With the holiday season approaching, many families will be busy with vacation plans. If you are looking to drive to your destination, or are just a regular motorist, RAC has some top tips to make the best of your time on the road and what to do if things don’t go to plan…
1. Make sure you’ve got the right breakdown cover: Breaking down can end up being a very expensive business if you don’t have good cover. Make sure you have the right level of cover for your needs. Find out how good the provider is at fixing vehicles at the roadside.
The RAC only charges for parts if they are required to fix a vehicle and not for the labour. And, if you don’t have cover for recovery, you could find yourself having to pay for your vehicle to be transported a long distance home if it cannot be fixed at the road-side and you don’t want it to be towed to a nearby garage free of charge.
Have you got ‘at home’ cover? In the winter, the number of flat battery call-outs from home rises dramatically and there’s nothing worse than finding out you don’t have ‘at home’ cover when you need it most. See www.rac.co.uk/visitauntie for details.
2. Watch your fuel economy: Accelerate steadily and avoid sudden braking in order to maintain the momentum of your vehicle as this will significantly help to improve your fuel economy. You should also look to lighten your load by removing any heavy items which could be adding needless weight to your vehicle. You should also check tyre pressures as under-inflated tyres increase drag, as does a roof rack which isn’t being used, leading to greater fuel consumption.
3. Buying a car: Whether you are buying a new or used car, the RAC can help. RACcars.co.uk stocks thousands of used cars and sellers can advertise for free on the website. It also provides easy access to a range of products that can give buyers confidence that their next car won’t turn out to be a ‘lemon’, including from an RAC Car Passport – the UK’s most comprehensive vehicle check that is delivered to a user in seconds – to booking a full vehicle inspection by an experienced RAC engineer.
4. Shop around for the best garage prices: Looking around for the best prices for servicing, MOTs and general repairs to your vehicle can save you substantial amounts of money. To help make this easier for people, the RAC has laun-ched a free garage comparison website – RACGarageCompare.co.uk – after all, a regularly serviced car will almost certainly save you money in the long term.
5. And finally, don’t forget your insurance renewal date: Always remember to look around for cheaper insurance quotes at renewal. Insurance premiums often increase in the second year, and by switching to another insurer, you could save yourself quite a lot of money. Make a note of your renewal date and get several quotes or use a price comparison website to see how your renewal price compares.
Visit www.rac.co.uk/visitauntie for more information
