The Summer Check-Up you didn't know your car needs!

Your car won’t tell you it’s struggling. It won’t mention the tyre wearing thin on the inside edge,

the battery that has been quietly losing strength, or the hose that has seen better years. It will

simply carry on, right up until the first real heatwave, the boot filled with beach gear, and it’s

asked to do more than it has all year. Then you'll hear it in the silence that falls over the car when the engine gives out on the way to the beach and the kids stop asking if you’re there yet...

The best time to look at your car is before the holidays, not during them. A good mechanic can find in an hour what might otherwise leave you stranded somewhere past Amberley with no signal and a melting chilly bin.

Tyres come first, because they’re all that holds you to the road. Tread depth matters when a

summer downpour hits (the legal minimum is 1.5mm, but grip fades well before that), and

correct pressure matters when the car is packed to the roof. Uneven wear is worth chasing too,

as it usually points to an alignment issue that’s simple to fix early and expensive to ignore.

Next is everything that keeps the car cool and stopping. Cooling systems work hardest in

January, when you’re climbing hills or crawling through holiday traffic, and a hose that looked

fine in spring can fail in a heatwave. Brakes take a beating on a long descent with a full load, so squealing, a soft pedal or a car that pulls to one side should be looked at now.

Heat is also hard on batteries, which are asked to run the air conditioning, phone chargers and a chilly bin all at once. Add old engine oil, which thins out quickly in high temperatures, and you have the usual suspects behind most summer call-outs.

If your WOF is due before the holidays, that’s the perfect excuse to book in. It’s the legal

minimum, but it only tells part of the story. Having your WOF and a proper look-over done

together saves a second trip and gives you more than a pass sticker.

This is what we do every day. Our Beresford Street workshop handles WOF inspections and

routine servicing on all makes and models, along with engine, gearbox and suspension work,

diagnostics, tyres and alignment, and repairs from the minor to the major. We use quality parts, and we’ll tell you plainly what needs doing now and what can wait. And if you’ve been thinking about your next car, our sales yard stocks quality imported vehicles, each workshop-checked,with finance and mechanical breakdown insurance available.

We’ve been caring for Canterbury cars for more than fifty years, and we’ve never met a driver

who regretted checking early. We’ve met plenty who wished they had. Workshops fill fast in the lead-up to Christmas, so book soon and let your summer begin with the car the last thing on your mind.

Storer Motors Workshop

74 Beresford Street, New Brighton, Christchurch

Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm

03 388 9703 | storermotors.co.nz