Automotive Blog

How To Avoid Back Pain For Drivers

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 10:37:28 GMT

Those who drive for a living, have twice the risk of experiencing sciatica and lower back pain than individuals that don't. Most of the time you forget and don't think about how much time you spend behind the wheel and how much strain it puts on your back, making sure that you do all the steps necessary to relieve any stress from your back will have huge effect in the long term!

These first few tips and pointers apply to all of the drivers not only the ones that drive for a living...

Poor posture whilst driving is one of the main reasons why you may be experiencing back pain whilst driving. Have you ever been on a long journey in your car? you are in the car with your loved ones, you're listening to music together and spending quality time, during that time you relax you slouch down a little bit for extra comfort, sometime later you are hit suddenly with excruciating back pain due to your poor posture for hours of your journey.

You need to make sure you keep good posture all throughout your journey, sitting in a car seat is much different than sitting in an office chair, in your office chair you have both of your feet on the floor evenly distributing the weight and balancing your spine correctly. Whereas in a car your body is experiencing constant vibrations and bumps which as you can image is made much worse if you are holding a poor posture.

Keeping a good posture is also very important in case you get into an accident. You can predict how and when it will happen but what you need to make sure is that you are prepared and you are keeping yourself as safe as possible!

If you did end up getting into a car accident and you are not positioned correctly your car safety equipment will not work and support as intended this will put you at much greater risk of being seriously injured if an accident does occur.

Making sure you are sitting properly is very important in this case, so you do not injure yourself any more!

Now you might be wondering why this point is relevant but many people that drive for a living also have to lift many things, if you are an amazon driver you might have to lift packages from your van to the doorstep, some of them might be heavy. Making sure that you know how to lift your packages the correct way is very important, an improper lifting technique can annihilate your back very fast. Making sure you keep the correct posture whilst lifting should be your main priority.

How to make your vehicle aid with back pain:

The first step you should do immediately is to adjust your seat and your headrest, if you are someone that spends many hours in your vehicle you should have your seat and headrest set to the most comfortable settings, making sure you are seated safely and correctly. There is no set way that your seat should be set, you should adjust your seat to your height, comfort and safety. Not mentioning that it is crucial for your safety in case of an accident.

Secondly, create lumbar support, this can be simply fixed if your vehicle does not provide adequate back support you can roll a piece of clothing like a hoodie and place it behind your back throughout your journey to aid with back support. This might feel quite uncomfortable for a while but will significantly aid you with any back pain.

Using cruise control is also a great way of taking stress away from your back cruise control will allow you to place both of your feet firmly, making it possible for your body to distribute the weight, easing any stress you might have been feeling in your back.

This next tip is one of the best tips for certain lucky drivers, if your vehicle does have heated seats use them, heated seats will not only relax your muscles and ease any stress you might have in your back muscles but aids and supports more blood and oxygen flow through your back helping relieve any back pain you might have. If you do not have heated seats you can purchase a heated seat cover which will also do the job!

Now the last time is the best and simplest of them all, if you are driving for a long period of time, make sure to take a brake and leave your vehicle. Weather that means going on a small walk around the service station, making sure you get some movements and letting your muscles stretch after such a long time. Make sure you have a brake regularly.

Following all of these tips and advice will help you avoid any back pains that you are currently having and hopefully stop them from occurring the future.

If you enjoyed this article please have a look at some of our other articles or our social media channels for more automotive content!

Essential Van Maintenance Tips

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 14:00:00 GMT

Taking care of your van is easier said than done, it will get dirty, it will get worn out. If you want your van to be an unstoppable machine follow the tips we will give you in this article!

For most people reading this, your van is your daily and constant driver, you use it more than your car. To make sure that your van is in healthy condition follow this article...

Maintain Your Tyres

The exact same as maintaining your car, you need to make sure that tyres on your van are kept in good condition. You need to check your tyres on a daily basis, you should check for any cuts, bulges and any noticeable wear. You should also check your tyre thread depth and tyre pressure on a regular basis to make sure your tyres are safe for the road.

Regular Servicing

Making sure that your van is serviced and checked on a regular basis. You need to make sure your van has all of the necessary components working, things such as brakes, wheels, engine and other crucial components are checked and kept in good working order.

If you service your van on a regular basis, if something is broken you could save a lot of money by identifying the problem early and fixing it. Instead of having to pay a lot for massive repairs or parts.

Keep It Clean

Keeping your van clean is half of the battle, we do understand that it is ridiculously difficult to keep your work vehicle in pristine condition. But you should clean things like your mirrors, windscreen, windows and lights on a regular basis, ensuring your visibility is maximized, your lights are bright enough to other road users. Also keeping your work van clean will make it much better to travel in.

Have a look on our website for cleaning products you can use to clean your van and much more!

Don't Overload

This part is probably the most important take away from this article, we know that most of the time you don't have time to mind how much weight you are loading onto your van. Sometimes you want to load everything and save yourself the extra trip...

As harmless as it seems in the moment to overload your van, you are quickly destroying it, you are putting a great amount of pressure onto the suspension, wheels and whole underneath of the van.

Security

Now we don't want to sit here and tell you to make sure you lock your van, close your windows etc. But commonly vans are targets for thieves as 99% of the time really EXPENSIVE tools are kept in the back of the van... Now making sure that your tools and van is secured is the main priority, invest in an extra, anti theft lock and add it to your van. DO NOT keep really expensive tools in your van if you do leave tools in the van make sure they are not in plain sight.

Van theft alongside car theft has been on a huge incline in the past few years, with car makers implementing new technologies such as key less entry, key less start/stop and so on. Thieves are adapting and finding ways to bypass these security systems. We highly recommend you invest and take care of your van the right way!

Invest in extra locks, you probably know someone that has had their van broken into or stolen. It is a very common occurrence, invest in a signal blocking pouch for your key, buy and install extra locks on your van doors, don't keep expensive stuff out in plain sight.

The other points mentioned in this article you will have to be cautious and make sure to take care of, for example not overloading the van, forgetting yourself and overloading your van in a very common occurrence. Also making sure your van is serviced regularly, regular servicing will avoid big damages and big costs of repair.

Following regular servicing and taking care of the van will guarantee you not having to spend bank on repairs!

The Most Reliable Luxury Cars Ever Made

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 16:00:00 GMT

In this article we will go through the most reliable luxury cars ever produced, now these are all going to be mid-luxury cars so brands like Bentley or Rolls-Royce won't be on here. The cars on the list have been chosen due to the data received about them, what broke, what didn't with wear and tear and so on.

1. Mercedes S65

The Mercedes S65 is one of the nicest looking luxury sedan on the market. Of course it also comes with a high price tag alongside it, but it was rated as the most reliable luxury car on the market. The S65 spares no expenses and also packs a punch when it comes to speed and acceleration.

2. BMW M5

The BMW M5 is one good looking luxury sedan. There were only a few different faults with the newer M5 models which consisted of bodywork issues, electrical fails and other minor issues, which according to owners of the M5 was fixed without hassle and for free.

3. Audi A8

The Audi A8 is another one of the luxury sedan following closely behind the Mercedes S65 and the BMW M5, no costs spared during the making of this car, it is luxury, comfort and speed whilst being one of the most reliable cars on the market.

4. Jaguar XJ

Jaguar cars have always been regarded as affordable luxury cars in the automotive world. With luxury you should also get reliability right? which is the case with the Jaguar XJ, any issues that did appear with the XJ were fixed promptly and for free.

5. Cadillac CTS-V

To show some love to the American car scene we have the Cadillac, Cadillac's have always been considered as luxurious, durable cars. Although they are not huge Europe and anywhere besides the US we need to put it on the list of the best durable luxury cars.

We hope you enjoyed this article going through different luxury cars that are most reliable. We should not even discuss luxury cars being reliable. Every single luxury car should be reliable and completed to the highest standards. That's the case with Rolls-Royce where every car is guaranteed to be highest quality possible. But unfortunately that's when the price tag comes into play. Whereas cars like Mercedes S65 are luxurious sedans without the huge price tag, sacrificing the quality...

Let us know what you think about what we said in this article and make sure to follow us on social media!

The Fiat 126 Vision Electric Re-Imagination!

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:30:00 GMT

You would have never guessed that the Fiat 126 would make a return into the car market. This is the re-imagination of the Fiat 126 from the 1970's. We all know the look of this car, it was one of the most sold cars in history loved by millions. Coming back from the shadows after decades.

MA-DE studios re-imagined this iconic car to fit into our new electric vehicle era.

For those not too familiar with this automotive classic, the Fiat 126 is a two door, rear engined city car from the 1970's. This re-imagination perfectly fits as it has a modern and a vintage look to it, you can tell it is the Fiat 126 but with a modern twist on the shape, lights and other features making it look like a car from 2021.

