1 Car leaks. Place a clean sheet of white cartridge paper under the whole car at night. Oily pink leaks are transmission fluid while dry pink leaks are gasolene. Dark leaks are engine oil.

2 Fan belt adjustment. Press your thumb down on the belt at the midpoint between the pulleys. One should be able to press the belt in about half-inch.

3Radial tyres. Check them thoroughly. Warning signs are: rough ride under normal conditions; bulge on the tyre; difficult or erratic steering.

4 Wiper blades. In order to lengthen the life of your windshield wiper blades, rub the edges with a knife or the striking part of a matchbox cover. This will expose the softer material underneath and eventually improve the wiping ability.

5Keeping the car colour and finish. Wash it carefully with cold or lukewarm water. It is unwise to wash the vehicle with hot water.

6 Watch the pump. When purchasing gasolene, observe the pump. Also, try not to fill up your tank when the gas station is receiving delivery of fuel. Remember that gas pumped in stirs up sediment that settled at the bottom of the dealer's tanks.

7 Clean corrosion from battery terminals. Use a wire brush or steel wool to gently clean battery posts and cable clamps. The car owner could clean the top surface with a mild solution of baking soda and water.

8Do not mix diesel fuel with gasolene.

9 Try prevent wind resistance while driving: this cuts the performance of your car up to four to five miles per gallon. Keep the car windows closed when driving.

10 Overheating: If you are in traffic and your needle is in the red, get to nearest gas station, garage or mechanic. You could: turn off the air conditioning; turn on the heater to draw heat away from the engine; shift the lever into neutral when stopped and race the engine slightly. Ensure enough water is in the vehicle. If it's adequate, the thermostat may be malfunctioning.

- Paul Messam