Car Rental Checklist "BEFORE TAKING A DRIVE"

 

When getting an Auckland Rental Car you can be sure that most checks have been completed on your behalf. If however you want to know what to look out for on your rental vehicle or even your personal car please read on.

 

There are three levels of seriousness to ensuring a vehicle is sound and safe for the road.

 

The first are what most people employ, theses being feeling, sound and warning lights.

If a car seems sluggish or is idling very low most people are able to notice these changes. So if something does not feel right on your personal or rental vehicle be sure to get it checked out as this is a sure sign of something wrong. Similarly if there are any warning light appearing on the dash it is imperative that you deal with it immediately as there is likely something very wrong with the car.

 

 

 

 

The second level of checks that should be done is the standard Auckland car rental industry checks that will be performed before every hire (or every 1000km for personal vehicles).

These checks are:

• When is the registration and COF (or WOF) due?

• Is there a spare wheel (pumped), jack, handle & wheel spanner in the boot?

• Are the tyres and tyre tread in good condition? To learn more about tyres and tyre tread click here.

• Are all the lights working? Remember to check the parking lights, low/high beams, indicators, reverse lights, brake lights & rear No plate light.

• Are the windscreen wipers working and are not cracked?

• Are there any stone chips or cracks in the windscreen and side mirrors?

• Are the fluids under the bonnet both sufficient and clean? Be sure to check the brake fluid, power steering fluid, oil, transmission fluid, radiator level and windscreen washer. To learn more about fluids under the bonnet click here.

• What kind of play does the steering wheel have? To learn more about steering wheel play click here.

• Is the battery corroded or corroding?

• Are the fan/power steering belts perished or cracked, to read more about fan/power steering belts click here.

 

The third and possibly most technical level of checks on a vehicle will come in the form of a service. These services are regularly performed on the Auckland rental cars and can be used as a guideline for personal vehicles too. These checks can be done with very little equipment and should be performed every 15,000km buy yourself (please note that this should not replace a regular mechanical service but is merely a preventative check.) The main areas to look for are under the hood as well as on the tyres.

The following are essential:

• Are brake pads and shoes in good condition with adequate thickness? If you want to read more about brake pads and shoes click here.

• Are the tyres and tyre tread in good condition? Based on the tread should the tyres be rotated? If you would like to learn more about rotating tyres click here.

• Does the oil need to be changed? If so what is the best oil for your car? If you would like to learn more about changing vehicles oil click here.

• Is the air filter clean? If you would like to know more about air filters click here.

• Are the spark plugs in good condition or do they need to be changed? To learn more about changing spark plugs click here.

• Does the brake fluid need to be topped up?

• Does the power steering fluid need to be topped up?

• Does the transmission fluid need to be topped up or changed? To learn more about transmission fluid click here.

 

The aim of all the checks above is to help avoid any serious mechanical issues with your personal or rental vehicle. If something serious does emerge please make sure you consult a mechanic as these are often specialised issues that require an experienced hand.