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I think the canonical answer to this question is probably a Honda Civic, anything up to late 90s. My reasons for this recommendation are: The parts are widely available and cheap. There's an abundance of online information about doing repairs and maintenance. The engine is 4-cylinder inline and everything on the engine that needs regular service is easily ...

The simple answer is yes - you should. A car doing reasonable mileage may actually last longer than a car doing very low mileage, as when a car is less frequently used oils may fully drain so the next time the car is started it runs without lubrication in some areas for a short while - increasing wear. As @SamJones mentioned - checking your oil level on a ...

I'm an ex Ford IT guy. Ford as well as all US auto makers are required to keep track of warranty related services and/or things that may effect warranty claims and the safety of people in the vehicle. In the US, it's a federal law called the TREAD ACT. The TREAD ACT is the US government's oversight on safety related claims made by consumers against auto ...

Power steering fluid breaks down over time and needs to be replaced every so often, similar to your brake fluid or most other fluids in your car for that matter. I think that you’re being a little too incredulous of the dealership, and maybe your friend isn’t so knowledgeable, or there was just a misunderstanding. The point is: yes, power steering fluid and ...

I'm currently in the same boat as I'm shopping for a car that I can't find at every street corner either. My approach is that if I'm spending more than a few grand, I'll fly out to look at the car and have it inspected by a specialist who works on these cars on a regular basis. If I happen to have a trusted friend or acquaintance in the area, I might ask ...

This is a bit of a localised question, but as you mention French cars I'm going to assume you're in Europe. Generally, the simpler a car is, the easier it is to fix, and older cars tend to be simpler than newer ones (less electronics, which you can't generally fix yourself). 70s cars tend to be pretty much all mechanical, 80s cars start to introduce basic ...

Look in the owner's manual for maintenance and service schedules. If you don't have the manual go here: http://www.toyota.com/owners/web/pages/resources/owners-manuals put in your car and check out the manual. Also you can go here: http://smg.toyotapartsandservice.com/guides.php and put in your car, year and which mileage you are currently at and it will ...

Try to get something that is rear wheel drive, a forward facing engine and transmission is simpler and easier to work on then a trans-axle plus it gives you more room to work. Look for something you see a lot of so that the parts and knowledge is easy to acquire, but also get something that you actually want to drive. Older two door pickups work rather well. ...

Not sure this question is a good fit for motor vehicle maintenance. But, if you want something done right, do it yourself. Fly to the car yourself and inspect it before signing the sale. If you have it shipped all the way to you to learn that it doesn't match the photo, you've spent far more money than if you had flown out to see the car and worst case, ...

Finally found out how to reset the service reminder manually. It was easier than expected. Here it comes in steps: Put in key Turn key to position 2 (this might be tricky, there are 3 positions, but its actually just before the engine starts, all electronics are on, lights flashing on "dashboard") Use buttons on steering wheel to navigate to "Service ...

Even the most a thorough inspection cannot verify that everything will continue to work only that they are working now. That said you could ask the seller to take the car to the nearest dealer and have it inspected. They would charge say 2 hours labor to pull the wheels off check the brakes etc. But how much do you pay the seller for their time to drop off ...

They all have their own computer system that keep track of the maintenance made at the dealer. I have a Toyota and with my VIN number they are able to track down any events (repair, recall, etc...) that happened at a Toyota Dealer. Obviously they cannot tell anything outside their dealers network. Maybe the Ford's OASIS system is shared with any authorized ...

It depends how much you trust your garage! If you want a 'proper' by-the-book MOT, the best places to go can often be council-run MOT centres. These are run for their own benefit (i.e. to test municipal vehicles), and don't offer any other services, so they are less inclined to try and con you out of other work like some less scrupulous garages have been ...

This depends entirely on your budget rather than good practice. Of course it is far more convenient to do the two together and there is a chance of a reduction in labour costs if they are done at the ame time by the same garage. You may also need a full service at the time, in which case definitely, but if it is not absolutely necessary then I would say ...