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Whenever your car is broken or due for maintenance, you have the option to fix it yourself or to take it to a service centre so it can be checked by a real mechanic. Of course, if you think the issue with your car isn’t that serious, you can DIY the repair or maintenance to save money. After all, it’s imperative for all vehicle owners to know a thing or two about car care.

Then again, you have a better chance of ensuring a great upkeep work for your car if you let a professional handle it. Not only does a service centre have all the necessary tools and equipment for the upkeep of your vehicle, but a mechanic sure knows what to look for and where to look better than you. Even your grease monkey uncle or neighbour could easily pale in comparison to a certified mechanic when it comes to inspecting or fixing a car.

Basic Vehicle Inspection Checklist

When you’re weighing between DIY and professional car inspection, you normally ask questions like “what can a mechanic do that I can’t?” or “what do they check in a car inspection?” Here’s to give you an idea on how comprehensive a professional car inspection, repair, and maintenance service can be and why you should consider it a better idea to have your car professionally checked.

Brake System

The brakes are among the first and most important things a mechanic should check in your car during inspection. Specifically, your mechanic will check if the fluid level from the top of the reservoir and if the brake pads are still thick enough to produce traction beyond the next service. If the fluid is below the safe level, it’s likely that there could be a leak in the system, so your mechanic will have to find its source and repair it up before there is brake failure. The most important test is brake force to know if the brakes are providing adequate brake force to bring the vehicle to a halt in an emergency. Typical vehicle brakes are prone to imbalance, rotor warp, drag and/or brake fade also the linings, return springs, or wheel cylinder pushrod could be faulty and out of alignment. In most cases, your mechanic will subject the car to various brakes tests using equipment such as a decelerometer, tapley meter or plate tester, all of these measurements are only able to supply an indicative result for a brake test. To truly measure a braking system accurately and repeatably this needs to be completed on a heavy-duty roller brake tester to be sure about the brake’s condition. ONLY on a roller brake tester can a warped rotor or oval drum be tested, can wheel drag be tested, it can achieve accurate ut repeatable brake force readings. This is completed by turning the individual wheel turning at 5kmh without applying the variable input of relying on the technician to regulate the brake test like the above mentioned options. The other added bonus to a roller brake tester is that brake force over time, electric park brakes, tire tread depth may also be tested simultaneously during the vehicle inspection.

Lights

Your car has several different lights, each as vital for either illuminating the road or signalling other vehicles and pedestrians as the next. These include high beams, headlights, fog lights, brake lights and turn signals. They all must be operational, free from cracks or any signs of damage, if you want to have a safe journey every time you hit the road. Your mechanic will check each of them thoroughly and make recommendations in case a piece must be replaced. Newer adaptive LED headlights will need to be tested on a digital headlight tester

Suspension System

The suspension system is responsible for giving you control and keeping the tires on the road. All the power your car’s engine produces remains a threat to you and to your passengers if you don’t have a suspension system that give’s your steering system the stability by maximising the friction between the tires and the road surface. This system consists of several prominent parts, including the tires, springs, shock absorbers, bushes and linkages connecting the car’s body to the wheels. All of these parts will be thoroughly checked for wear and tear.

At home, when you check your car’s suspension system, you will have to go under the vehicle and make the inspection or repair while lying on the garage floor. At a premium service centre, your car will be lifted using a hydraulic car lift from a top provider like MAHA Premium Workshop Equipment to make it easier to check the car’s underside.

Tire Condition and Alignment

Nothing makes driving riskier than having tires that are either misaligned, excessively or unevenly worn down. They can immediately cause you to loose traction, especially when you are driving at a considerable speed. If your mechanic finds out that the tires have uneven wear, they will look for the cause and fix it before proceeding to rotate the tires or replace them altogether. Usually, tire misalignment is the main cause of this problem so fixing misalignment sort of strikes two birds with one stone.

Windows and Windshield

As unassuming as they may seem, the glass on your car’s windows actually plays a critical role not just in providing you with a view of the outside, but also in protecting you against heat, rain, and other elements. Your mechanic will systematically check the windows for cracks or chips and determine whether they can still be fixed through plunging or the panes need immediate replacement. The windshield along with the wipers and blades are the most important window on your car so they will give it particular attention.

Exhaust, Fuel, and Fluid

There are many other components of a vehicle that require constant inspection to keep the performance of your vehicle high. The exhaust system, for instance, has to be working properly or else you are at risk of CO poisoning. The engine check light and the ventilation system have to be free of signs of damage and deterioration as well to keep your vehicle well monitored and comfortable. When it comes to fluids that your car needs to operate smoothly, such as coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid, your mechanic will check their quality and recommend immediate change as needed.

These are only some of the many things they check for car inspection. There’s no question about how effective a mechanic is in inspecting and maintaining vehicles. The only thing you need to worry about when you decide to hire one is the fact that not all mechanics are qualified. You have to look for a mechanic that has sufficient experience in handling all types of vehicle. One advantage of going to a service centre is that not only will you be sure your vehicle is in good hands but you can also be sure that they will be using the right equipment to get the job done ten times faster than it would take if you go DIY.

For more information Contact Maha Australia on 1800 577 442