Female Focus The Costa Motoring...


Time for a few more questions and answers from the team here at Javea Auto Sales. We haven’t done this feature for a while but as we get asked so many varied questions we thought we would update you with a few new ones from customers both new and old.


Q) Can my friends and family borrow my car when they are here visiting or do I need to inform my insurance company and add them to my policy?


A) Here in Spain, you generally insure the vehicle for any person to drive the car with your permission. It is always worth checking your policy in case you have age restrictions on your type of cover, however the system here does work very well indeed for sharing your car with family and friends.


Q) I leave my car for extended periods of time, should I disconnect the battery whilst I am away?


A) If possible, we would always recommend leaving your car connected to a battery charge optimiser. This type of system will maintain a correct level of charge without over charging your battery – never just leave your car connected to a standard battery charger as you are likely to overheat the battery and ruin it (you may also create a fire risk). If this is not possible, the next best option is to disconnect your battery – you can always have a simple disconnect system fitted so that you don´t have to carry tools with you in order to do this.


Q) I have heard that I need to carry a spare set of bulbs in the car with me, is this correct?


A) This used to be correct but the law was changed several years ago so this is no longer a requirement. Many modern cars require a reasonable tool


kit and some degree of


mechanical knowledge in order to change a bulb – because of this the requirement to carry spare bulbs was removed from the regulations. Saying this, we always believe it is prudent to carry a few spare bulbs and fuses and some basic tools with you just in case.


Q) I am going on an extended road trip, what sort of spare parts should I take with me? (In truth we get asked this a lot regarding our regular trips to Morocco, however I would argue that the same applies to any extended road trip).


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A) As a bare minimum for extended travel (particularly if you are heading to remote areas), we would advice taking the following:- bulbs, fuses, oil filter, fuel filter, air filter, spare belts and a basic tool kit. You may well say that you don’t have the experience to fit many of these items to your car so why bother? A friend of ours recently had an issue with a snapped fan belt whilst driving from the UK to Spain – the problem occurred in a remote area of France and he had to have his car taken by Grua to the nearest main dealer. The dealer didn’t have a belt in stock so ordered one for the following day and in total he lost 36 hours of his journey. Had he been carrying a spare belt, any local garage could have fitted it and he would have been on his way in less than an hour.


Q) How often should I service my car?


A) All cars have a service schedule that should be adhered to and the handbook for the car will give you all the information you require. If you don’t have the handbook, they are pretty much all available online these days and are very easy to find. Saying this, if your car is getting mature in its years (aren’t we all!), then we would recommend more regular servicing – my car is now 18 years old and as such I believe it is beneficial to at least change the oils and filters twice a year. It is relatively inexpensive to do and whilst you could argue it is overkill, you could also argue that it may significantly extend the life of the car – ultimately the choice is yours, it is your car and your money invested in it!


Finally, with summer coming please stay safe on the roads and try to be considerate to the many visitors we have here. Some of them may be driving a strange car, in a strange country with many different motoring rules and are likely to be nervous. Keep your distance and be patient as many of us would not be able to live and work here if it wasn’t for the visitors.


Enjoy the longer nights and warmer evenings don’t forget to come down and see us if you need any help or advise with any of your motoring needs.


Javea Auto Sales. Partida Fontanella Riba 18, Jávea. Tel: 96 579 4245, www.javeaautosales.com.


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