One of the main benefits of taking out a maintenance plan when leasing a car is that you'll have no nasty surprises!

You won’t have to worry about finding an extra few hundred pounds to fund your car’s annual service, and any associated costs through general wear and tear.

A monthly payment means you know exactly what your car is costing you, this can prove great peace of mind for many.
 
However, it is important to take good day to day care of your lease car – one of the most important aspects of vehicle safety is checking your tyre pressures and tread depth on a regular basis.
 
We’re sure many of you are reading this thinking “I can’t remember the last time I checked”…don’t worry, we’re not here to ‘wrap knuckles’ but do take two minutes to read our advice and then get outside and give those tyres a check.
 
Let’s start with the easiest check that you can do right now, in your driveway or parking space.
 
Checking tyre tread depth
 
A quick and easy way to see if your tyre tread exceed the minimum legal tread depth is to take the 20p test.

Simply place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your tyre. If the outer band of the 20p coin is obscured when it is inserted, then your tread is above the legal limit.
 
If you drive with damaged or worn tyres you risk being fined and of course you are compromising the safety of yourself, your passengers and other road users.
 
Checking tyre pressures

First things first, you need to know what pressure your tyres should be – check on the inside of your fuel cap, the inside of your door or your car’s manual. A guide will show you recommended pressure.

Make a note of this and then a quick pit stop to your local fuel station is required to use their pressure gauge (don't forget some change, most charge around 50p.)

Take off the cap on the valve, fix on the pressure gauge and take a note of the result. If your tyre needs extra air, you should inflate it.
 
Your car is your responsibility and building in a few minutes to check your tyres is essential.