Refinancing your car is an option that many car owners grapple with. In an effort to de-mystify what this means, and who should consider it as a viable option, it is important to understand what the term ‘refinancing’ means.
In a nutshell, refinancing a vehicle means replacing your current car loan or finance agreement with a new car loan to revise your debt repayment schedule. In other words, applying for another loan to repay your old debt. As the new loan is usually lower than your existing loan, vehicle refinancing may be a way to save money on your monthly car repayments.
This saving can result from obtaining a loan at a lesser amount, extending the repayment period or negotiating a lower interest rate. Some banks and lending houses also offer the option of refinancing a vehicle that is fully paid up, should it qualify.
It is important to understand what the term means and when or when not to refinance a vehicle. One school of thought advocates that you should rather consider selling your car before you look at refinancing it. However, the decision is not always that simple. “If the new loan is at a lower interest rate, for example, that could save you some money in the long run,” explains Lebogang Gaoaketse, Head of Marketing and Communication at Wesbank.
It is important to carefully consider the pros and cons of refinancing a vehicle, so it is advisable to do some research on the most favourable loan terms and interest rates, before making a final decision.
Advantages:
Lower Monthly Repayments: Refinancing can result in lower monthly repayments, which could assist those who are struggling to cover their monthly costs or who want to free up a bit of extra cash each month.
Lower Interest Rates: If you qualify for a lower interest rate by choosing to refinance your car, you will save money by paying less interest over the loan term and by so doing, save on your current monthly instalments.
Better Loan Terms: Refinancing allows you to adjust the terms of your loan, such as the length of the loan period or the type of loan, for example, fixed or variable.
Improved Cash Flow: Refinancing your vehicle might enable you to access more cash it you owe less than its current value.
Disadvantages:
Additional Fees: Refinancing often involves fees such as loan application costs or prepayment penalties which could add up and reduce the potential savings from the refinancing agreement.
Longer Loan Term: If you extend the length of your loan through refinancing, you may end up paying more interest over the term of the loan, even if you have a lower interest rate in place.
Negative Equity: If you owe more on your vehicle than it is worth, refinancing may not be an option or may not result in any significant savings.
Credit Score Impact: Applying for a new loan can temporarily lower your credit score if you are approved for a loan with a higher interest rate, it could negatively impact your credit score in the long run.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to structuring a car refinance deal. By being honest with yourself and knowing how much you can afford on the vehicle repayment, you would be better informed about your options.
Fogged up windows are both dangerous and frustrating and although it may seem like the quickest way to deal with fogged windows is to simply wipe them with your hand – that is not a safe solution.
What causes your windows to fog up?
Understand that warm air holds more water vapor than cold air, and the warm air inside your car absorbs moisture from your breath and other damp items within your car. When it’s cold, the outside air cools the glass on your car (windows, windscreens, mirrors, etc), making it possible for the moist air inside the car to condense and fog up the glass.
While it might seem like the quickest way to deal with fogged up glass is to simply wipe it off with a cloth, your hand or a piece of tissue, but that is not the solution. The safe option is to adjust the environment that is causing the fog so that more condensation doesn’t form.
How to Defog Your Windows When It’s Cold
In cold temperatures, the answer to defogging your windows – and keeping them clear – is warm, dry air. Simply turn on your car’s heater and air-conditioner to warm up and dry the inside air. Don’t forget to adjust the vents towards the glass so that the warm air is directed at it. Once the glass is clear you can turn off or lower the temperature of the heater and air-con.
Tip
Another say to reduce fog from forming on your windows is to simply keep them clean and clear, particularly the inside of the glass. When dirt and fog combine, your visibility is drastically reduced. Regularly use window cleaner to help prevent fog from forming to begin with.
An important part of owning a car is keeping it in good running condition, but as we all know, services and car parts aren’t cheap.
Life is becoming increasingly expensive, so it’s understandable that you’d want to find the most affordable ways to get all those important things taken care of – including your car. If you’re on a tight budget, you’d be happy to know that there is an option beyond genuine parts to fit onto your vehicle, and that comes in the form of generic alternatives.
