{"id":40,"date":"2018-04-30T12:14:41","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T11:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leasecar.uk\/blog\/?p=40"},"modified":"2024-09-17T16:17:03","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T15:17:03","slug":"how-much-do-brits-know-about-their-cars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leasecar.uk\/blog\/how-much-do-brits-know-about-their-cars\/","title":{"rendered":"How much do brits know about their cars?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Brits aren’t the savviest when it comes to car maintenance, according\n to a recent survey we conducted. 1 in 4 of us doesn’t know how to put \nantifreeze in our cars, and 1 in 10 of us has broken the law by \nknowingly driving a car that failed its MOT (we’re looking at you, \nNorthern Ireland \u2013 you were 1 in 3!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some drivers are safer and more clued up than others. Drivers in \nNorthern Ireland and London are the nation’s worst on both counts. The \nbest are in the East Midlands, East Anglia and the North West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, our results don’t paint a great picture of Britain’s \ndrivers. And it’s not just the people who responded to our survey, \neither. Judging by some of the most common questions we ask Google, the \nnation as a whole doesn’t know its stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We thought we’d lend a hand. Here are 15 of Britain’s most-Googled \nquestions about car maintenance \u2013 along with our answers. How many of \nthe questions flummox you?<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Can you drive without an MOT?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The only time you can drive your vehicle without a valid MOT is when \nyou’re driving it to the test centre to get one. If you’re stopped on \nthe way, you’ll need to prove you’re going to have the car MOT’d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you drive with a cracked windscreen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Legally, it’s a bit of a grey area \u2013 it depends whether the crack \nmakes the car unsafe to drive. Play it safe and get it fixed as soon as \npossible, even if it’s only small. Little cracks can quickly get bigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you drive with a blown head gasket?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The head gasket stops the coolant (or antifreeze) in your car leaking\n all over the place. If your head gasket’s blown, your car’s more likely\n to overheat, which can cause much more expensive problems further down \nthe line. It doesn’t put you in immediate danger, but head gaskets are \ncheap. You’re better off replacing it sooner rather than later. Smoke \nfrom the exhaust, leaking coolant and overheating are all signs that \nyou’ve got a blown head gasket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you drive with a flat tyre?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pull over immediately. Getting a flat trye on the road is a scary \nexperience especially if you are driving at speed. It’s very important \nto take the correct steps as soon as you notice one of your tryes is \nloosing pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Goodyear states \u201cMaintaining proper air \npressure is an important factor in tire safety and performance. If a \ndriver experiences a flat tire or loss of air pressure, they should slow\n the vehicle gradually and carefully pull off to the side of the road as\n soon as possible. Driving on a flat tire can cause internal structural \ndamage to the tire, may lead to wheel and vehicle damage and may result \nin poor vehicle handling and control \u2014 which could lead to an accident, \ninjury or death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So even though you may have seen someone driving\n slowly on the hard shoulder with a flat remember that flat or \nunder-inflated tyres can do harm very quickly.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you drive with bad motor mounts?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Driving with bad motor mounts won’t put you in immediate danger, but \nit can cause more damage to your car over time. Not only is this \nadditional damage likely to be dangerous, it’ll cost a lot more to fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The motor mounts hold the engine in place. When they get worn down, \nthe engine will bounce around, which of course isn’t good for it in the \nlong term. Do yourself a favour and spend a few quid replacing the motor\n mounts before you do more serious damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What oil does my car need?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depends on your engine. The recommended grade should be listed in your car’s manual, along with a recommended manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What battery does my car need?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This one’s surprisingly complicated. Your first issue is size, which \nwill depend on the space under your bonnet in which a battery can fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Car batteries are also differentiated by ampere\/hours (AH) and cold \ncranking amps (CCA). AH tells you how long the battery will last before \nit needs to be recharged. CCA tells you how good a battery is at \nstarting a vehicle in the winter months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s no point just buying the car battery with the highest CCA \nratings, because not all cars are equipped to make use of the benefits. \nTo find out what kind of battery your car needs, you can take it to a \ngarage, but this might be unnecessarily expensive. Alternatively, you \ncan play it safe and replace the current battery like-for-like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also need to choose whether to get a calcium or lead battery. Calcium batteries tend to last longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does MOT stand for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ministry of Transport, the folks in charge of MOTs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does a car alternator do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It generates the energy that feeds the car’s electrical system and \ncharges the battery. If your alternator’s failing, your car’s headlights\n might dim, and the various interior gauges might stop working. Rattling\n or screeching noises from under the bonnet of the car is another common\n symptom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What engine does my car have?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Each type of engine has an engine code, and you can find this in your\n vehicle identification number (VIN). The VIN is at the bottom of your \nwindshield, on the driver’s side. The VIN is a long series of numbers \nand letters; the eighth in the series is the engine code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where does antifreeze go in a car?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Antifreeze goes in a reservoir that sits under the bonnet of your \ncar. It will be labelled, usually with \u201cengine coolant\u201d. You lift the \ncap and fill the reservoir up to the \u201cmaximum\u201d mark. The exact location \nwill vary depending on your car \u2013 you can check your car’s manual to \nfind out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you drive without a wing mirror?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Legally, you must have at least two working rear-view mirrors. Three \nare fitted as standard in every car: the two wing mirrors and the \ninterior rear-view mirror. Any one of these mirrors can be broken, but \nthe law states you need at least two that give you a decent view of \nwhat’s happening behind your car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though it’s not illegal to drive with a single broken wing \nmirror, the police might still stop you, so you’re better off getting it\n fixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you drive without doors?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If the car was originally built with doors, you’re not allowed to \nremove them; if you did, it wouldn’t pass an MOT test. Even if it were \nallowed, we’re not sure why you’d want to: being blasted relentlessly by\n the elements as you speed along isn’t our idea of a pleasant (or safe) \ndrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you drive a golf cart on the road?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No, although 10% of our survey respondents thought it was fine. If \nyou were to take to the streets in your plucky little golf cart, you’d \nbe breaking the law. If you can’t quite gather the funds to buy a car, \nwe’d recommend a lease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you drive without a steering wheel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oh, Britain. And we’d been asking such sensible questions. No, no you cannot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Brits aren’t the savviest when it comes to car maintenance, according to a recent survey we conducted. 1 in 4 of us doesn’t know how to put antifreeze in our cars, and 1 in 10 of us has broken the law by knowingly driving a car that failed its MOT (we’re looking at you, Northern…","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow much do brits know about their cars? - Leasecar Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How much do you know about your car? 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