MicksGarage Service Academy: How To Jump Start Your Car

Its happened to most of us, you come out of the house, shopping centre or back from the airport or wherever, get in your car, turn the key.........and.......nothing...flat battery.....Balls!

You're either going to need a jump start, a bump start or you're going to have to call a man in a van to come and rescue you, he'll probably want to be paid for his troubles too. For the majority of people, calling the man in the van is not a problem especially if you have AA cover or breakdown assist on your insurance policy but if you're a car guy, calling the man in the van is tantamount to treason, it's the absolute last resort & shame will be bought upon your family!

Carrying a simple set of jump leads or a power pack in the boot will solve all your problems and once you get the car running again will reinforce your status to your mates/wife/children etc as an all round, good, handy guy to keep around the place.

Joking aside, keeping a set of  jump leads or a power pack in the boot is going to save you a load of time, possibly money and stress and they're not expensive, they start at under €20.00 - and the ones we sell at MicksGarage are good ones, not cheap, plasticky ones with hardly any copper in the cables like some companies sell.

So let's assume you have jump leads and your going to jump start your car. It's a very simple process but there are some extremely important safety precautions which must be followed and a strict order in which the cables should be connected and disconnected. To make the procedure as simple as possible to understand we've created this infographic:

Jump starting requires a 2nd car, but what if you're stuck in the middle of nowhere or it's the middle of the night and nobody's around?

That's where this bad boy comes in....

This is the iSparQ600 from Stark Power. (we're not 100% certain but we think the design was leaked from Tony Stark's lab) It's a massively cool piece of kit in a tiny little box that packs enough punch to start an engine of up to 6 litres in capacity!....and it'll fit in your glovebox. 

it will also recharge mobile phones, laptops, tablets etc multiple times. What's really cool is that unlike traditional, heavy and bulky booster packs, once it's charged, it will stay charged for up to 3 years, so it's always ready when you need it.

I've been using one for the last couple of days just to get familiar with it before we shoot a product review video, so far I'm very impressed. Out of the box it was fully charged, which was nice. It has charged up my Galaxy S4 from empty twice (in an hour and a half each time) and also a Galaxy S3 and an iPhone 5. The display says it still has 50% power left. I'm heading to the NEC in Birmingham tomorrow to the Autosport International show & i'm going to bring it with me on the plane so I have a source of power for the laptop and the phone. When it gets down to about 20% we're going to try and jump start a car and see how it gets on. We did try jump starting the van at work which has a 2.8 litre diesel engine and it fired up straight away, that was on a full charge and we completely removed the battery...so we can certainly vouch that it packs a decent punch!

Watch this space for more news on the Stark Power iSparQ 600 

Click here for another super informative blog about how to Bump Start your car!

oh wait,  I actually haven't written that one yet, but in the mean time you could click on some of these sharing buttons below!

How Stuff Works: Oil Filters

All cars are fitted with a bunch of different filters to keep the air and fluids that the car needs run nice and clean. The car you drive, at a minimum will be fitted with an oil filter, an air filter, a fuel filter and a pollen/cabin filter.
You'll no doubt have been told that you have to change your cars filters when it gets serviced but why? What will happen if you don't bother? Another thing to be aware of is that not all filters are the same, the quality can vary drastically and to the naked eye it can be difficult to spot a poor quality filter.

In this blog we're focusing our attention on the most commonly changed filter, the oil filter.

How the oil filter works:
There are 2 main types of oil filter, the spin-on type and the cartridge/element type, they both do exactly the same thing, just in slightly different ways.

The function of the oil filter is to continuously clean the engine oil of minute carbon, soot and metallic particles that naturally break free from the moving engine components as you drive. If left unfiltered the engine oil would very quickly become ineffective and would actually start to do harm to your engine (imagine these particles being a bit like the exfoliant your wife uses in the bath - very abrasive and scratchy, not at all what you want in your engine!) These particles actually start to wear away the moving components inside your engine - in particular the bearings. Eventually the wear will become so great that the engine is likely to seize. If that happens you'll either be looking for a new engine or a repair bill well into the thousands.

