Vehicle maintenance — Simple tips to keep your vehicle safe & performing at its best

We hear a lot about the importance of keeping our cars in tip-top shape, but not so much about how to do it. At least, not in any way that the average person can understand.

Most of the so-called tips you hear are really aimed at those with a handy streak and quite a bit of spare time. If you have neither, then the prospect of doing anything beyond fuel and air — OK, anything beyond fuel! — can be a little daunting.

This guide aims to remedy that. It’s written for people like you, who like their car — maybe even love it (in a completely socially acceptable way, of course!) — but don’t have the know-how, time or inclination to spend weekends researching and tinkering, to keep it in shape.

The Guide

1) Why is regular maintenance important?
2) How hard is this stuff? To me, everything under the bonnet is just ‘the motor’.
3) Help! I own a hammer and a lawn-mower. Which do I use to remove the spark plugs?
4) Stay safe. Hospital staff love to share stories about foolish DIY people. You don’t want to end up on the internet.
5) Check your coolant / radiator fluid
6) Check your engine oil
7) Check your battery
8) Check your lights
9) Check your tyres