Advice & tips

It’s true that engine remaps were once the preserve of geeky car enthusiasts and the boy-racer brigade, but what was once regarded as a black and often dubious art has become surprisingly mainstream over the years.While it still requires a…

When driving abroad, being the proud owner of a full UK driving licence often means you're covered from a purely legal point of view. A small minority of UK motorists can't use their licences alone to drive in Europe, however, and in…

Driving in France needn't be anything to worry about. Just make sure you read our handy guide and familiarise yourself with the rules and regulations of French roads. Then, all that will be left to do is to enjoy the delicious food,…

British tourists who drive in Spain fall into two categories: those who flew there, and those who drove there. Either way, driving in Spain offers motorists beautiful views, wonderful weather and should you be that way inclined, great…

For UK-based motorists, driving in Italy can be something of a shock to the system. Compared to the relatively calm and quiet roads in Blighty, the Italian equivalents are anything but – thanks in part to locals sitting a hair's width away…

The Brexit transition period came to an end at 11pm on 31 December 2020, with a deal between the UK and the EU having been agreed at the last minute.Since the UK voted for Brexit back in 2016, there was much speculation on what leaving the…

Learning to drive is an essential life skill that unlocks doors to all sorts of valuable opportunities and exciting experiences. Carry that thought in your mind if you’re looking into learning, because it’s essential to keep an eye on the…

With all my plans evaporating into thin air this year, I thought I’d give myself a special gift for Christmas. After all, it is the season of giving, and who deserves it more than me? I’ve been saving up for a new car for some time now,…

The checklist of things you ought to be aware of when buying a used car isn’t quite the terror inducing catalogue it once was. Improved reliability, better manufacturing practises and, of course, huge improvements in records for insurance…

Any car that is being used or parked on a public highway is required by law to have road tax, commonly called Road Fund Licence or Vehicle Excise Duty. If you aren’t using the car for a while and are storing it off the road somewhere, such…

If you're an admirer of sports cars or 4x4s, then there's a possibility you might have heard of the limited-slip differential. This piece of kit, called an LSD for short, is part of a car's drive system, and it's designed to help the engine…

Back in the bad old days, some cars might have rusted by the time they were due their first service. That's no longer the case, but that doesn’t mean modern cars don’t corrode.  In fact, look in any scrapyard and you will see a surprising…

When you drop your car off to be serviced at a main dealership, it will involve significantly more than just a quick oil change. There are plenty of other bits of work that’ll be carried out, including dozens of checks to ensure your car is…

Pass Plus is a Government road safety initiative designed to increase the confidence and safety of newly qualified drivers. Instructors in Pass Plus offer additional training in aspects of driving that haven’t been specifically covered by…

The sad day when the cost of fixing a car turns out to be more than it is actually worth inevitably comes to most vehicle owners. At this point the pragmatic motorist generally have to take a deep breath and say ‘goodbye old friend’ to…