This diagram shows a cutaway of a typical 'spin-on' oil filter. The blue arrows illustrate the direction the oil flows around the filter.

The oil filter has a built-in safety mechanism in the form of the bypass valve. When the filter gets old and the filtration material gets clogged up with all these carbon and metallic particles the bypass valve opens up (at a predefined pressure) so that the engine still gets a constant supply of oil. The trouble is, the oil is now completely unfiltered.




The Difference Between a Good & a Bad Oil Filter:
The exploded view of the oil filter below illustrates all the separate parts that go into a high quality oil filter. Each component is made to the correct specification is made of the correct grade of material, as specified by the original vehicle manufacturer.

The comparison below illustrates clearly that not all filters are the same inside. The table compares an original Equipment Bobcat filter with some aftermarket competitors, it's clear to see some are better than others. The most noticeable differences tend to be in the amount of filtering media used (the comparison filter in the middle has a fraction of the media used in the original filter and will therefore clog up much faster)

Less obvious, but most concerning is the strength of the bypass valve. Some filters are fitted with weaker springs in their bypass valves which will allow oil to flow straight through the filter, completely unfiltered!

But enough of the horror stories! there are plenty of excellent quality filter manufacturers out there that make their products to OE specifications and can still save you a load of money over the OE vehicle manufacturer branded filters. At MicksGarage we stock most of them so you can make your own decisions as to which brand you want to buy. Our advice is to do your research, find out what brand of filter was fitted to your car originally (vehicle manufacturers don't make their own filters by the way - for example a BMW branded filter will be manufactured by Mahle, Mann or Knecht, not actually BMW).

Check out the video below for a more in-depth look at what goes on inside your cars filters: 

Save 20% on all MANN filters this January with discount code JAN20

Hey! sharing is sexy..

Winter Driving - Everything you Need to Know

This article contains all you need to be well prepared for the roads this Winter. You will find details on what checks you need to do, what  essentials you should have in your boot and how to drive safely on snow and ice.

 Preparing your car for the Winter months

Tyres 

• Make sure your tyres are up to it, the more thread the better
• Correct pressure in your tyres
• Snow Socks can make life a lot easier

Firstly, ensure that your tyres are in roadworthy condition. While the minimum legal thread depth is 1.6mm we recommend not letting it get this low. Your tyres should have the correct pressure to give you the best chance of remaining safe while driving, this can be found in the owner's handbook. Winter tyres are incredibly useful if there is sustained snowfall but are also an expensive investment considering the sporadic weather. A more affordable way of increasing your grip on snowy roads is by using snow socks, these can be a life-saver during heavy downfall, especially for unsure drivers.

Windscreen Wipers

• Wiper motor and blades in full working order
• Wiper blades not perished or damaged

Your windscreen wipers are crucial to your safety during the Winter. Visibility is your number one priority, you don't want snow resting on your windscreen while driving! Make sure that your wiper blades aren't perished, it is a relatively cheap fix that will see you right through the harsh weather. 

Lights

• Lights on at all times
• All bulbs working as normal

As you will be driving with your lights on at all times you will need them to be in full working order. Bulbs can be replaced by yourself within minutes and will make a remarkable difference both during the day and at night. It also helps your car be noticed by other motorists during the bleak conditions.

Fluid Levels

• Anti-freeze windscreen wash
• Check oil, battery, brake and power steering fluid and coolant

Your last bit of maintenance before the possibility of snow and ice increases is to top up your levels! Anti-freeze windscreen wash is a godsend, it will reduce the chance of ice forming on your windscreen as you drive and will also keep your view clear. You should also check the other areas such as oil, battery, brake and power steering fluid and coolant.