Manufactured and sold at a significantly lower price than what you’d pay for the original parts from the manufacturer, generic parts allow people to maintain their cars on a budget.
But what are the differences really, and is it safe to opt for generic parts?
What Is The Difference Between Genuine and Generic?
In all honesty, there isn’t much of a difference. Generic parts are very much like generic medication: they were designed to be exact replicas of the original.
Generic parts are typically directly reverse-engineered from the original components and look exactly the same. In fact, often, the difference between the two comes down to a brand name or packaging.
Original parts, also called OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer, are the exact same parts your car was fitted with when it was originally assembled. Generic parts are very much like generic medication: they were designed to be exact replicas of the original.
Is It Safe To Have Generic Parts Installed?
A lot of car manufacturers and manufacturer-approved service technicians insist that it’s unwise and unsafe to install generic parts in your vehicle if you care about its longevity and your own safety. However, as long as you purchase parts from a reputable retailer or auto parts franchise, the choice to buy a generic part should be quite safe.
One aspect that may differ is that generic car parts may not have the same warranty as original parts – or may not even come with any warranty at all, but this comes as part of the territory as you’re paying less for the part.
Another potential drawback is that the actual materials used to make the part may not be as durable as the OEM version, which means the part could wear down much sooner and have a reduced lifespan than the more expensive OEM part.
If you’re presented with the option of going for OEM or generic parts, be sure to find out about the reputation of the brand being offered to you. If a trusted car parts franchise sells generic parts and recommends them, you should be quite safe in making the purchase.
Again, just be aware that while the part will cost you significantly less, the old adage of “you get what you pay for” always rings true, so don’t expect the same durability and lifespan when fitting a generic part.
What does the future of car insurance look like for the average driver, and how will these digital changes affect your overall car insurance premiums?
With an ever-changing economic landscape and the coming-of-age evolution of the car insurance industry, it is best to keep abreast of these changes for your financial benefit.
Imagine a digitalised world of car insurance where driving behaviour monitoring tools could help you save on your monthly insurance premiums? That future is not far off. With insurance companies looking for ways to streamline their car insurance packages and digitalisation is quickly growing as a means of doing just that. Digitised automation tools help provide a streamlined process as well as provide users with valuable insights.
As the digital world rapidly expands and the demand for seamless interaction grows, insurers are dependent on automated tools to deliver a seamless and well-integrated user experience.
Here are the three ways in which technology will be driving the future of auto insurance.
1. Digital
The inner workings of the car insurance industry are relatively the same as it has been since its inception. The assessment of risk and payment of claims has not changed much since the offset of the insurance industry.
Advancement in technology has not only provided tremendous room for growth and improvement but has also presented a unique set of challenges. By introducing the necessary automated tools to meet these demands, insurance companies can stand above their contemporaries.
Here are a few digital innovations sure to positively disrupt the car insurance industry with advanced automated technology.
Future digital technological advancements for car insurance
Online sales technologies. Progressive technology will provide the insurer with state-of-the-art methods for targeting customers and analysing consumer patterns.
Advanced analytics allows insurers a comprehensive insight into the specific needs of their clients.
Machine learning allows information systems to adjust to new data without having to reprogram the system.
The internet of things is a convergence of multiple technologies such as real-time analytics and machine learning.
The versatility of the digital landscape combined with the advancement in technology will be beneficial to the car insurance industry.
How digitising car insurance will be beneficial for future sustainability:
An enhanced digital experience can boost overall customer satisfaction levels.
Digital enhancements and technological advancements can save the car insurance industry money by reducing costs.
A digitalised approach to car insurance will significantly increase organisational speed and agility.
The digital journey provided by car insurance companies can drastically reduce the loopholes needed to complete the customers’ online journey.
An evolving digital landscape allows insurers to utilise data gathered from social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for a more holistic insurance experience. Social media platforms connect insurers with customers, growing brand awareness and sales outreach.
2. Predictive
Simply put, predictive analytics provide the necessary insight into customers’ behaviour and can flag potential fraud risks, among other things. Predictive technology allows the insurer to understand the customer in a more precise and targeted manner. Essentially, predictive analytics keeps track of a customer’s online historical data.
