puncture

Expert advice: all about pothole damage to your car

pothole damage
Drive though this and you could inflict all sorts of damage on tyre, wheel or suspension (Picture iStock/Marc Bruxelles)

Now’s the time of year when the number of potholes on our roads starts to increase. Winter weather with its extreme temperature variations along with heavy rain and sometimes snow results in more damage to road surfaces. And more holes mean the greater chance that you’ll drive through one and suffer pothole damage to your car in one way or another.

So I thought it would be the perfect time of year to look at pothole damage and what we as drivers can do to spot and limit the effects of it.

Tyre damage is easy to see

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Expert advice: Used car tyres? Probably not such a great idea

used car tyres
Used car tyres can be sold with dangerously worn tread compared to new tyres (Picture iStock/Fertnig)

We’re hearing from our friends in the tyre industry that they’re expecting cash-strapped drivers to buy increasing numbers of used car tyres. Of course, it’s related to increases in the cost of living: motoring costs are as badly affected as food when it comes to inflation.

And buying used (sometimes called part-worn) tyres is one way people might think they can save money.

Like a visit to the dentist, no one relishes forking out to replace the rubber on their car. But I think there are several reasons why buying used tyres isn’t a brilliant idea.

What are used car tyres?

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Take our quiz: find out how much you know about your car tyres

Test your knowledge of tyres (Picture iStock/PeterSchreiber.media)

Our car tyres are one of the vehicle’s most important pieces of safety equipment. They’re its only contact with the road so keeping them in good condition is vital for reliable and safe motoring.

But how much do you actually know about them? Take our quiz to find out.

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Up to a third of drivers suffer pothole damage

pothole damage
Between one in three and one in five UK drivers has struck a pothole (Picture iStock/Kozmoat98)

If your car’s been damaged by a pothole, you’re not alone. New research suggests at worst one in three drivers has suffered in this way; at best the figure is one in five.

And another annual study of the state of the nation’s roads paints a picture of a network that’s gradually crumbling. The report blames years of inconsistent funding combined with extreme weather conditions.

How many drivers have suffered pothole damage?

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Punctured tyre? We look at the best solutions

Punctured tyre
This doesn’t have to be you if you’ve had a puncture (Picture iStock/Bobex-73)

Had a punctured tyre recently? If so, how did you deal with it? Chances are you didn’t change the wheel at the roadside. Not because you couldn’t be bothered but because spare wheels are considered old tech by most car makers now.

More than 90 per cent of new cars are sold without a spare wheel as standard. Drivers can often specify one as an optional extra (they cost between about £100 and £300 depending on the car), so it’s worth checking whether that box has been ticked by a previous owner if buying a used car.

If it hasn’t, what are your choices and are they any good? We investigate three puncture solutions.

What is a run-flat tyre?

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Expert advice: drivers rely too much on TPMS tyre pressure monitoring

Tyre pressure monitoring

If your car is registered after 2012, it will probably be fitted with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). But I have concerns that drivers are relying too much on the technology and not performing regular tyre checks themselves.

My fears are that drivers could be putting themselves in danger by thinking TPMS is doing a job it is neither designed for nor capable of. Here’s how TPMS may not be the all-encompassing safety net many drivers think it is.

TPMS MOT failures rise dramatically

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Spare wheel versus repair kit: Which is best when you suffer a flat tyre

Spare wheel versus repair kit

Feeling a bit deflated? We’ve all had a flat tyre. But what’s the best way to fix it?

The spare wheel versus repair kit debate is one that gets many drivers revving like a racing engine, particularly if they’re buying a new car. The majority of new motors ‑ nine out of 10 according to website Honest John ‑ are sold without a full-size spare wheel. In most cases the spare is replaced with a repair kit that is designed to get you back on the road and to somewhere where you can buy a replacement tyre.

A flat tyre is likely to afflict every driver at some point in their motoring life. Changing wheels is the second most popular reason that customers call Green Flag out. And according to tyre maker Continental, drivers suffer a puncture on average every 44,000 miles or five years. So having something that can replace a flat tyre is clearly important. But in the spare wheel versus repair kit argument, which comes out on top? We investigate.

What’s wrong with the good old-fashioned spare wheel?

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Repairing tyres: All you need to know

Repairing tyres

Whether a tyre can be repaired depends on where the damage is. Whoever’s doing the repair should first remove and inspect the tyre (Picture © TyreSafe)

Knowing if you can or can’t repair a tyre could come in very handy for a lot of drivers. Tyre companies estimate that on average drivers get a flat tyre about once every five years. Considering tyres can cost upwards of £100 each and you can repair a tyre for around £25, understanding if you can fix a puncture could be a handy money saver. Here’s all you need to know.  Continue reading

Expert advice: Changing a wheel after a puncture

Changing a wheel

Changing a wheel should be quite straightforward. Follow our expert advice to avoid common pitfalls (Picture © TyreSafe)

Changing a wheel: it’s one of the most common things Green Flag’s expert technicians are called out to fix and it’s also considered to be one of the simplest to do. There used to be a very macho perception that anyone can change a wheel and it was only people who didn’t want to get their hands dirty who called a breakdown service because they had a flat tyre. That’s nonsense. Changing a wheel can be tricky. Here’s a simple guide to de-mystify it.  Continue reading

Expert advice: Looking after car tyres

Looking after car tyres

Not looking after your tyres properly can see you end up in a world of sorrow (Picture © TyreSafe)

Looking after car tyres is one of the easiest elements of motoring. Yet how many times do we look at our cars and not see the tyres? Wheels yes, bodywork yes, but generally tyres can be neglected and taken for granted, even though they’re the greatest contributor to our safety on the road.  Continue reading

Breakdown causes: Why Green Flag is called out

Breakdown causes

Sensible drivers have breakdown cover and ring to be rescued

For some drivers, Friday the 13th really will be unlucky. They’ll be the thousands of car owners whose vehicles break down. Obviously cars are very complex machines with a lot of different components working together. At Green Flag we’re proud of our ability to get members’ cars going again when we attend breakdowns. And last year we helped out nearly 200,000 people. Here are the most popular reasons for calling out our technicians in 2014.  Continue reading