Maintain your motor
Filed under: Cars, October 2009
Not everyone can afford a new car even if they could take advantage of the government's scrappage scheme. This means you have to take good care of your current car and make sure you regularly check what you can yourself and get it to a garage as often as you can.
Top car maintenance searches:
Services such as getting your engine oil changed, replacing brake discs, checking suspension and shock absorption etc. these are all things which are best left to experts. A car service, depending on what type you get, can cost between £30 and £180 or so. But the more regularly you have them, the less likely it will be that you have to fork out for more costly repairs and replacement parts. Although if you have a foreign or unusual car, replacement parts can be expensive and hard to find. Search online for any you need and then you can shop around for the best price too.
These days the driving theory test includes two questions concerning car maintenance. Do you think this enough Do you think that people should have a good understanding of cars and their maintenance before being allowed to drive? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Top car maintenance searches:
- New brake pads
- MOT prices
- Car tune up
- Digital tyre pressure
- Routine car maintenance
- Brake fluid flush
- Car servicing
- Car batteries
- MOT discount
- Bluetooth car stereos
Services such as getting your engine oil changed, replacing brake discs, checking suspension and shock absorption etc. these are all things which are best left to experts. A car service, depending on what type you get, can cost between £30 and £180 or so. But the more regularly you have them, the less likely it will be that you have to fork out for more costly repairs and replacement parts. Although if you have a foreign or unusual car, replacement parts can be expensive and hard to find. Search online for any you need and then you can shop around for the best price too.
These days the driving theory test includes two questions concerning car maintenance. Do you think this enough Do you think that people should have a good understanding of cars and their maintenance before being allowed to drive? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
shaun said 3:59AM on 10-17-2009
no.should be optional.if anything they should lift the driving age to 21.17 is still a child.at 17 they cant vote,take a loan,booze etc...but allowed in charge of a vehicle....crazy
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Banksy said 6:16AM on 10-18-2009
you might not be able to do all that at 17, but you can join the army and get trained to be shot at ,and carry a g un, u can get married, have consensual sex,have kids which are a bigger responsibility as cars,
andy said 4:30AM on 10-17-2009
Couldn't agree more. At 21 people are more likely to be more responsible, have their own jobs, know the value of money better and therefore look after their cars, themselves and other road users better. I dare say there are other slightly more controversial thoughts on this matter but seeing we live in a society that likes to protect the criminals, those without principals and those who take no responsibility for their actions (including bad car maintainance), they are probably better left un-aired!
john said 5:05AM on 10-17-2009
what age was you when you took your driving test ..and what will you do about the age of 70+its only idiots on the road of all ages
Sonia Penrose said 7:29AM on 10-17-2009
i think it should be based on the cc of the car or bike ie; teenagers should only be allowed only to drive 900cc cars and as they get older they could go up a cc , this way they can't really act like idiots on the roads . and most of us would be safe including the younger drivers . or ....all cars should be made to go the speed limits that way we wouldn't be caught with speeding fines or in police chases , putting other peoples lives at risk.
its not rocket science is it.
Sonia
David Hammond said 8:35AM on 10-17-2009
Raising the driving age is a pointless idea. The argument that a teenager who isn't considered old enough to vote or drink shouldn't be in charge of a vehicle, is selective at best. I joined the Armed Forces as a teenager, and was considered old enough to use firearms and fight wars. Is that wrong too?
Also, in many areas you'll find having your own transport is necessary for work, as we hardly have the greatest public transport system in the world. I wouldn't want to see school leavers having their work options drastically reduced because they weren't allowed to drive.
Finally, the fact is that the freedom you gain from passing your test tends to bring a certain euphoria. I probably drove a little recklessly after passing, as do most. I suspect this would remain true even for a 21yo.
Sonia, how on earth can a car 'be made to go the speed limits'? A car isn't going to know whether the speed limit is 20, 30, 40 etc...
Limiting it to 70mph is pointless. The motorways are statistically the safest place to drive, and you're a lot more dangerous doing 40 in 20 zone than 100 on the motorway.