Now this blog post is more to show off this re-imagination of the Fiat 126 because it looks awesome. Fiat has not actually come out and confirmed that they will be re-making this car anytime soon but it just does not make sense does it?

When this re-imagination hit the internet it shook the automotive world, everyone spoke out on the blogs and social media how much they love the car. Seeing as the world is quickly moving into the electric vehicle era this car would be a huge success, an iconic city car re-imagined would break records.

Now, think about how amazing it would be to see fleets of electric Fiat 126 zooming around...

Well it is all up to Fiat to make it all happen.

Have a look at some more images of the re-imagined Fiat 126:

Audi Joins Subscription Model

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 16:17:39 GMT

The Audi E-Tron Replaces Your Netflix Subscription

We would have never guessed the subscription model would come around so fast in the automotive world. Well with the brand new Audi E-Tron they have announced that they will be joining forces with a third party subscription company. Which means that as soon as the brand new Audi E-Tron comes out you will be able to pay for it like a Netflix Subscription.

Now you might still be a bit confused about the whole situation, rightfully so, Audi has partnered with Onto to offer the new Audi as a subscription based product, you still will be able to buy the car or lease it. Whereas with this new subscription model you will pay £1299 a month for the car, and you only own it for that month, unless you decide to keep paying for the car or changing it. In this instance you don't have to put down a deposit or pay insurance and also receive many different benefits with the subscription.

This concept is very confusing for many, we have never seen this subscription model in play in the car world. It was in the works for many years and as of late many car makers started joining the trend and following the subscription model, such as Volvo, Tesla and many more. In a few years this idea will be very big and popular as Electric cars are getting pushed more in the current climate. not many can afford them.

Even the car makers that aim to make cheap EVs will set you back £20,000+.

In this case Onto has purchased 300 Audi E-Tron's, Which is a huge amount for a leasing firm to buy but not a huge amount of Audi's. As it is with everything, with time more and more competition will come into play, more cars will become available at cheaper prices.

Going back, this is a very new concept that no one would have though would work right? treating a brand new Audi the same way as a Netflix subscription.

We will have to get used to this new system of monthly subscriptions for new cars because in the near future you will need an electric car and the prices of EVs is not going to go down massively. Meaning many people will be attracted by this subscription model, mainly because there is no real commitment that comes with it!

Driving Laws You Didn't Know About

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 16:00:00 GMT

There are too many driving laws in the rule book that you most likely don't even know about. The most common laws are the ones you need to really worry about and make sure you don't break, such as going on your mobile phone whilst driving. In this article you will find out about many laws you didn't even know existed, some of them will definitely shock you...

Middle Lane Hogging

You see this happen all the time, people just cruising in the middle lane without a care in the world. Well it is illegal, it could land you three points and a fine, as it is considered as careless driving. That was could have come as a surprise because you see it happen every day. You are required to move back into the left lane as soon as it is safe and when you overtook the vehicle you wanted to. This is one of the things most people start disregarding once they pass their driving exam and just stay in whatever lane they please.

Driving Too Slow

Now we hope that everyone knows that driving too slow is really dangerous and against the law, you should be driving as close to the speed limit as possible if it is safe to do so. If you are driving too slow you will be putting everyone else at risk. Maintain a good speed close to the speed limit, keep a safe distance from the cars in front of you and use the left lane only if you are not overtaking.

Eating When Driving

I was shocked to find out that this was a thing, there is no direct law that makes eating while driving illegal but it is considered as careless/dangerous driving as you are not focusing 100% on driving and on the road. This did come as a bit of a shock, but now you know, only eat when you are in a standstill and not whilst you're driving.

Splashing pedestrians

This was also mind blowing, if you purposefully go over a puddle in your car and splash pedestrians you have officially broken a law and could be given a fine and 3 points on your license. It falls under 'driving without reasonable consideration for other persons'.

Playing Your Music Too Loud

Playing music too loud in your car is considered as a crime although the police will not stop you and give you a fine for singing to your favorite songs on the way back home from work. If you are playing your music too loud whilst driving you could get stopped and fined as well as points added to your license as it is considered a distraction.

Road Rage

Road rage is quite a big problem on the roads people tend to be very impatient, but did you know that road rage is actually illegal? you could end up being fined and points landing on your license, road rage is really dangerous, you should stay calm and collected whilst driving.

Visit our social media channels and let us know what you think about what we spoke about in this article. Did you know about all of these laws and did you end up breaking any of them, such as playing loud music or road rage?

Benefits Of Electric Cars

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 16:00:00 GMT

In this article we will be going through the future of cars, seeing as the world is cracking down on combustion engine cars, with governments saying all cars sold from 2030 will have to be electric, it is obvious car makers are scrambling to make electric vehicles. In this article, we will be going through the different benefits of electric cars...

Zero Carbon Emissions - Electric vehicles do not emit carbon emissions besides in the process of making the car battery and with the charging process, it is significantly lower than the traditional fuel-powered car. Emissions are a huge problem in the current climate, so moving towards the zero-emission future sounds very exciting.

Cheaper To Run - Electric vehicles are with no doubt much cheaper to run and maintain. As of this article being written electric vehicles are really expensive, the best electric vehicles are made by Tesla and there isn't much competition. In a few years when more and more carmakers are forced to start producing electric vehicles, they will become much cheaper and easily accessible. Being able to save a lot of money on fuel and using a renewable source of energy to get your car on the road is a great way forward. Even though to step into the electric vehicle market you will have to put forward a lot of money you will slowly start seeing the benefits of not paying for petrol.

Government Incentive - Governments around the world are giving different incentives and grants for anyone wanting o purchase an electric vehicle. This will only increase and more and more people make the transition. For example, the UK government offers a scheme called "plug-in car grant" which offers anyone that buys an electric vehicle £3000 off the car, you don't have to apply for the grant or anything of that sort, the £3000 will just get taken off the price of the car at the dealership.

Improved Driving Experience - Electric vehicles are much quieter than traditional cars, much less sound and rumble. Any electric cars that are coming out have many exciting features such as self-driving technology in Tesla vehicles, new and advanced infotainment systems and much more. If you are switching to an electric vehicle from a combustion engine car you will be pleasantly surprised by how good the drive feels.

This article probably boils the blood of petrol heads, some people could never see themselves driving an electric vehicle, without the sporty aggressive sounds and rumbles. On the other hand, we really need to make the switch and it will happen shortly, it is simply inevitable. Tell us what you think of electric vehicles on our social media channels.

Tips To Improve Fuel Economy

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Now, this article should call for everyone's name because if you drive a lot your pockets are probably hurting with how much you spend on fuel. In this article, we will go through the different ways you can improve your fuel economy.

Only pack the essentials

It sounds strange, right? how loaded your car is making a massive difference in your fuel consumption it may not seem like it but the car needs to use more power to move because of the added weight. Making sure you only carry what you need in your car is crucial, will save you a fair amount of fuel and make your car much more agile.

Check Tyre Pressure

We said it before and we'll say it again make sure your Tyre pressure is correct in all of your Tyre's, not only it is quite dangerous to drive with low Tyre pressure, it will also cause your car to be much heavier than normal as it has to carry a car with Tyre's that have low pressure. Making sure your tyres are at the correct Tyre pressure will save you some money.

Observe Your Speed

The way you drive has to biggest impact on how much fuel you are going to burn, if you drive without accelerating rapidly and breaking sharply, you will be able to keep more momentum with your car, meaning much less stop and start, improving your fuel economy greatly.

Use Cruise Control

Using cruise control will help you and your fuel tank out tremendously, when you are driving on the motorway, put the car on cruise control, it will mean you can relax your feet, and the car will keep going at a constant speed saving you fuel. Mainly because most people keep speeding up and slowing down on the motorway.

Avoid Air Conditioning

Avoiding air conditioning when it is not needed is probably the biggest fuel money saver. Air conditioning takes power straight from your engine, meaning the engine needs to supply itself with more fuel to keep supplying the air conditioning. Only try using air conditioning when you are too hot or too cold, if the temperature in your car in bearable switch your air conditioning off and save on fuel!

Drive-In Highest Gear

Whenever possible you should drive in the highest gear possible, of course, keeping to your speed limits. Driving in high gear will mean your car will be running on lower engine revs, meaning the engine has much less stress put on it, which means it will use less fuel during your journeys.

Combine Journeys

Combining journeys whenever you can save you a lot of money on fuel, your engine will be using much less fuel when its warm and ready. If you do many short journeys you will burn through a lot of fuel as your engine keeps having to stop and start warming all of the components from cold, whereas if you combine your journeys you will save on fuel bills!

