OIL SLIP-UPS COST DRIVERS DEARLY WARNS HALFORDS

Research from Halfords has found that one in three motorists never carries out the basic task of checking their car’s oil level – placing approximately 10 million cars at risk of premature engine wear or serious mechanical failure that could cost thousands.

However, even fastidious owners that do check their oil may not appreciate the speed with which a small leak can lower the recommended level to a dangerous one – a difference of just half a litre.

The time it can take for a leak to place drivers at risk of an expensive repair can be as little as 6 hours* – equivalent to a day at the shops and much less than parking overnight outside your home.

Halfords oil expert Jemma Billings said: “Oil is the lifeblood of any vehicle and drivers need to be watchful. Check oil dipsticks regularly and look for tell-tale spots of fresh oil on driveways or in parking bays when you pull away that could indicate a problem with your car.

“It is worth remembering that a single oil leak no bigger than a pinprick anywhere in your car’s oil system can drain the engine entirely in just a few hours but they also can deteriorate quickly, so carry a small bottle of oil in your boot that you can use to top-up and get you home or to the nearest garage in the event of a problem.”

The average cost of repairs required as a result of low oil is approximately £1,400 but with low engine oil levels known to cause damage to major compomnents including big end bearings – which can wear, seize or in extreme cases burst through the engine – crankshafts and pistons, the costs can run into many thousands.

Jemma added: “Running a car with little or no oil is a one-way ticket to (at best) the garage or (at worst) the scrapheap, so we recommend motorists take ‘a minute to save money’ and check their oil level once a fortnight or, for high-mileage drivers, every 500 miles.

“All of our stores offer a free five-point check which includes the engine oil and a free top-up if your low – which means even the busiest of motorists can avoid a potentially costly garage bill. 

From now until the 13th of October Halfords is giving away an absorbent oil drip mat with all 5 litre bottles of its own-brand oil – which is ideal for use in the garage or on the driveway and will capture leaks or spills by absorbing up to 2.6 litres of oil.

Because using the wrong oil for your car can also lead to costly problems, ensure you choose the right oil for your car by using Halfords’ handy car registration oil look-up tool at www.halfords.com or use our handy reference list in store.

Ends

Media contact:

Stuart Humphreys, Automotive PR Manager, T: 01527 513410, E: stuart.humphreys@halfords.co.uk

Chloe Stewart, PR Coordinator, T: 01527 513315, E: chloe.stewart@halfords.co.uk

Editor’s Notes:

*Drip test conducted using 5W 30 grade engine oil at 18oC through a hole 0.5mm in diameter

Halfords Group plc

Halfords is the UK's leading retailer of automotive, cycling and leisure products and, through Halfords Autocentres, also one of the UK's leading independent car servicing and repair operators. Halfords customers shop at 465 stores in the UK and ROI and at halfords.com for pick-up at their local store or direct home delivery. Halfords Autocentres operates from around 300 sites nationally and offers motorists dealership-quality MOTs, repairs and car servicing at affordable prices.

The Halfords group strategy is based on three pillars:

Supporting Drivers Of Every Car, Inspiring Cyclists Of Every Age, Equipping Families For Their Leisure Time

The Getting Into Gear strategy for the Retail business is based on executing in five key areas in order to deliver a significantly-enhanced customer experience:

Service Revolution, The H Factor, Stores Fit to Shop, 21st Century Infrastructure, Click with the Digital Future

Halfords employs approximately 12,000 colleagues and sells around 9,000 product lines in store, increasing to around 160,000 Retail products online. The Retail offering encompasses significant ranges in car parts, cycling products, in-car technology, child seats, roof boxes and camping equipment. Halfords’ own cycling brands include Apollo, Carrera and Boardman cycles, augmented by a range of other brands of cycles and accessories, including Kona, Mongoose, Raleigh and Pinarello. In Auto, the Halfords Essentials and Halfords Enhanced ranges are sold alongside brands such as Generic Electric, Bosch, Garmin and TomTom. The Retail Auto offering was recently augmented by the introduction of Car Parts Direct, a service delivering rapid customer access to around 130,000 car parts. In Travel Solutions, Halfords sells a premium range of camping equipment including brands such as Vango and Outwell. Halfords offers customers expert advice and a fitting service called ‘wefit’ for car parts, child seats, satellite navigation and in-car entertainment systems, and a ‘werepair’ service for cycles.