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The Importance of Vehicle Maintenance.
Nearly everyone who owns a car is well aware of the costs involved. Registration, insurance and tyres are often
the first things most owners consider. Vehicle maintenance however, is often a neglected expense of vehicle
ownership.
Here at Donnellans - The Tyremen, we believe that an attentive owner can notice issues and get their vehicle
seen to before it becomes an expensive fix or a safety issue.
To get the most value out of your tyres, one of the most important factors is running the correct tyre pressure.
Tyre pressure is key to getting the best fuel economy and tread wear. Your vehicle manufacturer will have a tyre
placard - usually located inside the driver’s door jamb - or a chart in the owner's manual specifying the
correct pressure for factory fitted wheels. If you are using aftermarket wheels with different tyre sizes,
please have a chat with our expert staff for a recommendation to suit your car. Tyre pressure should be checked
once a month with a cheap and accurate tyre pressure gauge that can be purchased from most automotive stores.
Accurate tyre pressures and a good wheel alignment go hand-in-hand for making your vehicle more economical,
handle better and be safer on the road. If your wheels are not aligned correctly, you might experience rapid
tyre wear, crabbing (where the vehicle does not track straight) or the vehicle is pulling left or right. Your
vehicle's wheel alignment is sensitive to even small changes but fortunately Donnellans is equipped with 3D Beam
precision alignment equipment to get your car wheels back within manufacturer spec.
During the life of your car, your suspension is asked to put up with a lot of abuse. From speed bumps to
potholes, curbs to car parks, your suspension components are responsible for keeping your vehicle under control.
During normal use, items like ball joints, suspension bushings and tie rods can all wear out. Symptoms like
clunking, grinding and squeaking coming from underneath the car while driving are cause to get your vehicle up
on a lift and assessed by a professional.
Going full circle back to tyres (see what we did there) a very easy thing you can check at home is your tread
depth. The minimum tread depth to be street legal in Australia is 1.5mm. However, the tendency to aquaplane in
wet conditions will increase as your tread becomes lower than 3-4mm. You can check your tread using a cheap tyre
gauge or using the 20c coin trick. If you notice uneven wear side to side, this may indicate that your vehicle
needs an alignment.
While inspecting tyres, be sure to look at your sidewalls for chips, gouges or bulges. This indicates the tyre
is weakened in that area and likely needs replacing.
Here at Donnellans The Tyremen, we are expert tyre fitters and specialise in wheel alignments and suspension. If
you are experiencing your vehicle pulling to one side or vibrations in the steering wheel, it’s best to get your
car checked for a wheel alignment.
With 5 stores across Melbourne there is one near you.
