How do I replace a windscreen wiper blade?
Identifying which fitting your car uses, getting the old blade off without dropping the arm, and checking the rear wiper at the same time.
beginner15 min4 min read
Motoring
Faults, tyres, servicing, insurance, tax and the paperwork — for people who own a car rather than work on them. These guides explain what is happening and what it means for you, and say plainly when a job belongs to a garage. They are not repair manuals, and they recommend no insurer, lender or product.
206 guides
How do I set up electric car charging at home?
Deciding whether a home chargepoint makes sense, what the installer needs to know, and the practical decisions about cable, position and tariff.
intermediate1 hr4 min readHow do I use dashcam footage after a crash, and is a dashcam even legal?
How to protect the file before it is overwritten, who to give it to and in what form, what the law actually says about recording in a vehicle, and the audio question people get wrong.
beginner20 min5 min readHow do I work out what my car is actually worth?
The three different values every car has at once, why online instant valuations are systematically low, and how to build a defensible figure from real advertisements.
beginner20 min5 min readI sold my car but it is still in my name — what do I do?
Why the tax refund not arriving is the warning sign, how to prove you notified DVLA, and what to do about fines generated by someone else's driving.
beginner20 min5 min readShould I sell my car privately, to a dealer, or to an online buyer?
What each route actually costs you in money and in hassle, how to compare them honestly, and the specific situations where the obvious answer is the wrong one.
beginner18 min5 min readShould I use my insurer's approved repairer or my own garage?
What you gain and give up on each route, the guarantee and courtesy car conditions attached to the approved network, and how to make a fair comparison.
beginner15 min4 min readWhat are the different types of automatic gearbox?
Torque converter, dual clutch, CVT and automated manual — how each one behaves, what tends to go wrong with each, and what to look for on a test drive.
beginner18 min5 min readWhat are the most common MOT failures?
Where failures actually cluster, which of them you can prevent for a few pounds, and which mean a garage bill you should budget for.
beginner20 min4 min readWhat are the signs of a head gasket failure?
The four symptoms that actually indicate a failed head gasket, how to tell each from the harmless thing it is confused with, and why continuing to drive is the expensive mistake.
beginner15 min5 min readWhat do I do if I lose the only key to my car?
What it actually costs and takes to replace a lost key, why a dealer is not always the answer, what proof of ownership you will need, and how to make the second key stop being optional.
beginner25 min5 min readWhat is GAP insurance and what does it actually cover?
The gap it is named after, the different types sold under the same name, when the shortfall it covers can actually arise, and the FCA rules on how and when it may be sold.
beginner15 min5 min readWhat is the difference between a mild hybrid, a full hybrid and a plug-in?
Four quite different technologies are all sold as hybrids. What each one actually does, which journeys each suits, and the one that costs people money when it does not fit their driving.
beginner15 min5 min readWhy does my car shake or vibrate when it is stationary?
How to separate an engine that is running badly from mountings that are worn, using tests you can do from the driver's seat in a minute.
beginner20 min6 min readWhy does my steering wheel shake at speed?
Wheel balance, warped discs, a bulging tyre and worn suspension all produce a shake. The speed and conditions at which it happens tell you which one you have.
beginner12 min4 min readHow do I drive an automatic if I have only ever driven a manual?
What P, R, N and D actually do, why creep is a feature rather than a fault, and the three manual habits that cause trouble in the first week.
beginner20 min5 min readI hit a pothole — what should I check, and can I claim?
What to look for immediately, what to photograph if you intend to claim, and why most pothole claims against councils fail on one specific legal point.
beginner20 min5 min readWhat does a turbocharger do, and what makes one fail?
What forced induction actually does, why oil supply is the thing that kills turbochargers, and what the symptoms of a failing one feel like.
intermediate20 min6 min readWhat does the colour of my exhaust smoke mean?
White, blue and black exhaust smoke each point at a different system. How to tell harmless cold-morning vapour from coolant, oil or fuel, and which needs a garage this week.
beginner10 min4 min readHow do I charge a car battery at home properly?
Why a short drive does not recharge a flat battery, what a smart charger does that an old one does not, and how to keep a car that sits unused from killing its own battery.
beginner30 min5 min readHow do I clean a car interior properly?
Working top down and dry before wet, treating each surface with the right thing, and getting the glass genuinely clear rather than smeared.
beginner2 hr4 min readHow do I drive on the right for the first time?
The positioning habits that keep you on the right side, the junctions that catch British drivers out, and how to set the first day up so it is easy.
intermediate45 min4 min readHow do I drive safely in snow and ice?
Preparation before setting off and the smooth inputs that keep a car under control on a slippery surface.
intermediate30 min2 min readHow do I drive safely on a narrow country lane?
The one governing rule for lanes, how to use passing places properly, why reversing is normal here, and the hazards that only exist on rural roads.
beginner15 min6 min read