Feeling your Car Out
When we say “feel” your car, we don’t mean in some weird go and touch and massage your car kind of way, we mean to stay conscious of how your car feels when you drive it. And since last week we covered the smells your car can make as early warning signs, we thought it’d be best if we discussed some of things that you can feel for when driving your car.
First let’s covering the steering. Does your steering wheel have any wobble to it? Does the car pull to one side when you drive? Is there any shake in the steering when you reach higher speeds? All of these are signs that something is wrong. None of these are normal, so don’t ever just let them persist without having one of our mechanics take a look at the issue.
Now let’s look at suspension. Is your car squeaking? When you go over bumps does it make a thud? How about when you go over railroad tracks, does your car bounce up and down? These are also signs of suspension issues and if left untreated you are putting yourself in danger because your vehicle is no longer gripping the road as it is supposed to, or how it was designed to do. Suspension problems are often left unresolved because they are sometimes tough to notice if you aren’t knowledgeable in them. Because they creep up on you, it’s easy to get used to the slight change in ride quality and never notice the problem. Put it this way, if it’s been a few years since you have had your suspension checked, you may want to have it looked at. After all, you are putting yourself in danger if your car can’t react in an emergency as it was meant to. Also, you could risk even more expensive repairs if you leave one problem untreated and it causes strain on another component.
Last not least, feel for metal grinding. Even though you would think you would hear it, sometimes, especially on new cars they are so well insulated that we can easily miss a grinding noise, so we need to feel for them. If you feel a grind, or a pop, or any abnormal sound, it is lily that something is causing a problem and it’s best left for an expert to find out what it is, so bring your car in.
We hope that you enjoyed this instalment of our blog. At Top Gear, our mechanics are committed to getting your car fixed and having you on your way safely, quickly and with peace of mind that your issue has been resolved. We might specialize in Audi, VW, Mercedes Benz and BMW, but we also just as good on other imports such as Toyota, Honda and Volvo. We are experts on all makes and models, so it makes us a great alternative to the dealer, no matter what you drive. As always, drive safe!