Maintaining Your Minibus in Good Order
22 June 2020
As school minibus leasing providers, we at Marshall Minibus know that many of our customers haven't been using their minibuses on a regular basis. However, with schools starting to return and minibuses beginning to move again, it is very important to ensure your vehicle is safe, in good condition and ready to use when it’s needed, even if you’re not currently using it.
We have put together this short guide to help make your minibus fully functional for when the time comes to start using it again.
Battery
The minibus’s battery is the main component that you will need to look after the most when leaving the vehicle idle for long periods of time.
For standard minibus batteries, if you have the appropriate equipment you should charge your battery at least once every two weeks. If you have an intelligent charger you should connect this permanently to your battery and this will do the monitoring and maintaining itself. All information about charging your battery for example, where to connect the charger leads, should be found in your vehicle owner’s manual.
If you are not able to use a battery charger, start the engine and allow it to idle for 20 minutes with all unnecessary electrical items switched off. This should be done at least once every two weeks if possible, but three times a week is preferable. For safety and security this should not be done in an enclosed space and the vehicle should not be left unattended.
Brakes
Your brake discs may suffer some surface corrosion when not in use for long periods of time. This will probably cause some resistance and noise when first using them but after a few applications of the brakes, they should return to normal. Therefore, you should not worry about maintaining your brakes but just be cautious of them when using the vehicle after any period of inactivity. If for any reason you feel that the brakes have a problem, please do not use the vehicle and contact our 24/7 driver helpline for assistance on: 03456 021286.
General Tidiness
Finally, if you are not using your vehicle as much, then it is a great time to clean and tidy the vehicle if you have previously not had the time to do so. ‘Hotspots’ like the steering wheel, dashboard and door handles and passenger seats can be prime surfaces for germs to breed. Regular cleaning of these is a good routine to get into especially where several different drivers may be using the vehicle.
Contact Us For School Minibus Leasing Options
If you have any questions about school minibus leasing, please do not hesitate to contact our expert team at info@marshall-minibus.co.uk or on 01480 220444 and we will be happy to assist and offer advice, regardless of how you source and fund your minibuses. Our advice is free and available to all.
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