Predictive analytic tools assist in forecasting events while providing valuable insight into consumer patterns, making for a more customised solution. Car insurance policyholders could benefit from these advancements by enjoying lower premiums based on the data collected from predictive analytics. Not only does the customer benefit from predictive analytics, but the incorporation of predictive analytics into the claims management and underwriting process also proves to be profitable for the car insurance industry. There are a few more benefits associated with predictive analytics for car insurance.
Benefits of predictive analytics for car insurance:
The use of predictive analytics can anticipate customer trends and needs. Because the car insurance industry is so competitive, forecasting events ahead of time allows the insurer to minimise risk while keeping abreast of the latest consumer trends.
The data gathered from social media platforms can assist insurers with customer service satisfaction levels by solving general insurance issues relatively quickly. Predictive analytics has the potential to bridge the gap between consumer satisfaction and customer service delivery.
Predictive analytics can assist insurers by helping to identify specific target markets, increasing potential sales and new insurance prospects.
Identifying a client’s potential risk of cancellation is vital to the car insurance industry. Predictive analytics can help insurance specialists to establish which customers are most likely to lower their coverage or cancel entirely. Armed with this valuable information, insurers can plan accordingly. Predictive analytics provide the insight needed for contingency plans that boost the sustainability of the car insurance industry.
The last and most beneficial of predictive analytics is that it allows an insurer to identify potential fraud before it happens. Predictive analytics can flag potential fraud ahead of time, minimising the risk factor for insurers.
The two main advantages offered by predictive analytic tools are detailed insight and a cost-effective approach to problem-solving. Here are a few more ways in which predictive analytics will shape (or may already be shaping!) the future of car insurance.
How predictive analytics will shape the future of car insurance:
The traditional and slow approach to underwriting in the car insurance industry will be radically transformed and reshaped by the advancement of predictive analytics. Because of the speed and efficiency with which predictive analytics can process data, the process of underwriting is faster and more accurate. The data collected by predictive analytic tools sift through multiple sources of online information, assesses potential risk based on a customer’s profile, and underwrites accordingly.
Predictive analytics is steadily shaping the future of car insurance companies by gathering data from customers and workers alike. Predictive analytics allows the car insurance industry to meet clients at their point of need and retain existing clients. It also allows insurers to monitor staff and provide them with the tools that they will need to do their jobs more efficiently.
Marketing in the motor insurance industry is vital for attracting new business. Using predictive analytics can assist insurers in identifying the most common and effective platforms to deliver their marketing content.
In essence, the use of predictive analytics helps insurers to create a database of valuable information. The information gathered from predictive analytics can revolutionise the car insurance industry by providing historical online customer data that predict future behaviours for both clients and staff.
3. Usage-Based
Gone are the days when your car insurance premiums are calculated on your age, demographic location, marital status, and the number of dependants. Usage-based car insurance will revolutionise car insurance premiums by resulting in cheaper premiums, drastically opening up the market for potential new business.
Usage-based car insurance calculates your monthly premiums based on the factual data retrieved from your vehicle via a mobile app or plug-in device. Technically, a usage-based approach means that your premiums depend on the actual amount of time you spend driving your car. The idea is that less time spent driving reduces the risk of an accident. Safe drivers also have an added advantage as the premiums decrease based on the safety levels of driving.
Usage-based car insurance models provide vital insight into the real-world driving experience of a car insurance policyholder. It also makes it possible to assess risk based on the individual’s real-time driving behaviour.
Usage-based car insurance works well for infrequent and safe drivers. There are, however, benefits associated with usage-based car insurance. Let’s have a look at what those are.
Other technology trends in the car insurance industry:
Telematics– The inner workings of telematics technology combines telecommunications, vehicular technology, electrical engineering, and computer science to monitor moving vehicles. The ground-breaking advancement is wearable technology for your automobile and progressively tracks and monitors driving habits. As an example, our app comes with the option to activate Emergency Alert. Emergency Alert automatically detects whether you’ve been in a serious car accident directly from your phone and triggers an alert to our 24-hour emergency call centre to get you help as soon as possible.
