If you are using your van for work, your very livelihood can depend on it being in full working order, so it is important to ensure that you keep it in tip top condition at all times. The key to avoiding big bills at the garage, and the resultant hikes in van insurance costs, is by keeping up with the maintenance of your vehicle.
Keeping up with your MOT and yearly service schedule are vital steps, but there are some things you should be doing on a weekly or monthly basis to ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy and running smoothly:
Tyres: If your tyre pressures are incorrect, the steering of your van will be affected, which could be very dangerous at higher speeds. You can check and change your tyre pressure for free at most petrol stations, so you should take advantage of this on a weekly basis if you do not have the wherewithal to do this yourself.
Another thing to keep an eye on is the depth of the tread on your tyres, which gets worn down as you drive on them. Heavily worn tyres are not only dangerous, as they stand a greater risk of puncturing or slipping in wet conditions, they are also illegal. If you are caught by the police with a tyre tread depth of less than 1.6mm, you will face a fixed penalty as well as points on your license, which could drive up your van insurance premium.
Oil: Engines contain a lot of moving parts which require oil for lubrication, so if your oil level falls below a certain threshold, your engine will begin to overheat and wear out. Simply by checking that your oil is above a certain level and topping it up frequently can save you a fortune in repair bills.
Water/coolant: Without some kind of cooling system, most engines would overheat and catch fire after running for a certain period, so it you have a liquid cooled engine, make sure that you keep the liquid levels in the radiator maintained, and you can prevent this from happening.
Washer fluid: A dirty windscreen can severely reduce your visibility, and thus your safety, when you are out driving. Your windscreen wiper should be able to take care of this, but only when it has fluid in it, so be sure to keep those levels topped up.
Brake fluid: Ensuring that the fluid in your brakes is topped up is perhaps the most important of all these checks from a safety point of view. If a brake does not have sufficient fluid, then your braking time will be significantly increased, which means that you stand a greater chance of being involved in an accident.
