3 things everyone should know about their vehicle

Your car or van ranks up there alongside a house as one of the single biggest purchases you’ll probably ever make, so it’s one that you’ve probably considered very carefully. After all, it’s not just the purchase price you have to take into account when you buy a new vehicle, but also the ongoing costs associated with keeping it on the roads, including maintenance, insurance, and repairs (just to name a few).

Obviously, you probably want to keep these costs as modest as you can – and that’s where a bit of extra knowledge can help. Every driver knows the absolute basics, but getting to know your car a little better can sometimes make all the difference as to making it home safely, or spending a grim couple of hours shivering on the side of the road somewhere.

Of course, here’s where we should say that if your car ever does suffer any serious issues, we’re always here to help at Intack Self Drive – for nearly 50 years, we’ve been offering excellent deals on both car and van hire through our daily car hire, daily van hire and Flexi van hire services, so you’re never short of options to keep you on the road.

When it comes to your own vehicle though, here are the top 3 things that every driver should know about their vehicle that will save you a potential headache down the line!

Memorise the maintenance schedule

Every vehicle has a specific maintenance schedule, so it’s worth double-checking that you’re familiar with yours. Keeping your oil and screen-wash topped up, checking your tyre pressure, and paying keen attention to any warning lights that flash up on your dashboard – they’re all vital checklist items that you’ll need to tick off your to-do list every so often to ensure your car or van remains in perfect working order. Each vehicle will have its own vehicle maintenance schedule, and you can usually find this in the owner’s manual.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

You already know all about your car registration plate, but that’s only one way of identifying your car. Another one is your Vehicle Identification Number, which essentially serves as your vehicle’s fingerprint. It's a 17-digit number that identifies your vehicle’s manufacture date, place, make, model and so on, and is incredibly useful if you want to look up what sort of spare parts your car takes. Don’t worry though, you don’t need to remember your VIN! If you ever need it, it can usually be found in the corner of your dashboard at the point where it meets the windshield.

Engine light meanings

Your dashboard lights can provide a vital insight into the overall health of your vehicle, and we’d definitely recommend making sure you’re properly clued up on the meanings of each of them! Your vehicle owner’s manual will tell you exactly what each of your warning lights mean, and how severe the problem may be. As a general rule of thumb:

If it’s red - get the car to a garage immediately, as this means there’s an issue that’s potentially putting the safety of the car’s occupants at risk. Yellow – also not one to be ignored, but don’t rush anything. Try and get down to a garage as soon as possible to investigate the problem. Green/blue - you’re good to go!

Making sure you understand each of these key elements can help you to massively improve the lifespan of your vehicle, and cut down on the number of unnecessary (and potentially expensive) garage repairs. However, should you find yourself in a position where your vehicle needs to be temporarily taken off the road, we’ve got your temporary transport sorted.

It couldn’t be easier to rent a vehicle with us here at Intack Self Drive - all of our rental vehicles come with the option to rent through our daily hire, or our unique Flexi hire services, so whatever your needs, we’ll have a vehicle that suits your requirements. We’ve got almost half a century of car hire, minibus hire and van hire experience under our belt , and we’re always here to help. Ready to get started? You can browse the best hire deals right here on our site, or give us a call on 01254 57811!