Conversational Chatbots-Gone are the days when car insurance queries were agent-driven. Conversational chatbots are now a popular and efficient means of assisting car insurance clients with everything from claims to general FAQs.
Given the ever-changing landscape of both the car insurance industry and the digital landscape, it is not difficult to see why the future of car insurance is heavily dependent on evolving with the digital times. Because of the competitive nature of the car insurance industry, it is crucial for car insurance companies to stay on top of the motor insurance game.
The use of automation tools in the car insurance industry is hastily reshaping the digital landscape, disrupting car insurance companies positively in the process. Technological advancements will only do more good for the future of car insurance in the long run by streamlining processes, cutting down on underwriting time, and making fraud detection easier. All in all, it is a win-win situation for both the insurer and the car insurance policyholder.
Keeping abreast of the changes at the forefront of the car insurance industry makes for exciting times ahead. Not only will digital, predictive, and usage-based car insurance take the edge off some already stressful car insurance processes, but it will provide a more comprehensive approach to car insurance as a whole.
Thanks to modern automotive innovation, most cars are now equipped with electronic components that can be monitored and checked without taking apart the entire system and manually inspecting each part.
Car diagnostic tests take a great deal of guesswork out of assessments and can identify the source of problems quickly and efficiently. They’re also easily accessible and can be done at a good service workshop.
Here’s what you can expect to learn from a diagnostic test.
What Does A Car Diagnostic Test Do?
Car diagnostics are typically run when your car’s ‘check engine’ light comes on, or if any of the other warning lights on your dashboard light up and stay on for an extended period of time. These warning lights don’t specify exactly what the problem is, as it could be one of several potential issues. However, a car diagnostic test will scan your car’s components one by one, and flag anything that doesn’t check out. From there, the automotive specialist will determine what needs fixing or which parts need replacing.
What Gets Checked?
All the major components of your car get checked, including the engine, exhaust system, brakes, airflow, transmission, and sensors. A diagnostic test also detects problems before they become obvious, potentially saving you thousands of Rands in repair costs down the line.
When Should You Get A Diagnostic Test Done?
There’s never a bad time to have your car checked, as it could help identify problems before they worsen. If your car has been feeling a bit ‘off’ or if any warning lights have turned on but you haven’t quite figure out what the problem is, it’s best to book an appointment for a diagnostic test as soon as possible.
A ‘check engine’ light or other warning light coming on does not always mean there’s a serious issue with your vehicle; at times it could be as simple as a bolt becoming loose or a faulty cable.
Car diagnostic tests are fairly quick to conduct but are crucial to keeping your car in perfect running condition. Whether you currently have a problem with your vehicle or simply want to get ahead of any potentially serious issues, taking it to a reputable car service workshop could be a worthwhile investment.
Let’s be honest; no one gets excited about insurance and having to pay for it. It is a necessary ‘evil’ which all motorists should have because like it or not, the day will come when its desperately needed.
When you consider the state of our roads and the reckless behaviour of most drivers in South Africa, coupled with the high occurrences of car hijackings, vehicle theft and frequency of road accidents, vehicle insurance is something all motorists should invest in.
In the event something happens to your vehicle, it is comforting to know that you have insurance to fall back on. Comprehensive car insurance is the most recommended option to protect both you and your vehicle, and is usually mandatory if you have a vehicle finance agreement in place. However, if your household budget does not allow for comprehensive cover, then the minimum insurance you should take out on your car is third-party insurance that includes fire and theft. Bear in mind though, that third-party vehicle insurance only covers the damage that your vehicle causes to other people’s vehicles or property.
According to the AA (Automobile Association of South Africa), between 65 and 70% of the estimated 12 million vehicles on South African roads are uninsured, and this percentage is growing annually. If you are involved in a crash, you only have a three in ten chance of the other driver being insured and able to cover any damages. If the accident is your fault, it is even more important to be covered comprehensively.
“It’s for this reason, among others, that, if you are considering cancelling your car insurance to cut back on expenses, to rethink this. If something were to happen to your car, knowing you are covered is one less thing to worry about,”says Kutlwano Mogatusi, WesBank Motors communications specialist.