Car Trends In 2021

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 15:00:00 GMT

In the last decade, the automotive industry has been scrambling for innovation, every carmaker is fighting to introduce something new and exciting to the car world. With electric vehicles taking over the world with carmakers such as Tesla, NIO and many more, innovation and new technologies are going to emerge quickly as carmakers simply can't afford to lose customers. The future of the automotive industry is very exciting as all carmakers are looking to introduce something new and everyone is out fighting for the number one spot. In this article, we will be diving into the exciting world of the future...

Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous cars sound really futuristic, doesn't it? well in 2020 there has been many new companies coming up focusing and making autonomous driving a reality. We think 2021 is going to be huge for autonomous vehicles, with governments around the world supporting companies that are innovating in the automotive industry for example NIO received huge funding from the Chinese government, many new car companies tend to go bankrupt because they simply can't afford the whole process.

With the whole world moving towards an electric & technological future, many new start-ups are going to appear bringing new concepts into the automotive world, and autonomous vehicles are one of the concepts that are going to make a huge rise this year. With huge companies such as Uber and Google gaining interest in the autonomous automotive industry we will see huge advances and changes... Soon we will be calling taxis without drivers, which are all computerized.

Connectivity

What we are about to say now will either sound casual or blow your mind...

"Israeli startup NoTraffic develops an AI-powered traffic signal platform that digitizes road infrastructure management and connects drivers to the city roadways to manage various traffic-related challenges. The data of all road users is streamed and processed in real-time to empower smart mobility. The solution also serves as the base for additional services such as micro-payments and micro-mobility." - StartUsInsights

Connectivity between vehicles is not something I personally thought would happen anytime soon, it seems really really difficult to connect all of the vehicles and actually maintain it. But if you imagine a huge infrastructure of vehicles connected to a network, it would solve so many issues, sometimes a computer communicates much better with a computer than with a person, many things could be solved without having to involve humans in the process. For example traffic issues, traffic can't be easily fixed, governments spend billions yearly to improve the road infrastructure, reduce traffic and improve the quality of roads yet it still feels like we are stuck at square one, with huge pile-ups on motorways, roads blocked full of traffic, you know what we mean you have been there seen it all. Now if you can imagine all of the computers being connected to a network, directing you to your destination avoiding traffic and avoiding forming traffic.

Electrification

Now, this is nothing new, electric vehicles have been pushed and promoted for the past few years, as previously mentioned governments around the world and huge corporations getting involved in the electric vehicle market, it is only going to get bigger, better and cheaper. As of the time this article is being written, the biggest player in the electric car maker is Tesla and no one is really competing with them, some emerging Chinese companies, as well as established carmakers such as BMW, Audi and so on, are trying to get into the electric market slowly.

In my opinion, 2021 is going to be a huge year in the electric car market, Tesla is most likely going to announce a very cheap all-electric sedan, plugging into the lower-income classes and boosting sales through the roof. More carmakers such as NIO are going to start coming up competing with Tesla. And the most beloved car makers in the world such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes are going to start battling for the number one spot back...

What we are saying is competition is going to rise this year, more and more companies are going to get involved in the electric car market, when competition increases companies innovate, things get cheaper and better.

Shared Mobility

Shared mobility will also be huge for the automotive industry, the easiest way of us explaining it is, if you live in a big city you have probably seen the electric scooters everywhere, well-shared mobility is pretty much the same concept. Cars being available to everyone that has a license at specific pick up locations, charged for as long as you use them.

It is an amazing concept for someone that does not require a car daily or does not have the money to buy a car, the only issue with this is this idea would only work if the cars were electric, it would be very difficult for a company to keep profitable if the cars ran on fuel.

Many different aspects would have to be thought through and perfected such as maintaining the cars, making sure they are kept in good condition, making sure they are getting charged and so on. But the concept sounds really good and I think it would benefit many people and could become the future.

Technology in the automotive industry is really exciting because cars are what you use daily and spend quite a lot of time in your car. New advancements and technologies are only here to make it more exciting for car lovers. Many different technologies and companies are starting up that will rock the automotive world, 2021 is going to be a huge year, a lot is going to change and improve in the automotive industry.

Why is my car juddering

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 17:30:00 GMT

Any unusual sound coming from your car will most likely alarm you whether it comes with a dashboard warning light or not, a constant and alarming sound coming from your car can be scary, you should address the issue as soon as possible before it causes more damage or costs you more than it would have before!

This article is all about car juddering, it is not normal for your car to judder constantly, it should be running smoothly through all of the actions, such as gear changes, acceleration and breaking should all seem seamless. If your car is juddering and you would like to make it stop (which you should) here are the different possible causes of the juddering...

Spark plugs

Spark plugs can be the primary reason why your car is juddering, if your spark plugs are used and worn out or need a clean, that can cause the engine to misfire which will make your car judder or jerk when accelerating. Spark plugs are not an expensive fix if you think that your spark plugs are faulty, change them for new ones!

Ignition coil

Ignition coils in your engine carry electricity from your battery to your engine which makes it fire, if one of your ignition coils is not working correctly it is not supplying enough power to your engine, causing it to judder or jerk. This could very easily become an expensive fix, if you don't take notice of it and get it checked out in time you will have to pay out on a serious fix!

Broken lambda sensor

Most modern cars have at least one lambda sensor in their exhaust system, the lambda sensor makes, sure enough, oxygen is supplied to your diesel/petrol. If the lambda sensor is broken it will give the car computer an incorrect reading after which the fuel mixture is changed and the proportion of air in it becomes too much which will cause your car to judder and eventually if left long enough without being fixed will cause severe engine damage.

Faulty constant velocity joints

constant velocity joints also referred to as CV joints, could also be a reason for your car juddering if they are faulty they can stop the drive-train emitting enough power, which would make your car pull to one side or cause juddering when you are turning. CV joints should not be ignored, if they are left without taking action and are broken they could cause your car just to stop in the middle of the road and cause very expensive damage to your drive-train.

Brakes

If your car only judders or makes the juddering sounds when you apply the brakes, there could be multiple issues with your brakes that is causing it,

- An incorrectly fitted disc brake causing misalignment.

- A brake disc overheating, and becoming distort as a result.

- A disc brake is thicker on one side due to uneven wear.

Disc brakes are one of the car components that should never go by ignored because you are putting your and other peoples live at stake, you should always make sure your brakes are working well and as they should.

Acceleration

If your vehicle judders or makes concerning sounds when you accelerate there could be multiple different issues causing it to do so, for example as previously mentioned it could be your spark plugs, if they are old or worn out you should get them changed so that they do not cause more damage to your engine. Another possible reason could be your catalytic converter, if your catalytic converter is clogged it will cause your engine to struggle to receive air. There are many different catalytic converters available for petrol and diesel vehicles. We at Autozone offer a huge selection of catalytic converter cleaners.

If you do not know how to check the different parts do not do it, take your vehicle to a garage and get it checked out. You could get hurt or cause damage trying to check the components without having experience. If you need any advice or have any questions feel free to visit our shop and we will be more than happy to help!

How To Protect Your Car From Theft

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 16:59:41 GMT

Car theft has been a huge problem throughout the years, especially now with car makers starting to implement new technology such as key-less entry, stop/start buttons and so on. New technologies always face security issues, there will always be some kind of way to get past the security the car offers. You need to make sure to do specific things such as locking your doors when you are driving, closing your windows when leaving your car unattended and overall making sure you try your best to make your car thief-proof, in this article we will go through some extra security measures you can implement so that your car will scare thieves away!

Use a Key Fob Pouch

Protecting your key fob is the best way to start protecting your vehicle, many of the newer cars have key-less entry, stop-start buttons and there are many different devices thieves use to bypass any security your car has in place. It can be very easy for someone to break into your car if you are not taking the steps to counter it!

Many different key fob pouches block the signal, we will show you a diagram of how key-less cars get stolen. You should invest in a good quality key fob pouch that blocks signals and secures your car.

Do Not Leave Valuables In Sight!

This happens time and time again, people leave laptops, phones, wallets and other valuables in the car in plain sight, believe us people will smash a car window to grab a laptop or a wallet!

This is probably advice that you have heard many times before, this applies to wherever you leave your car, it could be on your driveway, street, parking lot, it does not really matter you could risk your valuables getting stolen and your car getting broken into.

Keep your valuables like your wallets, laptops and other things out of sight, place them in the glove box, you can put them under your seat or cover them with something thieves won't see a point in breaking into your car if there is nothing to steal in plain sight...

S teering Lock

Steering locks are an inexpensive and efficient way of securing your car and deterring potential thieves. You can get any steering lock and it will do the job, the best and highly recommended steering lock is the 'Disklok Steering wheel lock' which is the strongest and the best-rated steering lock in the UK, we offer it on our website and in-shop.

