Changing a Car Gearbox

gearbox

The gearbox is a vital part of all car engines. It allows the driver to change the ratio by which power is applied to the car’s driving axle in its simplest form. Over time the gears and the gear trains can become worn down by repeated stress and friction causing the box to malfunction and cause problems when selecting gear. Changing a gearbox is one of the more complex tasks that you can perform in your home garage, but with a little preparation and planning it can be completed in around a working day of eight hours.

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Biofuels – The Greener Alternative

biofuelsThere are many different kinds of eco-cars now available on today’s market. These include vehicles that are electrically charged and have to be plugged in at night and those that are powered by hydrogen fuel cells, which need to be topped up at service stations with dedicated hydrogen pumps. The problem with many of these automobiles is that they are prohibitively expensive for many motorists. Some of these green vehicles even cost more to run than their petrol and diesel driven counterparts, making them unattractive for those on a budget. Continue reading →

A World with Autonomous Cars

autonomous car concept

Google unveiled their autonomous car at the Detroit Motor Show in January. They are not the only company developing their own drive-by-wire vehicles, which look set to become a definite feature of our roads in the future. Whilst there have always been those who are scared of change – from the cavemen who no doubt believed that the wheel was the work of some evil god through to the people who thought that the electric toothbrush would shake out their teeth – a little shake up of things is often for the greater good.

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The Most Commonly Replaced Car Parts

What are the most commonly replaced car parts? With the huge forces created in your combustion engine and by travelling at speed, it is no wonder that the components of today’s cars wear out. Certain parts wear out faster than others and there can be extenuating factors such as environmental considerations that can lead to a reduced lifespan. Our list takes a look at which parts are most prone to wear and likely to need swapping out.

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New Green Cars for 2015

green-cars-2015-bmw-x5-plug-in-hybrid

Green motoring is an increasingly hot topic for all motorists in the UK. With vehicle emissions still contributing a large percentage of all CO2 emissions, every car owner can play their part in helping to reduce the amount of pollution produced by their vehicle. Manufacturers are aware of this trend and we are now seeing a rise in the number of different green cars available, so which of these are tagged for success in 2015? Continue reading →

Locating Car Brake Fluid Leaks

brake disc and caliper on a car

Brake fluid is an essential part of your car’s braking system. It is used to transfer the pressure from the footbrake into movement that in turn applies your car’s calipers to the disc brake. The first sign that you might have a leak within your brake fluid system is usually therefore indicated by the responsiveness of the footbrake pedal.

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Winter Driving Guide

Winter driving

The harsh winter weather puts extra demands on your motoring. Last year we took a look at the precautions you can take before setting out on the road and the differences between summer and winter tyres.

However, there are many good practices you can adopt when driving in various wintry conditions.

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Checking your Car’s Brake Fluid

brake fluid

Brake fluid plays a vital role in your car. This liquid transfers the force of the driver’s foot on the brake pedal through to the disc brakes. It uses a system of tubes and pressure, a little like those that you might find on a hydraulic piston, to operate all the brakes simultaneously. It is imperative that you have the right level of brake fluid in your car. If you do not have enough fluid then this may mean that you cannot reach the required levels of pressure in your system to safely operate your car’s brakes.

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