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 for. You don’t need to spend a fortune or...
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Maintenance
I’m often asked by readers with older petrol cars how to squeeze more miles...
Buying Guides
I live and work in cities where traffic, tight parking and sudden incidents are...
Buying Guides
I remember the first time I nearly bought a used SUV that looked flawless in...
Maintenance
I remember the first time I had to bleed brakes alone — standing over the car...
I’m sharing a job I’ve done more times than I’d like to count: replacing a corroded wheel hub bearing. It’s one of those maintenance tasks that looks intimidating at first, but with patience, the right approach and common tools you likely...
Buying a lease-return Volkswagen can feel like a smart move on paper: relatively low mileage, dealer-serviced history, and a price that’s often below private-sale levels. I’ve inspected dozens of lease-return cars over the years, and while many...
I spend a lot of time eyeballing tires — in my garage, at the shop, and on the road — because tire wear tells a story about what’s happening beneath your car. If you learn to read that story, you can catch alignment, suspension, and inflation...
I was cruising down the highway the other day in a midlife SUV I’ve had for years when that familiar buzz started around 70 mph. It wasn’t subtle — the steering wheel and seat vibrated, the radio sang a slightly different tune, and I felt my...
I’ve taken older diesel pickups on long trips enough times to know that a weekend tow or a half-day roadside repair is far more likely when you leave the basics unchecked. Preparing an older diesel for a long haul is part mechanical, part common...
I change brake pads more often than many drivers change their oil — partly because I love working on cars, and partly because a Honda Civic is a great platform to test different pads and learn what fits different driving habits and budgets. Over...
I’ve fixed dozens of faded, cloudy headlights in my garage and on friends’ cars, and I still get a little thrill when a dull, yellowed lens comes back to life. Restoring headlights is one of those high-impact, low-cost jobs that makes a car look...