Executive car rental fans and luxury car hire enthusiasts have been advised to check antifreeze levels on their hired vehicles to avoid their cooling system freezing over the New Year Break.

This is because thousands of motorists across the UK are expected to be stranded at home on Monday January 5th 2009 as a result of their vehicles failing to start, according to a report from Car Parts Direct.

According to the Met Office. the five days between New Year's Eve and January 5th may see temperatures fall as low as minus 13 degrees C.

This coupled with long disuse of cars may have an impact when it comes to starting engines on the 5th, the report states.

"The combination of freezing weather and vehicles parked up always finds the weaknesses of a vehicle," says Martin Mosley of Car Parts Direct.

"We fully expect Monday to be the single busiest day for years, simply because of how the days fall this year and the sudden drop in temperature after a mild few months."

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