Convertibles have spent the long winter under wraps

With spring upon us, ContiTech is advising drivers of convertible cars to have their timing belts checked before venturing out on the road.

Many of the vehicles will have spent the long, hard winter under wraps and this could mean that important checks need to be carried out in order to avoid engine damage.

“The long period without operation puts as much strain on the belt material as would be the case if the car were driven regularly” said Helmut Engel, head of automotive aftermarket at ContiTech.

“The decisive factor in a belt change is not just the mileage, but also the age of the belt,” said Engel.

The company recommends that all the relevant drive components are changed during belt replacement.

ContiTech has produced a free flyer to help educate motorists about checks and the timing belt.