How do I fit and load a roof box safely?
Fitting bars and box securely, the two weight limits that both apply, distributing the load so the car still handles, and what changes about driving.
intermediate1 hr 30 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
What do uneven tyre wear patterns mean?
Four wear patterns, what each one is telling you about pressure or geometry, and which two you can fix yourself with a gauge.
beginner10 min3 min readWhy has my stop-start system stopped working?
The long list of ordinary conditions that make stop-start decline to work, why the battery is usually the answer when it stops permanently, and why the right replacement battery matters.
beginner10 min5 min readWhy is the carpet in my car wet?
Tracking a leak to its actual source, the drains that block and cause most of them, and drying the car out properly rather than superficially.
intermediate1 hr 30 min4 min readHow do I wash a car properly?
The two-bucket method that avoids swirl marks, the right order to wash in, and what actually damages paintwork.
beginner1 hr 30 min3 min readWhat vehicle paperwork do I need to keep?
Which vehicle documents exist, which ones actually matter at sale, what to keep and for how long, and the two that should never be in the car.
beginner25 min4 min readCan I appeal an MOT result I think is wrong?
The two separate routes — disputing a failure and disputing a pass — the deadlines that apply to each, and what happens to the fee if you are right.
beginner20 min5 min readHow do I wax or seal car paintwork?
What protection actually does, the difference between wax, sealant and ceramic coatings, and applying it so it lasts rather than smears.
beginner2 hr4 min readWhat do I need to know before towing a trailer?
Licence entitlement, the weight figures that actually govern what you can tow, loading a trailer so it does not snake, and the speed limits that apply.
intermediate1 hr4 min readHow do I look after a car I barely drive?
The specific problems that affect little-used cars, and the maintenance that prevents them.
beginner45 min2 min readHow do I get a car ready for hot weather?
The checks that stop a car overheating or breaking down in a heatwave, plus keeping the cabin, the paint and the interior liveable.
beginner40 min4 min readHow do I remove tar, tree sap and bird droppings from car paint?
Why bird mess and sap have to be dealt with quickly, softening each deposit rather than rubbing it, and protecting the paint so it happens less.
beginner45 min4 min readHow do I transfer or retain a private number plate?
The difference between transferring a plate straight onto another car and putting it on retention, what makes a plate display illegal, and the traps when buying or selling a car with one on it.
beginner25 min5 min readHow do I keep a car tidy?
A small set of habits and containers that stop a car filling with clutter between cleans.
beginner45 min2 min read