  

Winter Essentials to Have in your Boot

Scraper and De-Icer

• Have an Ice Scraper close to hand
• De-Icer and Gloves will make the job easier

There are some items to purchase that are going to make the Winter far easier for yourself and your occupants. The first thing that happens in the morning will be to scrape the snow and ice from your windscreen, windows and mirrors. It helps if you have gloves to hold the Ice Scraper, De-Icer will make the job far easier also.

Snow Shovel

• Snow Shovel can come in handy to remove packed snow
• Old carpet under drive wheels will help increase traction if you become stuck

If you do get in a spot of bother then you need to get out and get digging sometimes! A snow shovel is ideal for this, old carpet is also particularly handy to place under the drive wheels to increase traction. 

Hi-Vis Vest and Warning Triangle

• Use a Hi-Vis Vest to make yourself more visible to other motorists
• Place a warning triangle some distance behind your car if you are stuck/broken down

A Hi-Vis Vest and a Warning Triangle are essential if you are stepping out of the car for an extended time, it will give other motorists longer to react if you are stranded in the middle of a road. Be careful when outside as other vehicles will take longer to stop and have reduced visibility, injuries also increase from people losing their footing and falling so tread carefully.

Torch 

• A torch is a vital piece of your Winter Kit, spare batteries are also useful

A torch with spare batteries should be part of your Winter Kit as there is a lack of sunlight as we are all well aware. 

Warm Jacket & Blanket

• If you need to keep warm while waiting for assistance then an old heavy, warm jacket is a must

If you unfortunately do breakdown or become stuck and are waiting for help then you will need a jacket. Pack an old warm heavy jacket in your boot and leave it there, you may be glad of it some day, and while you're at it a blanket as well, in case you have any back seat passengers who may also need to be kept warm and cosy!

How to Drive in Snow and Ice

Your Route

• Only drive if you must
• Stick to the main roads where possible

First off, only undertake your journey if it is necessary. If possible, stick to major roads which are going to be in better condition and will have been salted most likely.

Give Yourself Time

• Leave early and take your time
• Remember to leave more distance than usual between yourself and other vehicles

Allow yourself more time and drive slower than usual. Increase the gap between you and the car ahead for obvious reasons. 

Keep Your Cool

• Avoid doing anything rapidly. Steering movements, acceleration and braking should be done smoothly

Drive smoothly, avoid harsh acceleration or braking, this will make the whole thing far easier for you. Brake on the straights, you should not have to brake during a corner. Adjusting the steering should also be done in a considered and delicate manner, wildly turning the steering wheel will cause the wheels to lose traction.

If you Skid

• Keep cool, reduce acceleration and gently brake. Steer in your intended direction

If you do lose traction and find yourself skidding then try not to worry, we know this is tough but it is the best approach. Reduce acceleration and gently brake, avoid slamming on the brake pedal which is the natural reaction. Steer in the direction of the skid, correcting the car gradually.

If you find that you need any of the items mentioned above then you can find them in our Winter Driving section. Safe Driving!

Awh it only needs a ball joint!

I think we have all had that conversation with the local mechanic or garage that your car needs a ball joint replacing and simply pay the bill and move on!

But we here at MicksGarage would like to explain to you what they are and put the power in your hands when it comes to your car maintenance as the saying goes “knowledge is power”. 

In simple terms they are what they say on the tin, a Ball in a joint! But if I were to say that ball joint is a key part of every vehicle and correct maintenance may save you money. It might make things a little more interesting!

The basic idea of the ball joint is to join two parts together but allow controlled movement in a multiple of directions, UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT and any combinations of these at the same time.

Cross Section of ball joint

As I mentioned above that ball joints are key to every vehicle on the road i.e. every vehicle will have them fitted, but where & why?

Our vehicles are designed to cope with bumpy roads, country lanes, the dreaded speed bumps, I think it fair to say the wheels move up and down a lot, now match this movement with the fact that front wheels need turning left and right. You might ask how do you actually fit a wheel to the vehicle and creator for all this movement? The answer is simple a Ball Joint.