Car insurance is a way of protecting your car – and yourself – against the harm and the costs if your vehicle is involved in an incident such as an accident or theft. By paying a monthly insurance premium, your personal return on investment is knowing that your vehicle is covered by your insurer. If your vehicle is comprehensively insured with a reputable insurer, you will be covered for a vehicle accident, a natural disaster, fire, or theft. If the unfortunate incident is your fault and damage is caused to another vehicle, driver or passengers, or a pedestrian, your insurance would cover you for that too. Having car insurance is similar to having a safety net should something go wrong.
“Knowing why you need car insurance is one thing, but making sure you choose the policy that will best safeguard your vehicle, is another. The right policy ensures that your vehicle is safe from natural disasters, the threat of theft or fire, third party cover, damages, or even a total write-off of the car resulting from an accident,” explains Mogatusi.
“The best car insurance policies include vehicle repairs and replacements, reimbursement for damages to the other party or parties from an accident you cause, car hire while your car is being repaired and even roadside assistance. When you report a claim to your insurance company, a representative will manage the claims process and assist you with any questions you may have. Shopping around for a policy that suits both your needs and your pocket is advisable. Be sure to read, and understand, the terms and conditions within the fine print too – you don’t want any nasty surprises if you need to make a claim.”
Understanding the factors that can affect the amount you pay on your monthly premium will also help you make an informed decision on which insurance policy to invest in. This starts with the type of vehicle you drive – a luxury car will attract a higher insurance premium, while an older vehicle or a second-hand car with a lower market value will cost less to insure. Even the colour of the vehicle can impact the insurance cost, with white or lighter-coloured cars attracting a lower premium, as will other factors such as your age, where you live and work, and the length of time you have been a licensed driver.
If you are a recent graduate or young professional, and have been driving for less than five years, you are considered to be an inexperienced driver to the insurance company, no matter how competent a driver you may be. The insurer considers an inexperienced driver to pose a greater risk, which will affect your monthly premium amount. How you manage your personal finances, and your credit history will also be considered as the insurance provider needs to ascertain your risk profile when determining your premiums.
While the monthly premiums for insurance may seem like a grudge payment, it is important to consider the alternative: if you are involved in an incident and have no insurance cover, you will have to pay for the damages to your car and the other vehicle from your own pocket, if it is your fault.
“There are many insurance deals for vehicles on the market, so shop around. Also consider the extra benefits on offer such as roadside assistance, discounts for good driving or lowering your premiums annually as your vehicle depreciates in value. Look for the best deal to suit your pocket,” concludes Mogatusi.
In this day and age, time is a very important resource. People seem to get busier and busier every day, cramming more and more into their packed schedules making car maintenance a chore they could do without.
Increases Safety Sticking to your regular car maintenance services increases your safety while on the road and prevents break-downs. Ensuring that your vehicle is serviced accordingly to the manufacturer’s prescription gives you peace of mind as the risk of malfunctions decreases significantly.
Keeps Your Car Performing at its Best Along with the increased safety, your car will also perform better than it would if you were inattentive to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance service schedule. Regular maintenance ensures increased engine performance, better fuel efficiency, consistent steering control and prolonged tyre life.
Saves You Money Taking care of your vehicle on a consistent basis, prevents larger, more costly issues from arising. Its far cheaper to pay a set amount every few months to keep your car in check than to have to fork out thousands when you have a major breakdown.
Lowers The Cost of Fuel Servicing your car regularly maintains its fuel consumption. But skipping a .When you take good care of your car, it won’t waste any drops of fuel. But if you skip one of the services, your car is likely to burn more fuel, causing its consumption to increase exponentially. As a result, you will quite likely become a regular visitor at your nearest fuel station, which in turn will cost your time and money.
Saves You Time By staying on top of your maintenance schedule, you will be preventing larger issues which could keep your car from running. If you get really unlucky and have to deal with a huge auto repair issue, you may not be able to drive your car for days or even weeks.
Keeps Car Value High you should stay on top of your car maintenance schedule if you are planning on selling your vehicle at some point. Regular services with an industry recognized workshop helps keep the value of your car high. Should you wish to sell your car, chances are you will get more money for it than you could have hoped for.
