Car care tips for new drivers
Owning a car comes with the responsibility of regular maintenance. While many car repairs and upkeep tasks can be done at home, it’s important to know your limits.
DIY car maintenance can save you time and money, but attempting repairs beyond your skill level could lead to costly damage or even leave your car un-drivable. Learn which car maintenance tasks you can safely handle yourself and which ones are best left to a professional mechanic.
DIY car maintenance
If you’re short on time, money or preparing for an upcoming MOT test, handling minor car repairs yourself can be a real lifesaver. Simple maintenance tasks can often be done quickly and at little cost. However, it’s essential to know what you’re doing. If you’re unsure about a car issue or don’t feel confident tackling it, it’s always safer to take your vehicle to a qualified mechanic.
Things you can do yourself:
- Air filter prevents dirt and other harsh particles from entering the engine. Due to a build-up of matter, the filter can become clogged after time and may need changing.
- Windscreen wipers can leave marks and streaks, which can affect visibility while you’re driving. When this happens it’s time to replace them.
- Spark plugs are responsible for igniting the fuel and air in your car’s internal combustion chamber, but over time they can wear out. Learn the signs for when and how you should change a spark plug.
- Engine oil protects your engine against wear, corrosion, and contaminants. Carry out an oil check at least every 2 weeks and before long journeys. You should change the oil every 5,000 miles and the oil filter whenever the oil begins leaking.
- Coolant prevents the engine from overheating. Check the levels once a week. Only do this when the engine is off and has been cold for a while. You can easily replace the coolant when the level gets too low.
- Flat tyres can happen anywhere and at any time. If you can’t wait for a mechanic or if you’re in a rural area, it may be trickier to get help – so knowing how to replace a flat tyre can be a handy skill. Just don’t forget to replace the spare tyre (as it’s just for temporary use) with a new standard one.
- Wheel balance makes sure the weight of the wheel and tyre is even when it turns. Out of balance wheels can cause your car to drive unsteadily and vibrate at high speeds, which can also cause quicker wearing of tyres and suspension.
- Tyre pressure is important as tyres at the wrong pressure can reduce car safety and make fuel consumption inefficient. Check your car manual for the correct pressure level, but here’s how you know if they’re wrong. Check your tyre pressure, the tread and overall condition every two weeks.
Tips for DIY car repair
- Read your car manual.
- Buy a Haynes manual for your car make and model.
- Check all the lights are working every week.
Make sure you have a well-equipped tool kit, including:
- An adjustable wrench
- Torque wrench
- Socket and ratchet set
- Set of pliers
- Phillips and flat-head screwdriver
- A jack
- Make a record of everything you do
Things you should leave to the mechanic
- Changing the clutch is fiddly, so it’s both complex and dangerous – leave it to the experts.
- Air conditioning has a number of components and generally requires some know-how with regards to thermodynamics and pressure.
- Air bags contain small explosives. These can be very dangerous, so should be left to trained professionals.
- Car battery is one of the most common causes of breakdowns in the UK, with 16.8% of them related to battery problems, more than any other cause. Sometimes the battery just needs a jumpstart, but they can be complicated, so only attempt this if you feel confident.
- Replacing a windscreen is risky as you could drop it or misapply the glue.
- Whether it’s an automatic or manual, the gears can be incredibly complicated and they generally require precision. They should be left to the experts.
- Modern cars feature lots of electrics. Not only can wiring be frustrating to deal with, but the computers often have complicated software. Interfering with the systems could void your warranty.
Even the most reliable machines break down. Knowing what regular maintenance your car needs, how to handle basic fixes and when to leave things to a professional mechanic can save you time, money and a lot of unnecessary stress.
If you’re new to driving or just want to feel more confident behind the wheel, including understanding the basics of car care, our 5Day intensive driving course is the perfect place to start. In just five days, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills to pass your driving test and become a safe, confident driver who knows how to take care of their car.
Book your 5Day course today and get on the road with confidence. Behind the wheel and under the bonnet.