Car ownership can certainly make for quite the ‘ride’, and we mean that in several senses of the term. Most of us can probably relate to feeling a sentimental attachment to our cars, whether your current vehicle is a humble family runabout, or a lean sports coupe or supercar. But this same sense of attachment can also risk us being more than a little blind to the problems with our treasured set of wheels.
Sure, you can help keep your car running for longer if you invest in appropriate MOT and car servicing in Laindon – or wherever you happen to live and work – at regular intervals. But sooner or later, the chances are that certain problems with your vehicle will become too difficult to ignore.
Now, before we go any further, we should probably clarify that there are several possible interpretations of the word “upgrading” in this context. We could be alluding to the notion of simply replacing a specific part on your existing vehicle, or it could be a reference to replacing the entire vehicle with a new model.
Whatever; we’ll acknowledge both interpretations in this article. So, with no further ado, let’s take you through just three of the potential signs that – yes – the time to upgrade or replace your vehicle really could have arrived.
- You’re simply spending too much on your car
At the time of typing, the world is gripped with a very concerning cost-of-living crisis, so we thought we may as well start with this extremely topical subject.
Of course, it can often feel as if running any car is an extremely expensive business these days. But if there seem to be constant ‘incidents’ happening – both large and small – that add to your costs, such as your car breaking down repeatedly or seeming to need pricey repair work every time you have it serviced, these could be loud indicators that it’s time to upgrade.
There are naturally different options for upgrading your car if cost reduction is your primary motivator. If you are looking to buy a new car, a hybrid or electric vehicle might be your priority as an upgrade from a petrol or diesel one, particularly given that vehicles running on fossil fuels look like they might become a ‘thing of the past’ sooner than many motorists realise.
However, it might also be possible for you to have modifications undertaken on your existing vehicle that could genuinely help lower your costs. One such modification could be the remapping of your car, which – as the Express has previously reported – could bolster your vehicle’s fuel economy and even help lower your insurance premiums.
- Your car tyres have lumps, bulges, or insufficient tread depth
You might have read or heard that the minimum legally permitted tyre tread depth for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the tyre’s central three-quarters.
And as The Sun has reported in the past, simply inserting a 20p coin in the groove of one of your car’s tyres can be an excellent way to check that the tyre tread depth is still compliant with the rule. You just need to remember that the outer band of the 20p measures 2.7mm, which is well above the legal minimum requirement. So, if the outer band is obscured when you place it in the tyre groove, the tyre should be in good shape.
We say “should”, because it’s not just a low tread depth that you should be alert to when checking your tyres; any lumps or bulges, for example, will indicate that the structure of the tyre is failing, necessitating that you have the tyres replaced.
As Which? explains, the ideal course of action would be to have all your car’s tyres replaced at the same time. However, the front and rear tyres on a vehicle can be subject to different rates of wear, which might make it a wise idea to rotate your car’s tyres from time to time in order to prolong their safe use.
- You’re worried about the safety of your car
Or more specifically, you might be concerned about the lack of safety of your present vehicle. You might have an existing vehicle, for instance, that has never had a very impressive Euro NCAP rating, and you may have just welcomed a new addition to the family; in that situation, ensuring you’re driving the safest possible car might have become an even more pressing priority for you.
As well as looking at the Euro NCAP website, which shows the latest ratings for various car models, you can simply Google the name of the car model you’re considering, followed by ‘safety’, to see what professional motoring journalists and drivers have said about the given vehicle’s safety record.
The most recent models tend to incorporate the most sophisticated safety features such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keeping technology, so it could be well worth upgrading your car with safety as your principal motivation.
There you have it – just three of the key indicators that now could be the right moment for you to invest in upgrading your vehicle, whether through replacement or modification.