You might be wondering why would you need a steering lock when your car has a built-in steering lock when you turn the ignition off, your built-in steering lock can be broken quite easily whereas a steering lock will make it impossible for someone to drive your car.

P arking barrier & Wheel lock

These two measures are really drastic, we would only recommend following these last tips if you have a really expensive car or you are really worried about your car being stolen. Investing in a parking barrier and a wheel lock along with all of the previous tips will make your car untouchable, there will be way too many barriers for a thief to fight through to move your car it will simply not be worth it.

Getting a parking barrier is a huge step that will pretty much secure your whole driveway and any cars on there. A wheel lock is not as drastic, it can be cheap and very effective, so you should consider investing in one if you are worried about your vehicle being stolen.

In conclusion, we think everyone should take steps to secure their car as much as possible regardless if your car is older or brand new, you can never know when you're going to be a victim of a car crime. If your car uses key-less features invest in a signal-blocking pouch, keep your car locked and protected appropriately.

We at Autozone offer a huge range of security products for your car from car fob pouches to steering wheel locks.

10 In-Car Essentials In 2021!

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 14:01:33 GMT

In our climate living in a global pandemic, there are many items you should always have on you or in your car, things such as hand sanitiser, a face mask along with other things whereas in this article we will be focusing on the things you need in your car even when you're not in a pandemic. So here is our list of 10 in-car essentials!

Spare Tyre, Tyre Jack & Tyre Iron

Having a spare wheel and all of the tools necessary like a tyre jack and a tyre iron is crucial, you never know when you might catch a flat tyre, it can happen anytime anywhere, a sharp object on the road, or something penetrating through your wheel when you're not expecting it and you could get stranded on the side of the road. It is not rare to get something stuck in your tyre whilst just driving along. Make sure you have all of the tools and a spare tyre and none of this will be an issue, as you will be able to change your tyre if it does ever need changing!

2. Jumper Cables

Your car battery is also a huge component in your car that you need to make sure is working correctly and you should be prepared in case it does malfunction on you. Having jumper cables in your car is the best way to prepare yourself just in case your battery does die. Your battery is one of the parts that does not really give you a clear sign before it does die...

3. Multi-Tool Kit

Having a multi tool kit in your car is an amazing idea to be ready for any kind of surprise that does come your way. There are many toolboxes you can buy that have universal tools, or at least the most common tools you could possibly need for anything.

4. Seat belt Cutter & Window Breaker

These tools are for really serious emergencies for example if you get into a serious car crash and you are not able to unbuckle your seatbelt or your windows are jammed, having a tool kit with a seat belt cutter and a window breaker will prepare you for the worst of the worst, they can be found online for cheap and possibly save a life in specific circumstances.

5. A Paper Map

This might sound crazy but if you think about it, it does make sense, for example, if you go on a road trip and there is no reception, you can't get a signal on your phone and you are lost, what would you do? see now that's where the paper map comes into place, you can navigate the map without needing reception or signal. It could save you from a bad situation, believe us there are some crazy stories...

6. Spare Change/Cash

Now in my opinion every driver should have some spare change/cash in their car, it will save you a lot of trouble. Even now that some parking lots are accepting payment cards and payments through the phone it is much easier to have some spare change just to pay for parking, or in fact, in any emergency, if you forget your card at home or cash and need to pay for something you will be prepared and have cash in the car.

7. WD-40

You should have a bottle of WD-40 in your car in case there is a bolt that you can not work through, you just use wd-40 and it will lubricate and make it much easier to remove the bolt. WD-40 is multi-purpose and can be used for many different tasks making it an amazing tool to keep in your car.

8. Cleaning Supplies

Having cleaning and hygienic supplies in your car will not save your life but it will save a whole lot of frustration on your journeys, if you do need to have a look at your engine, if something spills or you get dirty, you will be prepared for the situation. Having some wet wipes, anti-bacterial spray and other similar supplies will help you out a huge amount.

9. First Aid Kit

Having a first aid kit could not only save your life but also someone else's. Car accidents can get pretty brutal, now you won't be able to work magic with a first aid kit but will be able to do smaller life-saving tasks. A first aid kit will be especially useful for anyone that has children and are on a trip away, you could take care of any cuts and scrapes in case any do happen.

10. Flashlight

Any kind of heavy-duty flashlight should be good enough, you need a flashlight in case you breakdown in a dark place or need to leave your vehicle in a dark place having a flashlight will help you hugely.

We really have been talking about the worst-case scenarios throughout this article, but that's the whole point anything you need in your car you will remember to take with you most of the time, like your phone, a charger and stuff like that will most likely already be in your car. It's the things you never think you would need like a flashlight, because when will you ever be stuck in the dark, or jumper cables, because your car battery has never died and why would it randomly happen now?

Well that's the thing it's about being prepared for the worst in case something bad does actually happen and you will be prepared by having extra tools in your car.

Best Luxury Cars of 2021!

Sat, 06 Feb 2021 15:00:01 GMT

Luxury cars have come a long way in the past few years, the most important factor is that everyone sitting in a luxury car feels the luxury, with new technology packed into them, comfortable plush, leather seats with heating and massages. In this article we will try our best to give you the top 10 most luxurious cars of 2021. In this list there is a huge variety, when you think of luxury what comes into mind, Rolls-Royce?, Bentley? yes they are on the list but there are a few surprises...

10. Bentley Flying Spur

The Bentley is luxury and performance put in one, the Bentley flying spur is probably the most luxurious and best looking Bentley's to date! The Bentley flying spur was awarded the luxury car of the year in 2020 + it really does pack some serious performance under the hood! with a twin-turbo 6.0L engine giving it a sub-four-second 0-60 time and a top speed of 207mph!

9. BMW 7 Series

The BMW 7 series was meant to be the competitor to Mercedes S-Class, although since the beginning the S-Class always out shined the 7 series. Although in the past few years BMW is really trying to step up their game in the luxury market, hence why the 7 series is on this list. With new technologies, features and luxuries if you are looking for a luxury daily rider the series 7 should definitely be on your list.

8. Rolls-Royce Ghost

The Rolls-Royce was always considered as the top of the luxury in the automotive world. With the brand new design and technological advances in the Rolls-Royce Ghost make it just much better. Rolls-Royce have officially stated that the Rolls-Royce Ghost 2020 is the most technologically advanced car they have ever produced. So much has changed from the older model, the only elements that stayed the same are the 'spirit of ecstasy' which is the emblem that sits on the bonnet and the umbrellas in the doors.

7. Mercedes S-Class

The Mercedes S-Class has been an icon of luxury in the automotive industry, with the best luxury car for the price tag... The Mercedes is known for the amazing noise cancellation, to the point where even at motorway speed you will not hear the roar of the engine or soaring wheels. Also the suspension makes it so you don't feel the bumps in the road the car just tackles them, so you don't have to!

6. Bentley Continental GT

Another Bentley on the list this time we have a grand touring coupe which was designed with luxury and comfort in mind for long journeys. The Bentley Continental GT also packs quite a punch with a W12 engine giving out 626bhp. Which makes this car one of the best luxury coupes available.

5. Range Rover

Range Rover in my eyes is one of the best looking SUV's ever made... you might be a little bit surprised seeing the Range Rover on this list among Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Well Range Rover offers many different trims/models of the range rover, if you have a look at Range Rover Autobiography they look very luxurious especially the interior packing all of the detail and the latest technology.

4. Rolls-Royce Phantom

No doubt when you think of the most luxurious cars ever made you picture the Rolls-Royce Phantom, everything from the length of the car to the design just screams luxury. Looking at all of the minor details the Rolls-Royce Phantom has like the silver details around the windows. Rolls-Royce looks heavy and sturdy, like everything was made with the highest quality materials possible.

3. Porsche Panamera

The Porsche Panamera is a huge player in the luxury car sphere. It's first model was a ground shaker and caught a lot of attention. Porsche decided to keep making the panamera more and more advanced adding more features to make the driver feel the luxury, whilst still maintaining the elegant sporty look of a Porsche. I would not be surprised if the panamera became a huge contender in the luxury car world in the next few years as it already took the car world by storm and keeps on improving and getting better.

2. Audi A8

Audi A8 also appears on the list, are you surprised? because i'm not really, most of the big car makers like BMW, Audi and Mercedes tapped into the luxury car world in the past few years and they have successfully done so, cars like the Audi A8 hold the same kind of luxury as the panamera for the fraction of the price. The only drawback in my eyes is that the price tags does not match a luxury outside, the outside of the Audi A8 looks just like any other Audi, and it probably won't turn heads like the S-Class or Range Rover Biography.

