable to fulfil family requirements if they did (23%).

Drivers who can’t make changes to their motoring lifestyle should try and maintain their vehicle to the best of their ability. RAC recommend motorists check their tyre pressure regularly, quickly rectifying any small defects on their car, keep the service history up to date and regularly wash and wax, which will all help maintain both the value and sense of pride in a vehicle during a tough economic time.

¹ Research on the Cost of Motoring Index was conducted by CAP Motor Research, Innovation Motorconsult and Aviva. The data was analysed and compiled by Go-Motoring, who also consulted What Car, Drive the Deal, UK Car Discount and petrolprices.com for research figures.

² Opinion Matters surveyed 1,193 motorists in September 2009 to ask them about their car ownership and usage habits in 2009.

³ Running costs for new and used cars in 2009 are as follows:

Find out more on the benefits available from taking RAC breakdown cover.

Motorists cutting back on breakdown cover and relying on DIY car maintenance run the risk of a hefty £195 bill in the event of a breakdown, according to latest estimates from RAC*. At a time when RAC Patrols are achieving record numbers of permanent roadside repairs - 7,500 more per month than 2008 - and helping motorists avoid further costly repair bills, it is still a financially pressured time for motorists. A recent survey** revealed:

• 15% of motorists were looking to reduce their level of breakdown cover over the next twelve months
• 12% were considering cancelling their cover altogether
• A further 23% of motorists claimed they would begin attempting their own DIY repairs regardless of their level of mechanical expertise.

Many financially hard-hit motorists have taken vehicle maintenance and repairs into their own hands. RAC Patrols have encountered motorists attempting everything from patching up their fuel tank to dangerous makeshift wiring in recent months as they look to cut costs on their car bills. Given the rise of these unsafe, unreliable repairs, cancelling breakdown cover could prove an expensive decision.

The average cost of towing a broken-down vehicle off the motorway is now at least £150 and the pain behind the wheel doesn’t end once the tow to the garage is complete. The average price of skilled labour is currently £90.61 per hour,* which is pushing up the cost of common repairs for motorists. With RAC’s improved roadside repair figures, motorists can look to avoid these costs with fully comprehensive breakdown cover from only £71.25 a year.

RAC patrol, Prakesh ‘Crackers’ Patel says: “It’s a tough time for motorists but our commitment to carrying out permanent roadside repairs wherever possible means we can help our members avoid hefty garage bills. We’re driving down the need for repeat callouts, they’re down by 3000 a month, and working more closely with local garages and parts suppliers. So far this year, we’ve attended and permanently repaired over 1.3 million RAC members saving them at least £120 each*** through repairing their vehicles at the side of the road.”

RAC is committed to easing the pain of a roadside breakdown. Recent improvements include:

• a new multi-fit spare wheel, which enables patrols to tow a vehicle, with a punctured or damaged wheel and no spare available, to a tyre repair centre rather than waiting for a recovery truck
• using more local garages to repair serious faults, helping to avoid the misery of long distance recoveries associated with breaking down
• updated equipment to ensure faults are found faster and on a greater range of vehicles
• an improved system for sourcing parts so patrols can obtain and fit spare parts whenever and wherever they need them.

The DIY fixes that didn’t work

RAC patrols have encountered a range of attempted DIY repairs in recent months. In most cases, these efforts have ended up increasing motorists’ likelihood of breaking down and inflating their repair costs, as well as putting their safety at risk. Examples have included:

• An RAC member who, having mis-fuelled, drilled a hole to drain their fuel tank and used an ordinary screw and washer to attempt to seal it.
• A motorist, and builder by trade, whose front grill was held on by plastering tape.
• Several motorists found running electric wiring without fuses off their car battery, to run their favourite in-car gadgets.
• Motorists incorrectly (and illegally) mixing their wheel and tyre sizes.

The reassurance of having quality breakdown cover needn’t be costly. Become an RAC Member from just £28 a year for Roadside Cover or choose from a range of cover options to suit your own needs, all with an online discount of up to 34.5%.

Join today

* Based on a standard £150 Highway Agency recovery fee off a motorway and average £45.08 for 30 minutes (£90.61 per hour) labour at a franchised dealership, according to Warranty Direct (23 September 2009).

** The 2009 RAC Report on Motoring surveyed 1,109 motorists on a range of topics in April 2009. The questionnaire took approximately twenty minutes to complete and was conducted by Quadrangle.

*** £120 saving calculated using an average breakdown cost of £195 (without cover) minus annual RAC membership, including recovery, of £71.25. This membership covers you as a driver or passenger in any vehicle.

A ‘roadside repair’ is defined by RAC as an occasion when a member is able to drive away unaided from a breakdown.

This just in from The RAC…

Due to recent changes in the breakdown sector RAC is now more competitive that ever.
What you get:
• Up to 34.5% online discount
• Price start from £28
• Rated the No.1 UK brand for services’**
• More patrols per member than any other breakdown service*
• RAC fix over 4 out of 5* vehicles at the roadside, for our individual members - you’re also covered for flat batteries, punctured tyres and running out of petrol***.
*Source: Mintel UK Recovery Services, November 2008. Based on service providers using own dedicated patrol force.
** Source as rated in the UK Customer Satisfaction Index, July 2009 by Institute of Customer Service’
*** Excludes accidents and extreme failures We will either tow you to a nearby petrol station or supply you with some fuel (paid for by you) to get there. Terms and conditions apply.