In this day and age, time is a very important resource. People seem to get busier and busier every day, cramming more and more into their packed schedules which makes car maintenance a chore they could very well do without.
Increases Safety Sticking to your regular car maintenance services increases your safety while on the road and prevents break-downs. Ensuring that your vehicle is serviced accordingly to the manufacturer’s prescription gives you peace of mind as the risk of malfunctions decreases significantly.
Keeps Your Car Performing at its Best Along with the increased safety, your car will also perform better than it would if you were inattentive to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance service schedule. Regular maintenance ensures increased engine performance, better fuel efficiency, consistent steering control and prolonged tyre.
Saves You Money Taking care of your vehicle on a consistent basis, prevents larger, more costly issues from arising. Its far cheaper to pay a set amount every few months to keep your car in check than to have to fork out thousands when you have a major breakdown.
Lowers The Cost of Fuel Servicing your car regularly maintains its fuel consumption. But skipping a .When you take good care of your car, it won’t waste any drops of fuel. But if you skip one of the services, your car is likely to burn more fuel, causing its consumption to increase exponentially. As a result, you will quite likely become a regular visitor at your nearest fuel station, which in turn will cost your time and money.
Saves You Time By staying on top of your maintenance schedule, you will be preventing larger issues which could keep your car from running. If you get really unlucky and have to deal with a huge auto repair issue, you may not be able to drive your car for days or even weeks.
Keeps Car Value High you should stay on top of your car maintenance schedule if you are planning on selling your vehicle at some point. Regular services with an industry recognized workshop helps keep the value of your car high. Should you wish to sell your car, chances are you will get more money for it than you could have hoped for.
The South African sun can be harsh, making it difficult to drive safely.
There are a few ways you can reduce the heat levels within your car either by using sun shades or window tinting.
Here are a couple of ways you can cool your car down quickly so that you and your passengers can enjoy a comfortable drive as soon as possible.
If you drive a car that enables you to open your windows remotely, do so as you approach your vehicle.
If not, simply open all the windows all the way down as soon as you get in it.
Turn the air conditioner on to the coldest setting and crank it all the way up.
Make sure you set the air con to fresh so that air from outside comes into the vehicle. Avoid recycling the air which is already inside the car.
Adjust the airflow so that blows through the footwells and not directly towards your face
Drive like this for a few minutes until all the hot air has been pushed out of the car.
Only put your windows up when the air inside is cooler than the air outside.
Change the air-con setting to recycle so that the cool air circulates within the car.
Adjust the aircon temperature to your desired setting
Enjoy a cool drive!
Remember that the interior of a car can reach dangerously high temperatures very quickly which is why it is never a good idea to leave small children, the elder, or pets unattended in a car.
We receive a lot of queries via email and social media from readers enquiring about various aspects of motoring. Rather than answer each individually, we have decided to share the queries here as there may be other readers faced with similar car problems.
Palesa Mokoena* of Diepkloof, Soweto sent us this query….
When driving on the highway, I have noticed that some cars have at least one tyre that bounces up and down like a tennis ball. It looks scary and dangerous but I wonder what causes this and how I can make sure I don’t have a bouncy tyre too!
Palesa Mokoena
Let’s start off by saying that the only contact you have with the road’s surface is a small patch of rubber which is about the size of the palm of your hand. That patch of rubber, multiplied by 4 to represent the number of tyres your car has, is all that keeps your car on the ground. If one tyre constantly bounces, then the driver of that vehicle only has 3 ‘palms of rubber’ in touch with the ground.
Based on Palesa’s description, we believe that that a bouncing tyre presents an extremely dangerous situation and here’s why.
Main cause of bouncing tyre: Worn or broken shock absorbers
The most likely cause of the bouncing tyre are worn or broken shock absorbers. Next to your braking system, the shock absorbers are probably the next most important safety item on a car. Not only do shock absorbers serve to ensure a smooth and comfortable ride, but they also control the movement of the suspension of a car, allowing you to effectively control the vehicle.
When one or more tyres are not in constant contact with the road, your ability to control the vehicle becomes critically compromised, particularly when you attempt to steer or brake.