1.Bentley Bentayga

The Bentley Bentayga to finish of the list of the most luxurious cars of 2021. This is in line with the most luxurious SUV's on the market, the shape and the overall look of the Bentayga just screams luxury, the bentayga is not only a luxury icon but also really engineered to be enjoyed whilst driving. Borrowing components from Audi and Porsche to have a smooth ride and the luxurious feel of a Bentley.

To end of the article on a special note we compiled the interiors of all the cars mentioned in this article so you can see a bit more of them on the inside. Feel the luxury in the air if you haven't already!

The Tesla Roadster Delayed! Why and When is it releasing?

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 18:00:00 GMT

The delay of the Tesla Roadster was not a massive surprise to me, the car since it was revealed was stuck up in the air, it was the first electric hypercar to be released at a big scale. Elon musk along with Tesla engineers tried as hard as they could to make this car perform better than other hypercars, be fully electric and not cost a fortune. In my eyes that is a whole lot to ask for don't you think?

Well, people (including me) had hoped this will all come to fruition and that we will see the roads fill up with Roadsters. Well, unfortunately recently Tesla announced that they will have to delay the release of the roadster until 2022 due to issues with the car's tri-motor drive system and advanced battery work.

Now I know the car has been announced in 2017 and delayed for the second time, but Tesla vehicles are meant to be revolutionary, and I think that Elon Musk is taking the correct steps for the Roadster to be successful. He does not want to rush the car and let it come out in poor condition, with it not being able to reach the speeds and having the range that the batteries are meant to have. This would just completely kill the roadster and catastrophically diminish any hype it accumulated in the past few years.

That is one of the biggest factors why Tesla vehicles are so wanted and popular in 2021, they offer you something no other car can offer, fully autonomous driving experience? only Tesla, huge iPad that you can play games on as your in-car tech. Whilst all of the other car makers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes are fighting against each other trying to one-up each other with small things such as interior changes and changing the lights. Tesla is in a market of its own if I was to ask you, right now you can choose an electric car you want and take it home, what would you choose?

A Prius? I doubt it I'm sure you are taking a Tesla.

Tesla is trying to be a luxury/innovative car maker that keeps the automotive game fun, but they want to make sure they release a flawless product that they can be proud of, what are your thoughts on the roadster delay?

Buy petrol on this day to save big!

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 15:30:00 GMT

You might be reading the title of this blog post and think to yourself if we are actually being serious, and honestly yes we are. I did not know that there are better days to purchase fuel, until i seen a study showing the best day of the week to buy petrol, showing the prices and why they are lowest on that day, so stick with us and get some money off next time you buy fuel.

In short, the best day to buy your petrol is on a Monday morning, a study was done on the price differences between different petrol stations. The reason why the study explains as to why fuel prices are lower is because people are less likely to go grab fuel on a Monday morning. The more you think about it the more it makes sense, i'm sure that the last thing you would want to do is stand topping up your fuel on a Monday morning. Petrol stations lower the price of petrol to entice more people to come and spend money.

Now the only issue with this is that it can't be confirmed 100% just because there is no sure way of measuring it, the price of fuel constantly goes up and down, depending on the location you are buying your fuel and many more factors go into the price of fuel.

This also will only really have an effect on someone that buy a lot of fuel, if you are looking to top up a 1.0L car you will probably end up saving a few pennies, this advice would be huge for a company that owns transporting vehicles, or logistic companies!

I honestly would recommend you trying to go and buy fuel on a Monday morning for a few weeks. If it is true you could possibly save a lot of money on your fuel.

Dashboard lights and what they mean!

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 15:30:00 GMT

You should pay great attention to your dashboard and make sure you know the meaning of the different symbols that show up on it... in this article, we will take you through the most important ones and tell you what they mean and what you need to do when it comes up. Not every car will have the same warning lights, you are probably familiar with some dashboard lights as they appear when you turn the car on!

Let's dive right into the different symbols and tell you exactly what they mean.

This dashboard light will appear when you turn your traction control off, it is amber colored because it is simply a warning light, which does not require any specific action or repair, it is just trying to warn you that having traction control off which could be potentially dangerous.

This dashboard light is red and means that your engine temperature is much higher than usual, make sure you have coolant, check that all of the fans are working, or seek professional help as it is a critical problem with your vehicle.

This indicator light is a safety warning light and it means that there is a malfunction with your Anti Braking system, you should get it checked out by a professional and make sure it isn't a dangerous issue.

The oil pressure warning light means that a lot of pressure is being lost, lubrication is low or there isn't any oil left, check your engine oil levels, make sure to keep your engine oil topped up to a decent amount, this will make your engine run much smoother and make sure all of your components are lubricated properly.

This warning light means that there may be an issue with your power steering system, this is a very serious issue that you should probably get resolved as soon as possible.

This warning light means that your car battery is either running low on charge or not charging properly, again this is in red as the car battery is a crucial component in your car, it is responsible for all of the electronics functioning properly.

This warning light will mostly appear when you have your parking brake engaged, if this warning light is constantly lit up that means that one of your breaks are running low on hydraulic fluid or have a problem with them.

These are the main warning lights that you need to know the meaning of, they are pretty self-explanatory, they are symbols of the faulty part, so it shouldn't be hard to remember these symbols and their meaning. Make sure not to ignore the dashboard warnings, if you ignore them and not take action to fix them you will end up causing much more damage and cost you much more in repairs, try to maintain your car as best you can, change the oil, keep all of the fluids topped up and do regular checks to extend the life of your car.

Evolution of sports cars

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 15:00:00 GMT

Following up our previous blog post about the evolution of luxury cars we wanted to show you and tell you about the evolution of sports cars because as we previously mentioned the automotive industry is moving very very fast. Not only are more and more cars getting more comfortable, safer and much more affordable, they are also becoming much faster and smoother.

Brands like Bentley, Stutz Motor Company, Duesenberg and Amilcar were the first carmakers to produce cars that went over 80mph that was as far back as 1920, which was a huge achievement back then, cars were much heavier, the engineering was nowhere near the same as it is now... in 2020 we had the first car break the speed of 300mph which was the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. Now more and more carmakers are taking on the challenge of creating the fastest car in the world, recently the SSC group came out with Tuatara that reportedly reached a speed of 316mph (this is yet to be confirmed and legitimised).

In today's age, sports cars or hypercars are made more to turn heads, using new technologies and exquisite design features than to be record-breaking track vehicles. Brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Mclaren are more a huge status symbol in today's age.

Most popular car makers such as Mercedes, Audi and BMW and many others are trying to make their car impressively fast, making them lighter, packing more horsepower and cheaper. This is because as of 2021 there are over 60 car brands around the world, these car brands also offer tens of different models, which makes choosing a car you like very difficult. That's the main reason every carmaker wants some kind of bragging right to make them stand out over others.

Sports cars kind of became the norm in the past few years, with huge amounts of horsepower, fast acceleration and luxury packed. Not even going to mention they are much more affordable than a Ferrari. That's why we previously mentioned that owning a high-end supercar is more of a status symbol than anything just because the common commercial car is doing more and more to compete with these luxury bank-breaking hypercars.

Now once again we are moving into a new age of speed and supercars, with the hybrid/electric space becoming more developed, soon we will see hypercars fully powered by electric engines, capable of insane speeds, a great example of this is the Mclaren Speedtail which is capable of doing 0-186mph in less than 13 seconds. As insane as that is, it is just the beginning and there is much more ahead of the electric super-cars.

What do you think lays ahead in the sports car scene, what we will be seeing much more of?

Check out the images below to see some of the supercars we'd like you to see!

Evolution of luxury cars

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 15:00:00 GMT

In this article we will mainly focus on the European luxury car scene, going through the history and the changes the cars underwent.

When you think of a luxury vehicle now you will most likely think of a super-car, such as a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, don't get me wrong those cars can be considered as luxury cars, but not in this article. I want to dive deep into the real luxury of the car world, the Rolls-Royce and Bentley of the car world...

When you think of a luxury car what do you think of? leather seats? buttons that close doors for you?

Well, these features are becoming more and more common in standard no luxury cars, as time goes on more carmakers are wanting to compete with the high-end luxury using mid-range cars, that's exactly why in the past few years you have seen an influx of luxury amenities in mid-range cars.

Let's just step back for a moment and have a look into the past of the luxury car world... after the 1910s most car makers started introducing lightning and heating, of course as smaller car makers made more money they started following the luxury brands with what they did, ever since then every carmaker tried to outdo each other, with new features and by providing more and more comfort. If you had a car in 1900 you didn't have heating, lighting and any other basic necessity we have in every single car now.

FUN FACT: The first car with heated seats was made in the 1960s.

