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Car Maintenance
You should regularly check the following on your car :- - All
lights and indicators MUST BE WORKING. It is an offence for them not to be. Check them daily.
- Tyres must be safe and legal to use. You can be fined £1000 per illegal tyre. They
can cause an accident if over/under-inflated, if in bad condition or if the tread is too low. Look in your handbook for tyre
pressures. The legal requirements of tyre safety are the they should have no cuts or bulges and that there should be a continuous
band of tread around the central 3/4 of the tyre which is at least 1.6mm deep.
- Fluid
levels. You should check the levels of your oil, coolant(water), screen wash and brake fluid weekly. While the is
not a legal requirement the car can be seriously damaged if these aren't correct. Oil is checked using the dipstick. Other
fluids by using min/max markings on the side of the tanks in the engine compartment. Check your car manual for details. A
car can use up to 1 litre of oil every 1000 miles so make sure you check inbetween services even if your car is regularly
serviced.
- Registration plates must be clean, in good condition(not
badly cracked) and lit at night. They must also be in the correct format.
- Windscreen
wipers must be in good condition and clean the windscreen effectively so you can see to drive.
Buying a Car
There is lots of advice about buying a car out there. Make sure you take it. Investigate thoroughly and don't
be pushed into buying. Don't assume franchised dealers will give you better service but be careful when buying from private
dealers maybe using someone who you know has a good reputation. Car auctions can be a good place to pick up a cheap car but
be VERY careful as you have no comeback as cars are sold as seen. Take someone with you who knows a bit about cars. If you go to a dealer don't be afraid to haggle for a better price,
extras or cheaper finance. But be aware they will probably try to make the money back elsewhere(on the finance or by giving
you less for a part-exchange). If you are buying a new car ask them if they will match elsewhere and/or the WhatCar target
price. To get information on cars and for help on these matters try the following links:-
What Car Magazine site - help with buying, reviews, prices, Target Price
Parkers Online Car Valuations - Find out value of cars
Auto Trader Magazine - advice on buying/selling, cars for sale
Top Gear Magazine/TV Show - website of popular car show, road tests, car info
Ford Motor Company site - view range, buy online
VAuxhall- view range, special offers, buy online
Renault - view range, offers, dealer info
Peugeot - view range, offers, dealer info
Fiat - offers, buy online, dealer network
Mini- start your adventure, view range, dealer info
Arnold Clark - many local dealers, all cars new and used
Motorpoint - cheap car supermarket, many makes and models
Buying car-related items Buy
car-reg plates- search to see if your name is available. Look for any car accessory you want at Halfords! And the Carphone
Warehouse can provide hands-free kits for your mobile. Remember you can get 3 points and a £60 fine fo talking on a
hand-held phone
Car Breakdown Cover Car
Breakdown cover is a must unless your car is new and you get it automatically. If your car breaks down you don't want
to be stranded. There are many providers and many different levels of cover(roadside, homestart, recovery). Use the links
below to compare the main providers and packages. You may also get cheaper breakdown cover if you purchase it with your
insurance. Be aware to look at policies carefully, particualarly recovery is not the same at all providers.
Planning a Journey It is
vital that before you set off, you plan your journey carefully. This will avoid you getting lost and help avoid traffic hotspots(such
as cities at rush-hour). Planning your journey reduces your stress levels making it less likely you will speed or have an
accident. There are many websites which can help you plan your route. These are : - OR YOU CAN BUY A SAT-NAV. Try my links above to Halfords
or the Carphone Warehouse!
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