Essential Winter Car Maintenance Tips to Avoid Breakdowns
Stay safe this winter with expert South African car maintenance tips. Learn crucial battery and service checks to avoid breakdowns and save money with Fixxr.
Bayabulela Jolobe | 5 December 2025 | Cooling System, Seasonal Car Care, Car Repair and Maintenance, Vehicle Ownership and Advice

South African summers bring intense heat and jam-packed roads, making car maintenance crucial for safe travel. The high temperatures, long distances, and relentless sun can quickly undermine reliability and comfort if you’re not prepared. That’s why summer car maintenance isn’t just recommended—it’s essential for a stress-free trip.
Without advance preparation, your vehicle could overheat, have air conditioning failures, or experience breakdowns that ruin your holiday. A few targeted steps, though, will keep your car running cool and safely, however far you roam.
Before hitting the road, conduct a thorough inspection:
Not sure where to start? Book a convenient general car inspection from Fixxr’s mobile mechanics, or read how to schedule a diagnostic inspection on your car.
Engine overheating is common in SA summers. Key checks:
If your car has rough idle in heat, see our rough idle inspection.
Stay cool with a working aircon:
Need help? Book your maintenance with Fixxr’s team.
Fix ride issues before your trip: bounce and sway or body roll.
Power loss in heat? See loss of power, hard starting, exhaust odour, or oil smell guides.
Protect your cabin:
Full checklist: AutoTrader’s summer prep tips.
Book your maintenance or inspection now for summer peace of mind.

As the Head of Consumer and Operations, Bayabulela is responsible for continuously serving our customers, increasing our supply base, and driving the next phase of our business growth.
What that means is highlighting the Fixxr opportunity for as many potential mechanic partners as possible. The role also includes broadening and deepening our platform in existing markets, scaling into new markets and continuing to set the bar for safety and compliance in our industry.
He typically starts his days by diving into customer data and mechanic partner feedback. He also has to consistently evaluate Fixxr’s business strategy and drive governance and accountability in concert with our cross-functional partners.
Bayabulela has built a breadth of skills and experience across operations, strategy, marketing and product development.