Keep your car road-ready this winter with local businesses

There’s no denying that it has reached the coldest point of the year, but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t still on the go.

Your car likely gets just as much use in the winter as it does the rest of the year, but with more difficult conditions, you should pay closer attention to your vehicle’s wellbeing, including its tyres, battery and anti-freeze.

Stay safe this winter with a local garage to keep your car ready for the road, with free winter checks at both TyreMarks and Westbridge Motor Services, and a modern garage with village principles at Barton Garages.

Keeping your vehicle in a good safe condition is essential all year round, but during winter months, smaller issues are exaggerated as everything has to work harder.

Making sure your lights and windscreen wipers work correctly is of course a must. A weak anti-freeze concentration can cause your engine's cooling system to freeze. If your battery is in poor condition, it is far more likely to let you down on a cold morning, and worn or incorrectly inflated tyres will increase your chances of skidding, especially on wet and slippery roads. All these things need to be checked this time of year along with your normal oil and water level checks.

Another great option for safety is choosing an All Season tyre.These tyres are the best of both summer and winter tyres and can be used all year round without any adverse effects. They excel in wet and slippery conditions so are a great safe choice of tyre for our rural area.

At TyreMarks we offer a Free Winter Check, which covers the checks mentioned above and more. Along with tyres we keep a full range of batteries and wipers in stock so pop in and see our team to get you Free Winter Check.

As a third generation family business, at Barton Garages we work hard to follow in the footsteps of John Barton, whose vision it was to create a modern garage with village principles. Friendly, helpful and thorough, we take great pride and care in our work and are thankful to our hardworking staff and our customers, loyal and new, who put their trust in us. It's really not just about getting your vehicle back on the road—it's about ensuring peace of mind for each person who walks through our door.

Whether it’s a simple oil change or a complex repair, we take the time to make sure the job is done right and at a fair price, building relationships that last far beyond the transaction. Supporting local schools, sports teams and fundraising for local parks and clubs. As we move further into a world that increasingly prioritizes convenience over community, it’s more important than ever to support and celebrate family-owned local establishments. Not only helping to keep you safely on the road but helping maintain the bonds that tie us together. So, the next time you are in need, consider keeping it local.

A family garage is more than just a place to fix cars—it's where trust, community, and service intersect.

Driving during winter is very different than any other time of the year. With adverse weather conditions and longer periods of darkness, driving conditions can be extreme and therefore it is even more important that your vehicle is road worthy.

At Westbridge Motor Services we offer a free winter check. This involves:

We can top up any levels that may be low, restore your headlamps and upgrade your headlamp bulbs, replace worn or damaged wiper blades, and provide a vast choice of tyres, including all season and winter tyres, which are particularly important in the ice and snow.

Some vehicles can use as much as 1 litre of oil every 1,000 miles. Low oil can damage your engine. We can check oil and other levels all year round. No appointment needed, just pop by.

We offer quality servicing, including electric and hybrid vehicles, which covers all of the above, as well as a general inspection of the underside and brakes stripped, cleaned and greased to ensure your vehicle is safe all year round.