Many of the features we have in cars today were once considered a luxury. The automotive industry is growing very fast, more and more technology is put into automobiles yearly, new designs and systems are made to make cars more and more comfortable, faster, safer and cheaper every single year.

It is crazy to think about how much changes in the automotive industry every single year, would you have ever thought that one day we will have a car that drives by itself? well, I didn't and here we go with Tesla. Things such as cars parking by themselves, it's crazy to think about how quickly things are developing and changing. We will see even more changes and improvements to vehicles this year especially with some huge car releases such as the Tesla Roadster, Bentley Bacalara and many more car makers going into the electric market.

check out the images below to see some luxury cars of the future!

Fastest Cars Ever Made

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 15:01:11 GMT

The battle for having the fastest cars has been going on for many years between carmakers. Bugatti and Hennessey are some of the most frequent title holders of the fastest cars in the world. In this article we will go through the six fastest cars in the world as of 2020, we won't be discussing any concept cars or outlandish rocket-powered vehicles, we are talking strictly about production cars.

Bugatti was the first car maker to hit the huge milestone of a 300 MPH top speed with the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport in 2020, we have noticed that Bugatti likes to hold some of the records when it comes to speed and being an iconic supercar, and they have been very successful at doing so!

Hennessey is also a huge competitor here, the Hennessey Venom is a very modified version of the Lotus Exige which was at one point one of the fastest cars in the world. One question that commonly comes across the minds of many is how does Hennessey afford to create these expensive world record-breaking machines, for example, Bugatti is owned by the Volkswagen Group, which owns car brands such as Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini. Which explains how they can put so much money and resources into making these speedy machines, on the other hand, Hennessey is an American tuning house, which modifies cars like Ferrari, Porsche and Lotus. But the question still lingers where do they get the money from?

In 2020 a massive competitor appeared the SSC Tuatara, the Tuatara was made by the formerly known Shelby SuperCars. You are probably familiar with Shelby vehicles, yeah they made the Tuatara, THE FASTEST CAR IN THE WORLD.

Here is the list of the six fastest cars in the world starting from the slowest to fastest:

6. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (268 MPH)

5. Hennessey Venom GT (270 MPH)

4. Koenigsegg Agera RS (278 MPH)

3. Hennessey Venom F5 (301 MPH)

2. Bugatti Chiron Sport (304 MPH)

SSC Tuatara (316 MPH)

You can see that there are small differences until the Tuatara doing 12MPH more than the Bugatti Chiron Sport, yet there is a problem... Of course when a carmaker announces they have accomplished such a huge milestone of being the fastest car in the world. Car enthusiasts jump in and analyze the record to make sure everything's adding up.

In this case, things did not add up, people started noticing that the speedometer used in the official world record video was showing incorrect speeds. People started analyzing the footage used in the video, by measuring the distance and trying to calculate the speeds of the car. This was a huge controversy in the car world... SSC having to publicly apologize and stated that they will do another run with the tuatara sometime soon.

Well, the tuatara was taken out for another top speed run on the 12th of December 2020, unfortunately, the car was only able to reach 252 MPH due to mechanical issues. Another top speed run is planned sometime in 2021, yet it is very unlikely the car will be able to do the speed it claimed to have done earlier in 2020.

So we think it is only fair that we keep the Bugatti Chiron Sport on top holding the title as the world's fastest car until we can get an official, approved world record holder.

Some serious contenders are coming up shortly for the number one spot such as Koenigsegg Jesko, Dagger GT and Devel Sixteen. The only problem with these cars we just mentioned are just concept cars or are near production, which means we may never actually see any of them take on the top speed record.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article, quite a controversial decision with the tuatara, make sure to let us know what you think on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Follow us on those platforms for much more entertaining and educational automotive content.

Know When You Need New Tyres

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 13:00:00 GMT

There are a few different signs that show you need new tyres, we can't stress enough how important it is to keep your tyres in good condition, in this article we will give you different pointers, on when you should consider getting new tyres for your car.

Not Enough Tread Depth - This is a major issue with tyres, brand new tyres come with at least 8mm of tread depth to help them maintain good contact with the road. You need to make sure you have at least 1.6mm of tread depth on all of your tyres, this is a legal requirement. Besides it being illegal to have less tread depth than 1.6mm your tyres will also have much less traction on the road making it much more dangerous to drive.

Tyres for 25,000 Miles - Tyres should on average last 25,000 miles but it depends on your driving style and your car, it isn't said that you have to change your tyres every 25,000 miles but after that milage your car tyres are worn and used to a point they should be changed.

Shaky Drive - If you are experiencing shaky drives, there could be a problem with either your shock absorbers, wheel allignment or your tyres. You should get you tyres checked and make sure they are in good condition.

Strange Squeaks or Whining noises - if you are hearing strange noises coming from your wheels there could be two problems present, it could mean there is a problem with your tyres, it happens when you get a puncture or your tyre starts to crack. Another possible problem could be with your brakes, they could either be rusty or damaged. You should get them checked out and fixed as soon as possible.

Bulges and Blisters - If you can see obvious defects on the outside of the tyres, it means something is wrong with the tyre internally.

Following these tips will ensure your tyres are kept in good condition and that you are staying as safe as possible.

Basic Car Maintenance Tips Every Driver Should Know

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:00:00 GMT

There are certain maintenance tips every single car owner should know and apply to keep their car running as smooth and as long as possible, we have compiled some of the most important factors and turned them into tips for you to apply to your ride!

Tyres - Your tyres should be checked regularly, as they are responsible for your traction on the road and keeping you and others safe! you should make sure all of your tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, it is a legal requirement if the police stop you, and your tyres are under 1.6mm you will be fined.

Oil and Coolant - Check your engine oil levels, it is really simple to do and can be pretty much done anytime. Making sure your engine oil is on the correct level will extend the life of your engine drastically. Making sure you are topped up on engine coolant is also very important espeically during the winter and summer seasons, your engine struggles much more during those times and engine coolant makes your engine work much better.

Screen wash and Windscreen - Did you know that it is illegal in the UK for you car's screen wash system not to be functioning correctly, you should make sure that you windscreen and windscreen wipers are checked regularly, if you have a chip in your windscreen there are a few ways of getting it repaired before more damage is caused or a crack forms. Changing your windscreen wipers is also very important as they do wear out and stop working as well as they once used to.

Warning Lights - Warning lights are your best friend when it comes to maintaining your car, you should learn what different warning lights mean and what they stand for, and take care of them as soon as they appear to avoid any further unnecessary damage. Keep your eye out on the warning lights and do not ignore them!

Battery and Lights - Inspecting your cars battery, making sure there is no corrosion and making sure it is in good condition is very important as your battery is responsible for all of the electric components working correctly in your car. Lights are also very important as they are responsible for making the roads and surroundings around you much more visibile in the dark.

These are the basics car checks every car owner should do every so often, watching out and carrying these out will make sure you and others are kept as safe as possible and that your car is well taken care of!

Car Battles - Dodge Charger VS Toyota Supra (Week 2)

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 13:00:00 GMT

In the second week of car battles, we have two of the most iconic cars, if you are a fan of the Fast&Furious movies you will know exactly what these cars are and who drove them. Let's kick off the battle between the Dodge Charger and the Toyota Supra...

Starting with the Toyota Supra, it is one of the most iconic cars ever made, making huge appearances in video games, movies and just being a huge icon in the car scene. The Dodge Charger is also a huge icon in the car scene, with most of its models sold in the USA, the charger we have in mind is the 1970s model as you can see in the picture it looks like a classic muscle car.

Both of these cars have been remade into newer models and have sold thousands due to appearances in the Fast&Furious franchise. The newer models of the Toyota Supra have not received great commercial success many not liking the design and the car coming out to a ridiculous price tag!

Below we will show you some more specifications from the newest models of both cars to give you more of an idea of what each car is capable of, your decision shouldn't be based on the specifications we are about to show but more on what car you would prefer to have, any model, any spec, you decide!

How To Spot A Slow Puncture

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Spotting a slow puncture is very simple when you know what to look for, there are a few things you should look for if you think you have a slow puncture. In this article, we will go through the different things you should keep an eye out for!

Firstly, the biggest factor is if your car is pulling to either the left or the right. If you are driving on a flat road, relax the grip of your steering wheel and if you notice that your vehicle is pulling to either side, that could indicate that you have a slow puncture in one of your tyres. If that does happen get your car checked by a professional and get your tyre replaced.

If the issue is left and ignored it will cause huge amounts of damage to your wheel, causing you much more costs in damages and possibly creating a dangerous situation on the road!

