Smoke from Your Exhaust – What Does the Smoke Colour Mean?

smoke fumes coming from a car exhaust

Obviously it is normal for a little smoke to come out of your exhaust pipe, which is like your vehicle’s chimney. Air pressure draws waste gases from the engine and then expels them into the atmosphere.

Sometime these gasses are expelled as smoke, and with modern cars becoming increasingly fuel efficient with less emissions it is becoming easier to spot problematic smoke coming from your engine.

An occasional puff of smoke from the exhaust should not cause you any worry. However if you are noticing persistent smoke coming from your car it could spell trouble. Check out what different coloured smoke could mean for your engine with our helpful article.

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The Nights Are Getting Darker: Increased Headlight Use – Are Yours Correctly Aligned?

car headlight

If your headlights are pitched up too high they could blind or glare other drivers, which is likely to be annoying and dangerous when out on the road. If they are pitched too low then you’re not getting full visibility and warning other drivers of your presence on the road. Fortunately it’s not too difficult to adjust your headlights yourself – with a little help from our instructional article.

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Tips for Safe Driving at Night

car driving at night

So far this year we have told you how to replace your headlight bulbs to make sure you have full brightness on the road. Now it’s time for us to look at how to make sure you’re safe when behind the wheel and the sun has gone off on its merry way.

There may be less traffic about at night but unfortunately this darkened time is when most of the accidents happen. This is because of reduced visibility and increased difficulty in judging speed and distance when the light is poor.

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Nine of the Best Fast Cars for Under £5K

car driving fastEveryone likes a bit of speed behind the wheel don’t they? Great for pulling away at junctions or getting up to pace on the dual carriageway. Some people however like a bit more oomph in their engines than others and actively seek out motoring at the tougher, more pacey end of the market.

If you’re one of those petrol heads that loves to rev the engine and feel the power under your foot but doesn’t want to spend the big bucks on a new speedster, then this article should give you some truly exciting options. We’ve scouted around the websites, auctions and markets and found some great options for top power for tighter budgets. Continue reading →

How to Clean Your Car’s Engine Bay

cleaning an engine bay

Does a clean engine bay matter if you never see underneath the bonnet? Believe it or not there are several benefits to cleaning your engine bay. Dirt and grit could cause the pulleys and bearings to wear out prematurely or could even hide serious issues like gasket leaks.

A clean engine bay helps the engine stay cooler, pushes up your efficiency and keeping your resale value at the higher end of the wedge. The trick with cleaning is not to be scared of damaging the engine, as it is designed to take a load of punishment. But draw the line at power hosing as this can take off a little more than a layer of grease. As long as you take care whilst cleaning this can be incredibly good for your engine.

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Demisting Your Car Windows

condensation on a window

Poor visibility is a danger to yourself and other motorists when out on the road. Misted windows can prevent you from getting a clear picture of the road. Do not move off in your vehicle until your glass is completely clear. It is dangerous, and if your visibility is impeded, it’s illegal.

We have already looked at the easy way to clean ice off your windscreen in a previous article, now it’s the turn of the dreaded mist, which can slow you down on a cold morning and even make you late for work. So what are our top tips for dealing with this difficult fog?

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10 Ways to Stay in Your Mechanic’s Good Books

mechanic working on a car

If you want decent prices, the odd favour here and there and a happy interaction with your mechanic it’s always good to keep them onside. Once you have found a decent mechanic in the early days and you have a great relationship, it’s easy. But what are some of the questions and behaviours you should avoid with a new mechanic to keep them onside?

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18 things not to say to a car sales person

customer talking to a sales person

Thinking of buying a new car? With used prices staying high you have to put in a little effort to get the best price possible. Make the right preparations and you can ready for all the negotiation tactics the sales person can throw at you. Remember if you go forearmed with knowledge then you’ll know a great deal when you see it.

Much of the deal is decided in the negotiation. Our team has put together a list of phrases, statements and questions you need to seriously avoid during the negotiation phase to get the most for your money.

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