You're correct it isn't rocket science, it's much more complicated. Rocket science is actually quite a simple discipline.
philip said 4:49AM on 10-17-2009
we should be run from america and the u can drive from 16 there i think its more than suitable they should grow up round here
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stuart said 5:39AM on 10-17-2009
i think common sense should be used whether your 17 or 70,but i do believe there should be a re-test,maybe when you reach 60,then if you fail you can take the bus.
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chris hodges said 5:46AM on 10-17-2009
Never mind 70yrs old tacking a driving test I say a man of obout 30yrs drive through a traffick light did not care about the long line of traffic .We all get irate about road works but we do have to obay the law A pity some of the 19-45 yr olds do not get indicators fitted to thier cars/vans. or stop useing they mobile phone constantly fixed to their ear
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Ken said 6:49AM on 10-17-2009
People should be made more aware of what is involved in a car regardless of age but further to this i feel that all drivers should either be made ride a motorcycle or go on a motorcycle awareness course
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Tom Sinclair said 6:51AM on 10-17-2009
It's not age that matters, it is attitude and responsibility. I have sat beside some excellent young drivers, and some dangerous ones. Perhaps young drivers could be monitored somehow, with severe restrictions for idiots. What about limiting the power and speed of cars until certain periods of driving without accident or conviction have been achieved.
To the original point, if drivers understood what happens when they operate certain controls, I think that they would drive with greater respect for the car. Anyone operating a machine or computer becomes a better operator the more they understand it.
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gary said 7:32AM on 10-17-2009
I agree they should know a bit more about the basic essential car maintenance like tyre pressure and water and oil levels, especially the difference between them. That said parents also need to also educate their children regarding these things when they learn to drive.
To those those who say the minimum driving age should be 21, I say nonsense. I learnt to drive at 17 and then taught my daughter when she turned 17. I see maniacs on the road every day and they all look a lot older than 21. If anything, I say we need stricter traffic policing on our roads and tougher penalties for the culprits.
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Gary J said 9:30AM on 10-17-2009
I think some knowledge of how your car works is essential. Else how can you know if your car is dangerous to drive.
Raising the driving age to 21 is not going to stop those who choose to drive unlicensed, untrained and uninsured. This group are the ones who have the most accidents and push up everyone else's premiums.
Only rigorous policing can address this problem.
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RonP said 9:43AM on 10-30-2009
One thing for sure, far too many boy racers on the roads, I'm 61, now disabled and have been driving for 45 years with only 2 bumps, neither my fault. Both times I was hit from behind. That includes haviing driven on every continent on earth. So much for making old guys resit their tests.
Having worked all my life in an automotive based industry I can assure you that the technology to make cars observe speed limits is available and has been for some time. Automatic speed control and speed limiters are available and can be controlled by radio signal.
Back to the issue of boy racers, the roads in which both my son and daughter live are on a rat run used by the local boy racers. Those roads are deadly, there have been numerous accidents and a few fatalities.
I firmly believe that young drivers must have the engine size of their cars limited, preferably to no more than 600 to 700 cc and must have an accident and endorsement free record untill the age of 21 before they are allowed anything bigger. The same should go for motorcycles, but what on earth can we do about those who drive while unlicensed and uinsured? My friend was hit from behind on a motorway by an uninsured driver. A way must be found to stop this, it is the most dangerous of all. The only thing I can think of is not to allow a car to be taken by a new owner until he has produced evidence that he has insurance.
Anyone got a better idea?
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Pete English said 4:50AM on 11-13-2009
17 is not to young to drive.I started then and think its a good age t o learn. I do think that cars driven by young motorists should be restricted to a lower bhp as motorcycles are at the moment.
I also think that whatever age you are reckless driving should be dealt with in a tougher more consistent manner.
To often people say that speeding is a killer and all that but its not always speed that kills but reckless stupid selfish driving like using phones and illegal u turns etc etc. No ones perfect and before we all start slating others take a look at your own driving. If I was as good as i like to think i am then i would be The stig!!!
maybe i am
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Roland said 2:53AM on 11-14-2009
17 is far too old. 15 or 16 would be fine, subject to rigorous test and ban on passengers to 17. At 15 they are competent and should nit be treated as idiots.
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