The second sign to look for is vibration, another sign of a slow puncture is vibrations coming from your steering wheel. When a tyre loses air, it can cause your wheel to become unbalanced, which will cause your steering wheel to vibrate when you are driving. Your steering wheel vibrating is not a definite sign of having a slow puncture but it could be a good indicator of it.

Lastly, if you drive your car daily and you see a change in responsiveness or the handling of the car not feeling the same, check the tyre pressure to make sure you do not have a slow puncture.

If you follow these simple tips you will make sure no slow puncture will get passed you and you will be able to take care of it before it causes more damage to your wheels.

How Your Car Brakes Work & How To Maintain Them

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Car brakes are one of the most important components in a car, you need to make sure you have perfect functioning brakes to keep yourself and others as safe as possible. In this article we will take you through how your brakes work and what you should do to maintain them!

How your brakes work:

Your foot pushes on the brake pedal.
The piston moves and squeezes hydraulic fluid out.
The hydraulic brake fluid is then forced around the entire braking system.
The pressure is then transmitted equally to all four brakes.
The force creates fiction between brake pads and brake rotors which stops the vehicle.

This is the simplest way of explaining the different components of your brakes and how they work together to make your car stop when you press the brake pedal.

Now we will tell you different tips and tricks on how you can maintain your vehicles brakes, making them last longer and work more effectively.

Firstly, you should monitor brake fluid levels and carry these checks out every 3 months, brake fluid should be replaced every 30,000 to 40,000 miles. Another amazing tip would be to inspect your brake discs which should be changed when needed depending on your driving style and environmental conditions.

Secondly, bleed your brake lines to get any air out of the braking system, if you do not know how to do it do not attempt to do it by yourself take your car to a professional and ask them to inspect your brakes.

Car Battles - Lamborghini VS Ferrari (Week 1)

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 11:01:25 GMT

To kick off our first week of car battles we have one of the biggest automotive rivalries ever, the Lamborghini VS Ferrari. This week we aren't speaking about a specific model of the makes, we are speaking about any and all models. We would like to know what car you would choose before you read the rest of the article, we post weekly car battles on our Instagram and Facebook pages, make sure to give us a visit and let us know what car you're taking!

Starting off, both of the car makers have at some point been the fastest cars in the world, in 1967 Lamborghini premiered the Lamborghini Miura P400 which reached a top speed of 171 MPH, which was a huge accomplishment. In 1984 Ferrari came back for the number one spot and took the trophy from Lamborghini with the Ferrari 288 GTO which reached a top speed of 188 MPH.

Both of the car makers are known for producing luxury, high preformance cars. Most of the time it comes down to personal preference when it comes to choosing between the two, at the end of the article we will showcase some more pictures of both makers to help you decide.

Lamborghini produces much less cars than Ferrari which means your Lambo will stand out much more amongst other supercars, the price of both car makers is pretty similar. Whereas if you want a car that is more luxurious Ferrari is the one to go for, Lamborghini is more of a supercar without a huge focus on luxury.

What Is A DPF Cleaner & Why You Need It

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 16:21:56 GMT

Do you own a Diesel car? worried about your DPF getting blocked after driving through the city all the time?

All you need is a DPF cleaner, this DPF cleaner will greatly reduce soot emissions your car releases, it will regenerate the particulate filter by unblocking all of the soot built up in your exhaust system, it was give your engine an all-round spring clean!

If you have a diesel car and you do many short or stop-start journeys and dont go on the motorway often or at all, we highly recommend investing in a DPF cleaner, if you mistreat your particle filter you will need to pay a lot replace it. Be prepared invest in a DPF cleaner and make sure your particulate filter is going to be safe from soot, you won't have to spend money for repairs and take advantage of any other benefits that it brings such as increased fuel efficiency, improvement to power and acceleration and helps with cold starts!

The Clean Drive - Advanced fuel and exhaust system cleaner is one of the best DPF cleaners on the market, we at Autozones are huge believers in this product as well as selling hundreads of these DPF cleaners we have never recieved negative opinions about it. It is available for purchase in store or online (through our website or eBay).

We also have other DPF cleaners that you might find interesting, check out our range of products on the website!

7 Car Noises You Should Not Ignore

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 10:12:31 GMT

Hearing knocks and bangs coming from your car can be quite frightening because there are so many different components to a car that we might not even recognise what is wrong. In this article we will give you some tips and pointers of what different noises could mean in your car and what the problem could be!

Rattling Underneath Your Car

If you hear rattling noises from underneat your car, something that resembles a box of stones being shaken, that most likely means there is a problem with your exhaust system or your catalythic converter is faulty. A catalythic converter should be changed every 10 years or 100,000 miles , in some cases it gets damaged and worn out before that, it is a vital component for your car so you should get it checked out and replaced as soon as possible before it causes any more damage to other components.

Knocking Inside The Engine

If you hear knocking coming from the inside of your engine, stop the car safely and check if you have enough engine oil in the car, adding engine oil will lubricate all of the components and possibly fix the banging coming from the engine. If your engine oil levels are correct that means that a component from your engine is breaking or already broken in that case you should take your car to a specialist and get it checked out. It could start from a small issue but if it is ignored and you hope it goes away it can cause even more damage to other components, making your repair costs even higher.

Squealing when you brake

If you hear your brakes making any unusual noises, that most likely means your brake pads are starting to ware out, your brakes should not make any sounds when applied. If they do make a squealing sound make sure to replace your brake pads, if you ignore this issue you will end up damaging your brake calipers, increasing your repair costs drastically.

Loud Banging Noises

Loud banging noises often come from the engine backfiring, if this does happen your air filter is most likely clogged up. This means that air isn't mixing with the fuel supplied to the engine. Do not put these bangs off or ignore them, something is most likely wrong with the engine or the air filter get it checked and fixed by a professional as soon as possible.

Clunking When You Change Gear

Your transmission should not make alarming sounds when you change gears, if yor transmission does make a strange/alarming sound whilst changing gears, there is most likely a problem with your transmission or you might have a damaged clutch. In this case you should get it checked out by a professional and fix any of the issues immediately before any more damages are caused that could lead to more expenses.

Hissing

If you hear a hissing sound coming from your car there could be a few different issues appearing, if you hear the hissing sound you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so, the hissing sound could be an indication of your engine overheating, you can check the temperature gauge to see if this is the issue that makes the hissing sound.

If overheating is not the reason why your engine is hissing it could also mean that your rubber hose has developed a crack or a hole in it which means you would have to take your car to a professional and get it fixed as soon as possible.

Squealing When Accelerating

There should not be a concerning noise coming from your car when you accelerate, if you do hear a weird/unusual noise when you accelerate. That typically means that your fan belt is worn or has come loose, in this case you will need to visit a mechanic and get it replaced or tightened, the fan belt is a component that deteriorates over time, it needs to be changed or tightened after a certain amount of time. DO NOT ignore this sound or let the issue continue, it will cause a lot more damage to other components in your car, causing bigger repair bills.

You should never ignore unusual noises in your car, your car is a perfectly manifactured machine that should run smooth without making concerning noises. Some components deteriorate and break over time, these components should be changed and replaced before they cause damage to any other components, for example if your brake pads are worn out and you don't replace them they will damage your whole braking system.

How To Drive Safer During Winter

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 11:43:31 GMT

Winter can bring some of the most difficult driving conditions for vechicles, we will give you some tips and advice on how you can keep yourself safer driving during winter!

Wear Comfortable/Dry Footwear

Footwear plays a huge part in your driving, you should always consider wearing comfortable and sensible footwear whilst driving, this matter is amplified when it comes to driving in winter, where it will rain much more and your footwear is much more likely to be wet and slippery!

Drive In A Higher Gear

When driving in ice or snow, accelerate gently and change into a higher gear as soon as possible, this will reduce the chances of wheelspin and will greatly increase your control of the car.

Moving Off In Second Gear

Moving off in second gear is a must in some winter circumstances, most newer, automatic transmission cars have a winter mode which does the whole process for you, whereas the manual drivers will have to do it themselves.

Moving off in second gear will lower your chances of your wheels spinning and temporary losing control of your car.

Keep Your Speed Low

Keeping your speed low is very important so that you can maintain a safe stopping distance, make sure you plan your journey ahead and you are prepared for any delays. Driving in winter conditions such as in snow or ice is very challanging making sure you keep a good speed and a safe distance is very important!

Driving in winter conditions can be very challanging, follow these tips during winter to drive a lot safer whilst keeping others safe and well!

How To Prepare Your Car For Winter

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 11:02:21 GMT

Preparing your car for winter season properly is really important when it comes to making sure your car functions properly and that you and others are kept as safe as possible. Here are some tips on what you can do to prepare yourself and your car for Winter!