Shock absorbers which need to be replaced can result in the following:
Loss of traction – which increases stopping distance and negatively affects control and acceleration.
Tyre cupping / Uneven tyre wear and tear – which shortens the life and performance of the tyres and can also increase road noise.
Body roll (side-to-side movement) – which negatively impacts the car’s handling and your ability to control it optimally.
Bottoming out when going over bumps – which results in the premature wear and tear of the car’s suspension components.
Nosediving (the bonnet of the car dips upon deceleration) – which results in premature front-brake wear.
Acceleration squat (the rear of the vehicle drops upon acceleration) – which adversely affects traction, vehicle handling and control.
Source: Gabriel
If you suspect that your tyres may be bouncy, then we suggest you have your suspension system checked as soon as possible.
Alternatively, you can occasionally ask someone to watch each of them as you drive. Just make sure you are on a fairly straight road with very little traffic on it – to be on the safe side.
Even though rims are generally sturdy, they aren’t immune to getting damaged and can result in blow-outs.
There is a joke which says that if you drive in a straight line on any road in South Africa, chances are you are intoxicated; whereas if you drive haphazardly are you are most likely to be sober. Why? Well, when you zig-zag across the road the assumption is that you are avoiding potholes.
Cracked rims are just as much of a threat to your safety and the overall performance of your car as any other component of your vehicle. Sometimes, it is quite easy to spot a crack on the rim but at other times, the crack can be quite fine, making it difficult to spot.
Either way, most motorists may be unaware that there is a problem, hence it is important to regularly check the integrity of your vehicle every other day and even more so before going on a long-distance drive.
Image credit: carcomplaints.com
Common causes of rim damage
It may not always be possible to avoid damaging a rim but to avoid costly repairs, here are a few things you might want to steer (pun intended) clear of.
Hitting a pothole
Potholes are the bane of our lives. They vary in width and depth and should always be approached cautiously particularly because they are a serious threat to the longevity of a car’s tyres and rims.
A lethal combination of the speed of a car, coupled with the depth, width and sharpness of the edge of a pothole has been known to rip a tyre right off its rim; shredding it almost instantly on point of contact.
At other times, the damage is not as visible to the naked eye but can reveal itself over time.
2. Driving on a flat or poorly inflated tyre
A properly inflated tyre can absorb impact from bumps and other anomalies on the road. However, a tyre that has low pressure will not absorb any impact from any irregularities on the road’s surface. Instead, the force of such impact will hit the rim directly thereby causing damage such as cracks or dings.
3. Driving over a curb
On roads such as ours which are, in some instances, devoid of even the faintest remnants of paint, one can occasionally drive over an unmarked curb or similar hard shoulder. This is more prevalent when driving on unfamiliar or poorly lit roads.
How can I tell if my rim is damaged?
A visual inspection of your tyres and rim is one way to check the health of your wheels.
Another is noticing a continuous vibration through the steering wheel or an unfamiliar sound emanating from the direction of the affected wheel.
Lastly, when you notice that your tyres can no longer retain pressure for long, forcing you to pump them more often than normal, chances are there is a problem with your wheels.
Is it safe to drive with a cracked rim?
My quick and short answer is no.
No matter how small or fine the crack might be, it would be best to have the rim replaced as soon as possible. Cracks on your rim are a hazard and can jeopardize your safety and that of other motorists around you.
The smallest crack could either grow over time or widen exponentially at the slight of impacts. In either scenario, where there is a crack on your rim there is a very real possibility that the air from our tyres could escape abruptly and without warning. Should this happen, even the most skilled drivers would have a hard time controlling the vehicle.
If you suspect that you have a cracked or bent rim, it is best to have it attended to immediately. Remember that your rim holds your car’s tyres and that the only contact you have with the road is about the size of the palm of your hand.
Should there be an abnormality on your rim, then suffice it to say there will be an abnormality with your tyres, causing a ripple effect which could result in a tyre blow-out, serious injury, expensive damage to your vehicle and at worst – death.
It’s better to be safe – and out of pocket due to having replaced a rim – than injured or sorry.
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