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As well as digging out warmer clothes and turning on the central heating, you need to get your car prepared for the colder weather.

It doesn't seem so long ago we were all making the most of a heatwave sweeping the UK. But autumn has officially arrived, bringing with it shorter days and colder, wetter weather we all need to prepare for.

Five essential car checks to do this autumn

As well as digging out warmer clothes and turning on the central heating, you need to get your car prepared for the colder weather. If you don&#39;t, you run a greater risk of breaking down &ndash; and no one wants that when it&#39;s wet and dark outside.

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Here are five important checks to carry out on your car this autumn:

Obviously, don’t forget your passport any time you’re driving abroad. But that’s not all you’ll need. Here are the other documents you should bring with you when driving in Europe:

When it comes to insuring any vehicle, the principles are the same. However, insurance quotes for electric vehicles can be higher than diesel and petrol models. This is in part because electric car models are newer, so spare parts may not be easily available and specialist mechanics are needed to work on them. &nbsp;

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Some car insurance policies have to include factors that are unique to electric vehicles such as cover for batteries and charging cables, as well as adaptors and wall boxes for accidental damage, fire and theft. &nbsp;

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Learn more about <a href="http://www.hastingsdirect.com/car-insurance/electric-car-insurance/" 
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 >electric car&nbsp;insurance</a> and to <a href="https://www.hastingsdirect.com/car-insurance/electric-car-insurance/" 
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 >get a quote </a>for your electric vehicle.&nbsp;

All information is correct at the time of publication. Hastings Direct cannot be held responsible for any misinformation displayed.

Seeing as the tyres are the only objects on your car that make contact with the road, it&#39;s vital they&#39;re in tip-top condition &ndash; especially with autumn&#39;s wetter, colder weather, and the fallen leaves making patches of road super slippery.

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Tyre checks should be carried out once a fortnight minimum &ndash; the correct pressure for your tyres can be found in the manual. The legal tread depth is 1.6mm, though the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/winter-driving/top-10-ways-to-detect-a-breakdown/" 
 onClick="(function(e){
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 rel="noopener" target="_blank">RAC suggests 3mm</a>.

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At Hastings Direct we offer lots of extras you can add to your insurance policy like breakdown cover &ndash; if you want to check your policy includes breakdown cover, you can have a look in your MyAccount.

Ideally, you should replace your wipers once a year to guarantee max performance, as well as if your wipers are smearing the windscreen or squeaking. The adverse weather conditions autumn and winter bring will put your wipers to the test, making now the perfect time to invest in a new set.

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You can prolong the life of wipers by removing excess debris (whether that&#39;s fallen leaves, twigs or snow later in the year) before turning them on.

The best car warranties are explicitly clear about what is and isn't covered. If you want the best deal, you need to do your research, compare cover options and be sure to always read the T&Cs.

As the nights draw in, you need to be certain all your car&#39;s lights are working. Test them one by one &ndash; if a bulb is out, replace it as soon as possible.

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While the thought of cleaning your car in the cold might not be appealing, washing the windows, lights and windscreen on a regular basis will ensure good visibility when driving in poor weather conditions.

VHF (very high frequency) trackers can be used to address the problem of signal jamming – an issue that can affect GPS-only systems. VHF technology also helps to find the location of concealed vehicles and is effective even if the vehicle is hidden in a shipping container, lock-up or underground car park (locations which can be a problem on GPS devices).

After a summer of taking it easy, your car&#39;s battery is put to the test yet again when wipers, heating and lights are used more. Plummeting temperatures also play a part, so to check if your battery is up to the job, ask someone to watch the lights as you switch on more of the electrical systems. Dimming may mean&nbsp;<a href="https://www.racshop.co.uk/advice/how-to-charge-a-car-battery" 
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 rel="noopener" target="_blank">the battery needs a top-up</a>, as may a dull, whirring sound from your starter motor.

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If the battery doesn&#39;t charge properly, it might be time to replace it. They&#39;re inexpensive to buy and will save you hassle later down the line. You can also preserve the battery by turning down the heating once you&#39;re a comfortable temperature, and only turning on electrical systems when the car&#39;s running.

The garage will probably change your engine oil and filter, as well as any other fluids that need topping up. They'll also make sure the clutch, gearbox, battery, and brake pads and discs are all working properly, along with a load of other safety checks.

They&#39;re fun to crunch through, but autumn&#39;s falling leaves have a tendency to block up car inlets. In serious cases this can cause the engine to overheat, so make sure you clear them off before you drive away.

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If you&#39;ve noticed the windscreen getting a little steamy recently, this might be because leaves have clogged the inlets where the wipers start &ndash; open the bonnet to check, and clear them out if need be.

As they do not need a clutch or gears to power the vehicle, the vast majority of electric cars are automatic. In fact, most electric cars are single-speed, delivering constant and instant power. This means you’ll only ever have two pedals in an electric car; the brake and the accelerator.  

Getting the most from your policy

What to do if you have problems on the road &ndash; and how to avoid breaking down in the first place.

Car breakdown advice

This guide will help you understand car modifications and make sure you don&#39;t end up invalidating your insurance.

Car modifications

It&#39;s a common mistake that anyone can make, so here&#39;s what to do if you use the wrong fuel.

Wrong fuel in your car? Here's what to do

A car warranty might sound like a good idea, but do you need it and how do you pick one?

Five essential car checks to do this autumn

1. Lights

2. Battery

3. Inlets

4. Wipers

5. Tyres

Getting the most from your policy

Car breakdown advice

Car modifications

Wrong fuel in your car? Here's what to do

What is a car warranty?