The AA have announced that they believe this Wednesday (4th Jan2012) will be the busiest for breakdowns as many people return to work and the school run, as reported in the Scotsman. It is estimated that 3.5k cars will breakdown on this day in Scotland, with small issues such as a flat battery and will run at 60% above normal.
Christmas tends to be a time where cars are left or just not looked after, with the expectation that everything will be OK on its first journey for a while. Although the AA, did expect to to be quieter than last year when the UK suffered record breaking snowfall and low temperatures.
A recommendation was to drive the car before Wednesday to charge up batteries and other issues that may occur on the return to work. With AA breakdown cover, the organisation is prepared for this upturn on call outs, but a bit of pre-thought can save the inconvenience of a breakdown, just as all the festivities have ended. Lets start the new year as we intend to go on, with reliable well looked after cars.
The AA have put together a new item claiming that winter motoring adds around 3p per litre to already high fuel prices. Using more electrics, having to warm up the oil before it becomes efficient and using the heater are key reasons why it will use 3% more fuel than normal. The initial start up period is the worst with the AA claiming that your car could be using 40% more fuel initially when leaving your drive as it deals with your car being cold.
Other fuel consuming actions are demisting the windows, especially bad on small cars and of course getting stuck in the winter traffic jams that disappear in the summer months as people find alternative transport. As your car gets further from home and warms up consumption figures improve, depending on how long heated windows and heaters stay on.
Although not mentioned in this report, good car care can cut down on initial fuel costs, by ensure you car is tuned correctly and has the right anti freeze in. After all the AA is the largest breakdown cover organisation in the UK. And if you want to use the AA breakdown cover service, rather than ensuring your car is prepared for the winter months, then some consideration and planning should be made.
Many members and non members are often unaware of the extra services the AA can offer as well as the traditional breakdown cover service everyones relates to. One such service is called AA Fuel Assist and is aimed at a driver or business who has filled theie vehicle with the wrong fuel type of which we know can do damage to the vehicle and eventualy stop running.
This service started in 2007 with an estimated 150,000 drivers using the wrong fuel in their vehicle and such disposing of 7.5 million litres of fuel dwon the drain. The AA extra service is not just about retreiving the fuel and cleansing the engine and tank in question, but recycling the fuel in a way that means the fuel can be reused for other purposes.
The service is not just open to AA breakdown cover memebrs but to the general public also. The AA recomend not to start the car when you have misfueled and to contact the AA Fuel Assist Service as soon as possible. the costs is around £150, but a lot cheaper than replacing the engine.
The AA have been involved in motoring safety for over a decade now, but this also expands over into maintenance of your vehicle and giving advice and tips on how to do small jobs on you car. Obviously the big jobs you may leave to the professional or even call out your friendly AA Breakdown Cover man, depending on what policy you have. But often, there things that can go wrong, that with a bit of knowledge and experience, you can do yourself quicker than wait for someone to assist you.
Take for example changing a wheel, maybe because you have a flat tyre, the AA has not only advice on this subject but a few years ago released some AA Patrol videos to show you what to do. For some changing a wheel can be something they have done many times, but it doesn’t hurt to see professional do things to keep you safe. Here is the video.