Where the ball joint fitted?  99% of vehicles will have more than one but let’s take it slow. Below is a picture of where ball joints would most commonly fitted. Here you can see that this joint is key to ensuring that the wheel stays where it is meant to. 

Front Suspension Ball joint Location 

Any excess wear in the ball joint will result in the wheel moving in an uncontrolled manor. This uncontrolled movement will cause increased wear & strain on suspension components along with a feeling of vague steering or a tendency for the vehicle to wonder while driving in a straight line.

I did say this article could save you money and this is where it starts. We spoke about excess wear to suspension components and I could fill the pages with, what suspension components are,? do? etc...   (I do hope to in future with further articles) but let’s stay on track (excuse the pun).

The front-line in suspension components is actually your tyre! Its filled with air under pressure and perfect for taking the brunt of the road before the mechanical components take over (springs shocks etc...) but the money saving comes with ensuring the ball joints do not have excess play, this excess play will result in increased tyre wear and reduced tyre life. We know how pricey replacing four tyres can be.

Excess tyre ware is actually because the rolling resistance has increased and the tracking (the angle the wheels are pointing in) is out of alignment, this will increase your fuel consumption as your engine has to work harder to push past this resistance.

In the automotive world we tend to say the ball joint is fitted to the lower suspension arm or wishbones but the actually term Ball Joint can be taken as an engineering term of a ball in socket joint! If we take this on board we can see that nearly EVERY part of the suspension on your vehicle will have a Ball Joint fitted or attached to it! Below are a list of suspension components that may have ball joint fitted to them but are referred to differently in the automotive world because of there location or job.

• Lower Wishbone 
• Upper Wishbone 
• Inner tie rod
• Tie rod end
• Drop links
• Suspension mounting 
• Control Arms

If we take the above list as a reference and have a look at the front suspension of a common vehicle let’s say an 2010 Audi A4.

Front Suspension 2010 Audi - A4

We can count five ball joints per side and a total of ten making up the front suspension, any excess ware on any of the above would hamper and add extra pressure on each of the other components.

All in all I think it is fair to say that ball joints are extremely important when it comes to vehicle maintenance and should not be over looked or put off.

“Awh sure it only needs ball joint” is not something that should be taken lightly. But I do hope you may have an extra incite that will aid you with your next service or future 2nd hand buy!

Chris Driver

Words by Chris Driver, MicksGarage !

Mickette's Christmas Gift Wish List!

Looking for some Christmas Gift inspiration for Mickette? 

iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker Cube - €34.95 
These dinky little speakers are small but LOUD! Connect an iPhone or Smartphone to the speaker using Bluetooth and you can play any music from your phone any time anywhere! Super handy for Holidays, Festivals, anywhere around the home or garage.

Streetwize in-car 12v Heated Hair Straighteners - €16.95
This is a great invention! A 12 volt hair straighter that simply plugs into the cigarette lighter in your car! Ideal for camping, festivals, rally's or just caught in the rain while out and about. It heats in about 2-3 minutes and ceramic plates are big enough to straighten medium to long hair. While it won't be replacing my GHD at home and we definitely don't recommend you try this on the M50, it is simple to use, effective and is the ideal stocking filler gift this Christmas!!

Top Gear Tee - Shadow Stig (Ladies) V-neck Large Purple €19.95

New to MicksGarage.com "The Stig" Official Top Gear Merchandise includes a range of ladies Shadow Stig and " I am the Stig" Tee's in Purple and Black, great Christmas gift for any Top Gear Girls.

Warning these t-shirts were tested on animals. they didn't fit! 

Orla Kiely Rotating iPad  & iPhone Case Design: Car Park 
Irish fashion designer based in London Orla Kiely has created a range of iPad and iPhone cases in a range of designs! We just love this one, because well it's cars.

Beats Solo HD V2 On-Ear Headphones

MicksGarage.com have expanded our range of electrical products and we now stock a huge range of headphones including the ever popular Beats! 

