Tips for your Trips
We at Mandviwalla Motors feel a vehicle is not something you use to go from point A to point B. Its the way you express Your Life, Your Success, Your Freedom! Below are some pointers to make sure your freedom to go around is secure at all times.
- Mandviwalla Motors and Pak Suzuki recommend to change your Engine Oil before or every 5,000 Km. The nature of driving in Karachi, the frequent short trips, driving in traffic jams & dusty roads, all create an environment where any engines oil life will reduce.
- Regular Maintenance IS Preventive Maintenance. Maintaining a vehicle is not just an Oil & Oil Filter Change. As per manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule, other items also need to be checked at intervals such as Air Filter, Brakes, Electricals etc. This ensures optimum fuel consumption, performance and life of your vehicle while lowering operating costs over the life of the vehicle.
- Only add distilled water in the battery when the level is low (maintenance battery only).
- Always clean the battery with a slightly wet cloth with the engine turned off.
- Improper/aftermarket connections and alterations in wiring can cause short circuit and fire which can result in injury and damage to your electrical components.
- Avoid fitting high energy power equipments (e.g. Halogen Lights, Subwoofers). It may affect the distribution of power and slow down your vehicles performance and may damage your battery and alternator.
- Never light a fire or smoke near your cars battery as its highly flammable.
- Get your Battery Tested every 6 months to avoid sudden breakdowns. Mandviwalla can test your battery electronically and give you a printed report.
- Avoid using your High Beam Light during daily night driving. The energy needed to run your High Beams put a strain on your battery and alternator. This continuous use of High Beams can cause overcharging of your battery and will reduce their life considerably.
- Always wear Seat Belts on all 5 seating positions (front & back) to prevent injuries in case of sudden braking or in case of accidents. Your vehicle is designed to keep you safe with its crumple zone’s, provided seat belts are worn.
- Babies and children under the age of 5 should be fastened into appropriate Baby seats to ensure their safety in case of any accidents.
- In the case of ‘jumping’ a vehicle’s battery, do not line the vehicles front-to-front. The vehicles should be faced side-to-side to avoid ‘bumping’ each other or anyone standing in between them.
- Do not touch or open the radiator cap when engine is hot. This will cause the hot liquid to spray up and burn the skin.
- Avoid hard acceleration and high revving in the 1st 2,000 Km of your new vehicle. This will ensure longer lasting Engine components and allow better performance and acceleration for the life of your vehicle. Imagine, being forced to run when you were a baby!
- Keep at-least 10 litres of petrol in the fuel tank of your vehicle to save your fuel pump from being damaged.
- Due to the unrefined petrol available in Pakistan, we inspect your Spark Plugs every 5,000 Kmand replace if necessary which ensures better fuel efficiency and engine power.
- Depending on your external driving conditions, we replace the Air Filter on or before the manufacturers service interval – i.e. between 5,000 Km and 10,000 Km.
- Always use SuzukiGenuine Long-Life Engine Coolant in your Radiator to avoid rust inside all components of your cooling systems including inside your engine block.
- To avoid overheating your engine, it is recommended to get your radiator checked every 20,000 Km and serviced if required to ensure optimum cooling performance in the heat of Karachi.
- A common practice of Road Side Workshops is to remove the radiators Thermostat valve which may fix the problem at that moment, but in the future will cause major damage to your engine and its components which will reduce your vehicles life considerably.
- Avoid hard acceleration and high revving in the 1st 2,000 Km of your new vehicle. This will ensure longer lasting Engine components and allow better performance and acceleration for the life of your vehicle. Imagine, being forced to run when you were a baby!
- Keep at-least 10 litres of petrol in the fuel tank of your vehicle to save your fuel pump from being damaged.
- Due to the unrefined petrol available in Pakistan, we inspect your Spark Plugs every 5,000 Kmand replace if necessary which ensures better fuel efficiency and engine power.
- Depending on your external driving conditions, we replace the Air Filter on or before the manufacturers service interval – i.e. between 5,000 Km and 10,000 Km.
- Always use SuzukiGenuine Long-Life Engine Coolant in your Radiator to avoid rust inside all components of your cooling systems including inside your engine block.
