10 Signs Your Car is Due an Oil Change

checking oil level after oil change

Symptoms of low oil include your engine feeling sluggish. It may suffer from poor acceleration and you could find yourself sitting behind the wheel wondering what those knocking and ticking noises might be? The oil light could ignite or the oil pressure may run low. All these are signs that your car is due an oil change.

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Our Guide to Motorway Driving

busy motorway

Getting out there on the motorway for the first time or even if it has been a while can be daunting. With the constant flow of traffic, it takes time to get used to the constant changing lanes and big trucks if you are only acclimatised to our single lane roads. However you can consult our guide for newbies to help you out.

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Our Tips for Avoiding Travel Sickness

woman suffering from travel sicknessTravel sickness is real. Although it is more present in children and the elderly, it can strike anyone and turn a journey into a real ordeal.

Travel sickness is a kind of motion sickness. It is caused when the car creates motion, which could be when the driver turns or simply moves down even a straight road. This triggers the fluid in inner ear to send confusing messages to the brain which doesn’t match with the signals coming from the eyes.

This can cause sickness, nausea and vomiting. But with a little forward planning it can be avoided and kept at bay during even the longest travel ventures. Continue reading

Hot Hounds: Keeping Dogs Safe in Cars During the Summer

dog in a car in summer

The holidays have definitely arrived. Whether you are heading to sunny beaches or picturesque country walks you’ll need to get in the car. Last month we took a look at how to survive the ordeal of travelling with kids. This month we’re giving you some pointers as to how to make sure your dog survives the ordeal of the fateful hot car.

It doesn’t take long for a vehicle to heat up. When it is just 22 degrees outside, your car only has to sit for an hour in the sun to reach a temperature of 47 degrees. And that’s pretty damn toasty. Think how hot you might get, and then imagine how it is for a dog.

Even though there has been plenty of information broadcast about this topic over the last decade, there are still plenty of idiots around, so we thought we would re-iterate some of the best advice to make sure your loved family pooch is safe at all times.

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The Important Signs Your Gearbox is Failing

gears in a gearbox

Don’t ignore those little signs that you are having problems with your car if you want to avoid those nasty repair bills. And the gearbox is one part you do not want to go wrong as it’s one of the most expensive parts in your car. Problems with your gearbox can be fatal so vigilance is vital. Fortunately, we have put together a simple guide so you can be sure that you are picking up on all those essential indicators that something isn’t quite right in the world of your gearbox…

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What Happens If You Misfuel? – And What Should You Do?

fueling a car

Believe it or not, misfuelling is a whole lot more common than you think. In the UK alone around 150,000 UK motorists find themselves in the awkward situation where they have to admit they have put diesel in the petrol or vice versa.

So what should you do if you find yourself in this difficult position at the pumps, or worse still, out on the road? Fortunately, our handy guide will help you make the very best out of these adverse circumstances.

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Driving with Hayfever

driving with hayfeverThe suns out, the fields are dry and the pollen is filling the air. If you are one of the thousands of people in the UK who suffer from hayfever then the best months of the year hold a hidden problem.

Having the windows open as you drive through the country could lead to you sniffling and your eyes itching up. Whilst some might think this is a minor complaint, sneezing whilst out on the road can be dangerous, especially when driving at speed. Continue reading

Surviving a Road Trip with the Children

children on a road trip

The summer holidays are most certainly coming. Together with your partner as your only support you are planning one of the most difficult missions. Deploying a successful road trip taking the kids somewhere – without arguments, annoyance or simply stopping the car and throttling your little cherubs.

It doesn’t take Super-Nanny to work out that children generally become unhappy because of three reasons. They are either tired, hungry or bored – or any combination of the three. Can you manage to navigate the road trip, arriving at your destination on time, whilst keeping these three vital factors in check?

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Servicing Your Air Conditioning – Extend the Lifespan

air conditioning ventSummer is here in a big fashion. The air waves are packed with heat and no doubt the one place this is making feel uncomfortable is in the cabin of your car. Good air conditioning system is the obvious answer.

Obviously like all of your vehicle’s systems, air conditioning is no different. Use it in a conservative, careful way and you can prolong its lifespan, use it without forethought and you could find yourself with a new purchase on your hands sooner than you think.

To help you get the most out of your air conditioning system for many years, you can find some of motoring’s best tips in our easy to use guide. Continue reading