We hope you've found something helpful here for your Christmas list, you can find these gifts and more in our Christmas Gift Store and don't forget to check out Mick's Money Saving Bundles, if you buy 2 Christmas gifts together you can save up to 10% off the price! 

Words by Amy

Mick's Christmas Gift Wish List

Mick's been writing his letter to Santa! Here's his Top Ten Christmas Gifts.

The Haynes V8 Engine - €39.74 Looking set to become Mick's most popular Christmas gift second year running, Haynes engines always go down a treat on Christmas morning with Petrol Heads of all ages! It's older brother the ever popular Haynes 4 Cylinder Engine and the all New younger Haynes V-Twin motorcycle engine will also be making an appearance under many trees this coming Christmas.

Top Gear The Stig Official Merchandise - From €15.95 New to MicksGarage for Christmas 2014 "The Stig" Top Gear Official Merchandise includes Gifts for all the family with t-shirts to fit "The Stig" "Stigette" and kids sizes for the "soon to be Stigs". We also have cool mugs with Top Gear stuff on them too! 

AutoGlym High Definition Wax - €60 This stuff smells AMAZING!! High Definition Wax is quite simply AutoGlym finest product and without a doubt the best car wax on the market at the moment. The presentation of this gift pack makes it a pleasure to buy or to give to anyone (Yes I have bought it as a gift & used it myself) and if your just browsing the web for a gift to impress someone who loves to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning washing and waxing their pride and joy well STOP here it is!

Draper 12V Mini Analogue Air Compressor - €19.86 This is a really handy tool for any car owner. It can be used through the cigarette lighter in your car anywhere anytime, to inflate sports equipment and most importantly car tyres. This little gadget has enough power to re-inflate a car tyre within minutes powered only by your own car! It also has a very handy torch built in on one end should you need it. It's a very practical and clever little gadget we like it alot!

Beewii Fiat 500 Bluetooth Android - €39.62 These Bluetooth remote control Fiat 500's went down a treat in the MicksGarage office. Simply download an app onto your smartphone and you can control these using your phone as a joystick. Just to note these cars are for use on Apple or Android phones, if you are buying them for a gift you must get the car that matches the phone as apple and android will not work together, just double check you have the right car before you buy.

BeeWii Bluetooth Smartphone Controlled Helicopter - €49.60 Like the BeeWii Fiat 500 the BeeWii Bluetooth Helicopter is another great little gadget that will give kids and the larger kids hours of entertainment on Christmas morning.

Parrot CK3100 LCD Bluetooth Dash Mounted Hands Free Car Kit - €128.95 This is an essential piece of kit for every driver. With new traffic laws introduced in 2014 bluetooth car kits have become more popular than ever! This neat little unit can connect to multiple handsets, and you will be able to place and receive calls in comfort and safety, without ever touching your mobile phone. With Bluetooth car phone ear pieces and accessories from as little as €10 MicksGarage.com have bluetooth accessories to suit every budget this Christmas.

Draper Cordless Drill & 33Pc Magnetic Bit Set - €49.99 Perfect gift for any DIYer! This complete drill kit is a neat and compact tool. Ideal for any household or apartment tool kit, but also strong enough for tougher garage and garden jobs. It's great value and sure to be a really handy and practical gift!

AutoGlym Car Care Gifts Packs - From €19.72 The clever chaps at AutoGlym have created some really lovely gift packs for this Christmas, most of AutoGlym's high quality cleaning products come in 3 steps. A surface preparation, conditioning and finishing or final polish step. These gift packs come in some simple options, Interior, Exterior, Wheels, and the complete kit. Packaged in some really nice and presentable gift packaging and ranging from as low as €20 they are a perfect Christmas Gift.