- To avoid overheating your engine, it is recommended to get your radiator checked every 20,000 Km and serviced if required to ensure optimum cooling performance in the heat of Karachi.
- A common practice of Road Side Workshops is to remove the radiators Thermostat valve which may fix the problem at that moment, but in the future will cause major damage to
- Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal when not in use. This will increase wear in your transmission components by 50% and cause your Clutch Plate & Pressure Plate to be changed much before the recommended replacement time (every 30,000 Km).
- To reduce load on your suspension components, remove excess weight from the vehicle. This will help in fuel economy and increase mileage.
- It is difficult in a city like Karachi, but try to go easy on the big bumps. Every big bump slowly reduces the life of your Suspension & Steering Components.
- Due to the dusty air in Karachi, it is advised to get your Brake Systems checked every 6 months to avoid wearing out the Brake Discs & Drums.
- The Brake Fluid level and quality should be checked every 6 months to ensure the fluid does not contain water residue. Water in the fluid will cause the brakes to not work in an emergency.
- Keep a proper distance from other vehicles to avoid sudden braking. Hard braking will reduce the life of your Brake Pads/Shoes and increases ware on your Discs, Drums, Tyres, Suspension & Steering Components.
- Keep the foot mat’s clean at all time as the A/C sucks in air from the bottom.
- Use the A/C at least once a month for around 10 minutes, including winter to keep its components in proper running order and free from dust.
- Always switch off the A/C before turning of your car to protect the A/C compressor.
- To optimize cooling to the rear passengers, the centre Ventilation Grills should be positioned to the roof so the air can bounce back down to the rear passengers.
- The A/C system should be serviced once a year to avoid clogging of its components.
- There are many A/C refrigerants in the market. Always use Genuine High Grade R134A Gases for your A/C and avoid cheaper gases – Spending money once to be trouble free.
- For better and long lasting Tyres, keep the tyre pressure to the recommended levels as per the sticker pasted on the front drivers side pillar/door. Under-inflated tyres (low pressure) cause tyre side walls to wear out faster and Over-inflated tyres (high pressure) cause the tyre centre to wear out faster.
- If your vehicle hits the footpath or a bad bump, it is recommended that you get your vehicle checked for wheel alignment as the ‘Camber’, ‘Caster’ and ‘Toe’ settings may have changed. Improper wheel alignment not only causes faster tyre wear but also puts an extra load on the engine, which in turn wastes fuel.
- Rotate your tyres at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended service interval or every 6 months / 10,000 Km to ensure your tyres are wearing out evenly.
- Ensure your vehicle is equipped with “All Season” Tyres, preferably ‘Summer’ Tyres. Many cheaper tyres that are sold in the market are ‘stud-less’ winter/snow tyres. To check if your tyre is made for winter, look for the ‘Snowflake’ symbol () on the sidewall. Winter tyres in the summer months can reduce braking performance, grip on the road and fuel economy.
- Suzuki Genuine Parts are the only way to ensure that your vehicle is working the way it was designed and is achieving optimum fuel consumption. Non-Genuine Parts available in the market may look the same, but their metal composites and construction are lower grade which help reduce the price but compromise in quality.
- To optimize fuel economy and increase braking power, remove excess weight in your vehicle.
- Try to get into higher gear whenever possible. However, being on a higher gear without carrying enough speed can cause unnecessary stress on your transmission and engine components. Incorrect gear shifting can cause up to 20% increase in fuel consumption.
- Check Tyre Air Pressures regularly. A 25% decrease in tyre air pressure can cost up to 10% more fuel consumption and reduce 25% of your tyre life.
- The use of Air Conditioning increases fuel consumption. Operate the lever on re-circulate position to optimize cooling. It is recommended that lower fan level be used in the morning & night time.
- A dirty air cleaner, old / dirty spark plugs, old / dirty oil & grease, unadjusted / worn out brakes, all lower engine performance and contribute to poor fuel economy.
- Avoid long and unnecessary engine idling. If you have a long wait and you are not in traffic, it is better to turn off the engine and start the engine again later.