Wheel Alignments

Have you ever wanted to ask – Is a wheel alignment necessary?

We know customers fill their cars with petrol because without fuel their cars won’t start.  They replace a blown headlight bulb so they can visibly drive at night and they wash their cars to keep them looking clean, so why isn’t everyone aware of the value in having regular wheel alignments?

One possible reason is that with the above situations the result is immediately and plainly obvious.  With a vehicle out of alignment the damage to the tyres happens much more slowly over a longer period of time.

Many people don’t understand the importance of a correctly aligned vehicle, assuming that a wheel alignment lasts as long as their set of tyres – this is incorrect.

It is recommended a wheel alignment each time a new set of tyres are purchased as well as every 6 months or 10,000km thereafter.  This ensures the customer gets the best possible mileage out of their tyres, comfort from their vehicle, safe handing and braking and reduced driver fatigue.

Bridgestone recommends a wheel alignment is carried out if customer experience any of the following:

*  The vehicle is pulling to one side.

*  The vehicle’s steering wheel is not straight

*  Any of the steering or suspension components have been replaced

*  It has been 6 months or they have travelled more than 10,000km since the wheels were last aligned,

*  They have hit something on the road like large rocks or potholes.

25 Point Safety Check

New WOF Inspection frequency.  What does this mean to you?

New Vehicles:

An initial WOF inspection is needed, then another one at three years old, and one per year thereafter for the lifetime of the vehicle.

Older Vehicles:

On 1st Jan 2014 – All light vehicles first registered between 2004 and 2008 will move to one inspection per year thereafter for the lifetime of the vehicle.

On 1st July 2014 –  All light vehicles first registered after 1st Jan 2000, will move to one inspection per year thereafter for the lifetime of the vehicle.

Alpine Auto Centre has no issues with the new law changes, but would like to introduce a new service, its called 25 Point Safety Check for those customers who prefer to have their vehicles checked every 6 months for peace of mind, security and financial ease.

The following is a list of checks performed to keep your vehicle running smoothly between the new Warrant of Fitness inspections:

Vehicle check list for Alpine Auto Wanaka

Give us a call to book in your 25 Point Safety Check, don’t forget to let us know if you would like to receive a friendly reminder about this service.

Techincal Bulletin

Is your Falcon keeping you awake at night!

Complaint

Vehicle horn/alarm sounding at night intermittently, door locks cycling, or the vehicle mysteriously unlocking at home?

Cause

Long thought to be a body control module issue (some of these issues are due to defective BCM keep in mind) the problem arises at home usually of an evening.  Long forgotten is the spare key fob unit, usually thrown in the cupboard or dresser drawer in the bedroom, never to see the light of day for months, if not years.  Remember there is a battery in the spare remote, usually alkaline in design, containing an electrolyte which is susceptible to leak over time right?  After months go by, the electrolyte decides it’s time to leak, all over the internals of the key fob.  Now the fob is a transmitter after all, so short circuits happily begins, and the transmitter does what it is supposed to do … transmit.  House wall are not effective enough to block key fob transmissions, where is the car …. in the garage!

Hence the car horn sounding, door locks cycling.  Keep this is mind not only for Falcons, as all of the models with batteries are at risk.