Care for your car

Dec 15 2009 Maurice Glover

Care for your car

SPARE a thought for your car over the Christmas holiday - or it might let you down.

Vehicles not used during the festive season could mean back-to-work blues for their owners, warns roadside services provider Mondial Assistance.

'We are predicting that December 28 and January 4 will be our busiest days - calls usually increase by 40 per cent as people return to work only to find their vehicles won't start or breakdown mid-journey," says spokesman Lee Taylor.

Most breakdowns at this time of the year are due to flat batteries rather than mechanical failure.

Mr Taylor advises: 'Try and avoid leaving your car unused for days at a time during a cold snap. Even if you are staying put over the holidays it's a good idea to start the engine and give the car a short run once or twice.

'This will help to avoid the dreaded flat battery, which alone is responsible for 30% of all breakdowns during this time of year. If you already have breakdown cover, make sure it covers you at home as there is a good chance that is where a car battery will fail,' he says.