Get Your Car Serviced

Getting your car serviced just before winter is one of the most important aspects to keeping your car up and running all winter. Making sure nothing is wrong with your car before winter arrives can save you from an unpleasant surprise. Get your car serviced, get your car ready for the frosty temperatures!

Check Your Battery

Your battery is much more likely to struggle during winter, mainly due to you stressing your car much more by using the heating, the radio and the car having to start in cold tempertures constantly. We have made a seperate article on how you can save your car battery and make sure it does not die on you when you need it most!

Checking your battery, making sure it is in good condition, checking for any corrosion or damage is very important. If you are worried about your car battery struggling throughout winter or you think it might not make it, change your car battery or buy a battery charger (We have a huge selection available in store and online!)

Make sure you have enough engine coolant/antifreeze

Having enough antifreeze is often overlooked and forgotten about, check that you have enough antifreeze, this will prevent your engine coolant from freezing during low temperatures. Antifreeze is a very important aspect of your car it not only helps your engine coolant from freezing during winter but also stops it from boiling during summer.

Check the condition of your tyres

Tyres are huge when it comes to driving safer during winter, snow and ice can be difficult obsticles to overcome, having your car tyres in bad condition will only make it much more difficult to tackle the winter season. If your tyres are in poor condition or could use a change, buy new tyres, better do it before it's too late!

Clean Your Lights

Making sure your lights are clean from any debris and dirt is very important, of course the dirtier the your lights the less you will see in the dark and the dimmer they will be for other people to see. Making sure your lights are cleaned is very important and is not very hard to do, you can just wipe your lights with a a wipe and some water or if you have tougher marks or dirt on your lights you can clean it with toothpaste, scrubbing until the marks go away.

Wash your windscreen and wipers

Make sure you clean your windscreen and wipers before winter, your windscreen will mist up and it will be much harder to see through your windscreen, grime and other dirt collects on the windscreen wiping it down and cleaning it properly will make it much easier for you to see and it can stop it from fogging up as much!

Wipers are also very important, they can collect leafs and other debris you don't want wiping on your windscreen, make sure to clean both your wipers and windscreen regularly.

Following the advice mentioned will drastically help you and your car defeat the winter season and cold weather!

Winter Driving Statistics

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 16:59:13 GMT

Winter season is the most dangerous season to drive and also the season hardest to maintain your car, cold temperatures can have a huge negative impact on your car. In this article we will show you some of the most interesting winter driving statistics that definately will make you think!

Winter Statistics:

17% of all car crashes happen during the winter season.
More than 116,800 people get injured in car accidents on snowy or icy roads every year.
There are 156,164 crashes annually due just to icy roads.
More than 1300 people are killed in car crashes on snowy or icy roads every year.

These winter statistics were recorded in 2018 in the UK, they show how dangerous driving on snowy or icy roads can be, we are posting regular content on our social media channels on how to drive safer during winter and how to maintain your car in the cold conditions!

Mistakes People Make Driving In Snow and Ice

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 16:33:56 GMT

The winter season will be the hardest challange you will face in your car, cold temperatures and icy roads can be a scary experience. In this article we will tell you how you can prepare yourself for most circumstances you face during winter.

Make sure you are prepared

Being prepared is one of the biggest factors when it comes to tackling the winter season. Making sure you have winter tyres installed on your car, making sure the tyre pressure on all four of your tyres is correct. These are some of the most important aspects of driving during winter, your tyres play a huge part in keeping you safe on the snowy/icy roads.

Not clearing your car off snow and ice!

Making sure your car is clean of any ice or snow is very important, the winter season brings the visibility down naturally, fog and rain are some of the common obsructions you will face during winter. You need to make sure to clear any snow or ice that is on your car, your mirrors and windows. Visibility is very important during this time of year where your reaction time has a huge impact.

Driving too fast and not being careful

The winter season already has a huge impact on all of the drivers, slowing the flow of traffic, making it much harder to manouver and overall causing much more havoc on the roads, due to this many people will be running late to anywhere they are going, meaning more people will be rushing because they have not planned their journey ahead or didn't give themselves enough time!

This means you need to be more careful and not drive as fast, if everyone slowed down, planned their journey's and was much more careful during winter season we could avoid many accidents or unpleasant incidents!

Tailgating...

You should always keep a safe distance away from the car infront of you, but during the winter season this issue is amplified, we all should know that ice and snow increases your stopping distance, tailgating is dangerous enough when done during dry conditions, during the winter season you will most likely not stop in time and cause an accident...

Panicking when you skid

Skidding is one of the scariest experiences whilst driving in winter, there aren't many ways of avoiding skidding, one and possibly the most important tips when it comes to controlling your car and making sure you come out of the skid is not to panick and make any sudden movements (It will only make it worse!).

To control it, take your feet off the pedals, then quickly turn the steering wheel in the direction you want to go.

Weather it is your first winter driving or you are not sure about certain aspects of driving in ice or snow, read out articles, educate yourself online, get some professional advice. Keep yourself and others safe during the winter season!

Simple Winter Car Care Tips

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 15:23:10 GMT

The winter season can get quite challenging for you and your car, making sure your car preforms as well as it can do is very important during tough winter conditions with icy or snowy roads. In this article we will tell you what you can do to keep your car preforming very well and getting through the winter!

Keep Track Of Your Tyre Pressure

Tyre pressure can very easily drop with the air pressure, driving with low tyre pressure will cause premature tyre wear and thread seperation meaning you will have to invest in new tyres sooner than expected!

Keeping track of your tyre pressure and keeping it at the correct level will ensure that your tyres are not getting damaged and you have full control that your tyres can provide.

Check and Maintain Your Battery

Checking and making sure your car battery is maintained well is very important, we have posted an article on how to maintain your battery properly and how to make sure it won't die on you during winter.

Making sure you are taking care of your car battery and changing it whenever you think it is struggling is very important, do your checks, invest in a battery charger and maintainer in case your battery does die!

Check and Replace Your Bulbs

During winter you will be driving in the dark much more than you would normally due to the sun setting sooner. Make sure you check your bulbs and replace them if needed. Visibility is very important in winter time, foggy weather and overall visibility is much lower than during other periods of the year.

To make sure your bulbs are working properly and illuminating as they should be, turn your car on preferably in the dark, turn the healights on and walk around the car making sure they are bright all around. To check the back lights have someone look if they illuminate and if they work as intended when you break, if you don't have anyone that could check for you park next to a wall or a car and look for reflections to see if they work.

Invest In Winter Tyres

Investing in winter tyres is also neccesary to make sure you have the most amount of control over your vechicle, normal tyres don't have the same traction and are not designed to be driven on ice or snow, whereas winter tyres will help you maximise control over your vechicle.

Flush and Fill The Coolant

Coolant, also known as anti-freeze is a crucial component for your car during winter, it stops your engine from freezing in cold temperatures. Before winter arrives make sure your car is not low on coolant or antifreeze. Also make sure that there are no leaks in your engine that could drain out the antifreeze.

Top Up Your Petrol

Make sure you always have more than a quarter of the fuel tank filled up during winter, cold temperatures cause your car to work much harder, using more fuel than normal, always having more than quarter of the tank almost ensures you won't run out unexpectedly.

How To Protect Your Car Battery During Winter

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 10:31:59 GMT

Winter temperatures greatly reduce the life of our car batteries, whilst we can not have an effect on the cold temperatures, we can prepare for it, in this article we will tell you what to do and what not to do to protect your car battery much better, making sure it won't die on you when you need it most!

Avoid this at all costs!

When you first get into your car the biggest and worst mistake you can make is putting the heating on full blast and hottest temperature, after which you turn on the radio!

This is the worst thing you can do to your battery, you are putting a lot of stress on a cold battery to preform all of these tasks!

When you get into the car put the heater on at the lowest setting and gradually with time you can increase it as your car warms up and prepares the battery for the task. Don't turn your radio on for a while, let your car warm up, then turn the radio on.

If you need to ventilate your car roll your windows down and the fresh air will clean your windows and ventilate your car.

Check your battery

Making sure your car battery works as intended is the most important factor of all, if you have an older car or have not changed your battery for sometime make sure to get it checked before winter arrives!

Your car battery deteriorates with time, corrosion forms, debris appears, making sure your battery is working fine and supporting your car is very important. You do not want to get stranded, during winter because you didn't check or change your battery.

Prepare for the worst

Preparing for the worst will guarantee that nothing can possibly surprise you, dead battery? have jump starter cables, not sure if your car battery will survive the winter or will struggle? get a new battery!

If you are not sure if you need a new battery, or want advice about anything mentioned in this article you can contact us or visit us in store and we can help!

Make sure you take care of your car battery during winter, letting your car battery charge before it has to preform any taxing tasks is the key to keeping your car battery working well.