Draper 240mm Machine Polisher 110W 230V - €44.95 So your petrol head has a garage full of shampoos, waxes clothes etc, what do you buy them then? Simples - this Draper Machine Polisher will speed up those Car cleaning days no end. This 230 volt Machine Polisher waxes and buffs a car at up to 3000 rpm. It's easy to use shape and design will take some of the toil out of waxing and polishing cars, caravans or boats.

We hope you've found something helpful here for your Christmas list, you can find these gifts and more in our Christmas Gift Store and don't forget to check out Mick's Money Saving Bundles, if you buy 2 Christmas gifts together you can save up to 10% off the price! 

Words by Amy

What does Isofix mean?

Picking a baby seat for the first time can be a daunting process. There is a lot of terminology, choice and safety laws to get through. The main concern for any new parent is keeping your little one as safe as possible for the best value for your money. At MicksGarage.com we have put together a small explanation of some of the terms you might see on your search for the perfect seat. 

What does Isofix mean?

Isofix is a standard safety system that was introduced back in the early 1990’s to create a secure and universal system for fixing baby seats. It reduces the risks of misfitting seats and increased child protection by securing a baby seat directly to the chassis of a car. Previously baby seats would have been connected using adult seat belts to secure the seat in place.

What's different about Isofix? What does isofix look like?

Isofix systems have 3 anchorage points that come inbuilt into all new cars built after 2006. Cars built previous to this would have the two lower anchorage points. You will find these points positioned in the rear seats, two are behind the lower rear car seat cushion and the third behind the seat which connects to the upper part of the child restraint, this is to stop it moving forward in event of an impact. Isofix connections will be labelled clearly. Usually visible along the gap at the back of the seat cushion, or from the boot behind the back seat.

Why buy an Isofix Car Seat?

It is estimated that up to 80% of standard or belt type child seats are fitted incorrectly. Isofix virtually eliminates the possibility of incorrect fitting. Isofix baby seats are much easier to fit to the car by simply and quickly clicking the two isofix connectors on the rear of the baby seat into the points in your car, some Isofix seats are fitted with green indicators to simply show the connection is secure.  

RSA Child Safety Laws and Standards

Taken from www.rsa.ie

• New EU child safety protection laws have come into force making it compulsory for all children to travel in the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion

• Where safety belts have been fitted they must be worn

• Children under 3 years of age must not travel in a car or goods vehicle (other than a taxi) unless restrained in the correct child seat

• Children aged 3 years or over who are under 150cms in height and weighing less than 36 kilograms (i.e. generally children up to 11/12 years old) must use the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion when travelling in cars or goods vehicles

• Children over 3 years of age must travel in a rear seat in vehicles not fitted with safety belts

• Rearward-facing child car seats must NEVER be used in the front passenger seat of cars with an active airbag.
• Child car seats must be in accordance with EU or United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) standards
• Drivers have a legal responsibility to ensure passengers aged under 17 use the correct seat, booster seat, booster cushion or seatbelt

What is a baby car seat group?

Explanations taken from childcarseats.org.uk

Group 0 & 0+

Rearward­-facing Baby Seats Group 0 for babies up to 10 kgs (22 lbs) roughly from birth to 6-­9 months, or Group 0+ for babies up to 13kg (29lbs) roughly from birth to 12-­15 months

Group 0 and Group 0+ can be used in the front or rear of the car. It is safer to put them in the rear. DO NOT put them in the front passenger seat if there is a passenger airbag. Rearward-facing seats provide greater protection for the baby's head, neck and spine than forward­ facing seats. So, it is best to keep your baby in a rearward-­facing seat for as long as possible. Only move them to a forward­ facing seat once they have exceeded the maximum
weight for the baby seat, or the top of their head is higher
than the top of the seat.

Group 1   

Forward ­facing child seat Group 1 for children weighing 9­18 kgs (20­-40lbs) roughly from 9 months ­ 4 years. They can be used in the front or rear of the car,  but it is safer to put them in the rear, especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front.Only move your child to a booster seat once they have exceeded the maximum weight for the child seat, or the top of their head is higher than the top of the seat.

