Maintaining your car

It is essential that you look after your car and keep it in good condition. Not only is this paramount for your safety and that of other road users, but also it means that the longevity of your car is helped and in turn driving a well maintained car will be good for the environment too.

When they pass their test, many people forget to do anything with their car save fill it with petrol - and some people even forget to do that as they are simply used to having a car that is full of petrol all the time from their driving lessons!

You should check the tyre pressure on a regular basis, if the tyre is deflated slightly then this increases fuel consumption so costs money and is bad for the environment.

If there is unnecessary weight in the car then it is also a good idea to remove this to reduce fuel consumption - don't lug lots of heavy stuff about in the boot all the time just because you cannot get around to removing it!

Remember that things like air conditioning increase the usage of fuel by quite a hefty amount, so again only use this when it is necessary rather than simply turning it on because it is there.

Of course there are legal checks that are mandatory for cars of a certain age such as the MOT and these will check things like the engine being suitable and tuned correctly, which in turn ensures that the car isn't spluttering out nasty chemicals all the time. But overall be sure to check that you car is in good condition regularly and take good care of it - it is an investment just like any other.

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