I tow a lot — boats, trailers, sometimes a load that pushes my SUV closer to its gross vehicle weight than I’d like. Over the years I’ve learned the hard way that a soft, spongy brake pedal under load isn’t just uncomfortable: it’s dangerous. The good news is that choosing the right brake...
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Maintenance
I had one of those maddening shakes once — a pronounced shimmy starting right...
Maintenance
I had a stubborn Renault Clio with a badly corroded exhaust flange and, like a...
Buying Guides
I’ve spent years cutting through marketing hype and making practical...
Maintenance
I recently changed the pads on my daily driver and, as usual, opted to bleed...
I’ve spent years cutting through marketing hype and making practical recommendations in the world of tools and machinery — and choosing a padel racket for play in the UK deserves the same clear, experience-based approach. Whether you’re...
I recently changed the pads on my daily driver and, as usual, opted to bleed the brakes myself rather than take the car to a shop. Bleeding brakes alone after a pad change can be done reliably with basic tools and a bit of patience — you don’t...
I’ve lost count of how many times a concerned driver called me to say their car had gone into limp mode and a dreaded “check engine” light was glowing. The panic is real: limp mode makes you feel like your car is dying mid-journey, and the...
When I traded SUVs in the past, I learned the hard way that the number a dealer offers often reflects a different math than the one that matters to you. Dealers think in terms of reconditioning costs, auction margins, and what they can get for the...
I remember the first time my ABS light came on: I was running errands, pulling into a grocery store, and the little amber icon winked at me like a mischievous gremlin. It was easy to ignore—until I stomped on the brakes later that week and felt...
Selling a car privately is as much about perception as it is about facts. Over the years I’ve flipped a few of my own cars and helped friends get more at sale time by focusing on small, targeted fixes that buyers notice — and are willing to pay...
I’m often asked by readers with older petrol cars how to squeeze more miles out of a tank without spending on costly engine work or electrification. Over the years, between my garage experiments and coordinating repairs, I’ve found a set of...
I live and work in cities where traffic, tight parking and sudden incidents are part of the daily routine. Over the years I’ve learned that a good dashcam isn’t a luxury — it’s a practical tool that can save hours of paperwork, protect you...
I remember the first time I nearly bought a used SUV that looked flawless in photos and on the lot — until I drove it and everything felt slightly off. The steering tugged, the car pulled to one side, and the doors closed like they belonged to...
I remember the first time I had to bleed brakes alone — standing over the car in my driveway, brake fluid bottle in one hand and a length of clear hose in the other, wondering if there was a smarter way than the awkward pump-and-pray method. If...