Group 2

For children weighing 15 -­ 25 kgs (33 ­- 55lbs) roughly 4 to 6 years. Group 2 seats are forward facing, include a high backrest, and generally a multi-point harness. They can be used in the front or rear of the car, but it is always safer to put them in the rear, especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front. Some Booster seats are designed to be converted into a booster cushion by detaching the back rest.

Group 3

Booster Cushion for children weighing 22-36 kgs (48-79 lbs) roughly from 6 -­ 11 years.

They can be used in the front or rear of the car, but again it is always safer to put them in the rear,  especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front. Booster seats and booster cushions do not  have an integral harness to hold the child in place. The adult seat belt goes around the child and the seat. So it is important that the seat belt is correctly adjusted and positioned  The basic points to note are:

• the belt should be worn as tight as possible
• the lap belt should go over the pelvic region, not the stomach
• the diagonal strap should rest over the shoulder, not the neck

Generally group 2/3 seats are combined. Eg a group 2/3 seat would be suitable for 4-11 years

Posted by Amy 

Learn How an Engine Works Right Here

We found this brilliant demonstrative gif online of how an engine works and decided that we had to share this with our blog readers. It breaks down what exactly occurs within an engine in the simplest form we have seen yet.

Click on the image below and use the magnifying glass tool to see it in full and prepare to learn!

Automatic Smart Driver - Your tech/car Sambo, tuck in

So it's been a while since i blogged here at micks place, but then like the rest of the guys i've been busy. Part of what makes the world exciting these days is the acceleration (no pun intended) of technology and how it can impact our lives in a positive way. Increasingly we rely on smartphones in our lives too. Now this is not an email advocating the use of a smartphone in a moving vehicle but when the 2 elements collide perfectly, this is what you get. I am going to show a video of potentially one of the smartest uses of Apps and a small piece of technology i have seen in a while. 

• Do you forget where you park? 
• Do you do nothing when the lights come on the dash? 
• Do you even know what to do?
• Do you ride the clutch like me and burn fuel? Want to save some money?

Voila, Look no further than this : 

This may not be perfect and will carry it's skeptics for sure, but it has a simple application that makes it universal to us all. I think it could be the first step in creating a raft of spin offs and alterations to a product that as a non motor head can see the benefit in. Remember where you saw it first. Let us know what you think? 

How To Change Your Oil & Oil Filter

Changing the oil and oil filter is arguably the most important part of servicing your car. Using good quality oil, and keeping it in good condition by changing it at the correct intervals will protect your engine and keep it running smoothly.

Many engines suffer premature wear, become smokey, noisy and often suffer complete failure just because their owners don't bother to change the oil.

Although it might seem daunting, an oil and filter change is probably one of the easier jobs you can try yourself, in most cases it's actually no more difficult than changing a wheel and definitely less physically demanding, (although it will take a bit longer)

Before you get started it's essential to have the correct oil for your car. Gone are the days where you could lash any old chip oil into it. Modern engines, especially ones fitted with Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF's) use the engine oil as an integral part of the emission control systems.

Using the wrong oil can not only damage the DPF and the engine, which would lead to a repair bill in the thousands but it will also void your warranty.

To pick the right grade of oil for your car use our  OIL FINDER

In the video below we show you exactly how the job is done from start to finish and list the tools we needed on this particular car. The car we used for this demo was a 2005 VW Passat with the 1.9tdi engine, probably the most common engine on the road, you'll find this engine has been fitted to most models from VW, Audi, Skoda & Seat.

If you don't have this engine then what you see under your bonnet will look a bit different, but dont worry, the basic principals of changing the oil and filter are the same for pretty much all cars and if you search YouTube it's pretty likely that you will find a 'How To' video for your specific make and model of car

At MicksGarage.com we stock Champion, Total, Castrol & Liqui Moly engine oils. We have a full range for all makes and models and we regularly run special offers, discount and promotions. Right now we have up to 40% off all Champion oils!