First car - Things to know?

Bakedgoods

Bakedgoods

Bakedgoods

Capodecina
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31 Dec 2003
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I'm just after some tips for looking after my first car and anything that would be good to know that I might not of picked up?

For example..

How often should I get the oil changed? That sort of thing?

As for the car, it's an 04 Clio 1.4 Expression, 36,000 miles and it's due for it's next 10,000 mile service which i'll get done in a week or so.

Even if it's something you may think as trivial or obvious, throw it in :D
 
just make sure its serviced every time its due, then you wont really need to do anything with it.

just check oil/coolent level often.
 
I was thinking of pretty much just having it serviced once a year, when I get the MOT done or something.

I shouldn't have it a great deal longer than a year though anyways...
 
£2800.

It will probably be a little over a year, but I can't see me keeping it longer than 18 months as i'll probably get something new.

Although saying that, I might well keep it for longer, but in a years time i'll be 21 and hopefully my insurance will come down a little, and i'll have my first years driving under my belt.
 
Wardie said:
£2800.

It will probably be a little over a year, but I can't see me keeping it longer than 18 months as i'll probably get something new.

Although saying that, I might well keep it for longer, but in a years time i'll be 21 and hopefully my insurance will come down a little, and i'll have my first years driving under my belt.
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I said that about my car...still got the thing though :p

What with Tax increasing next year and petrol...I just don't have the money to get a new car now to be honest.

So I'll be keeping my lil Clio for a while yet.

But it's up to you obviously.
 
Yeah i'll have to see how things pan out. I was hoping to maybe sell in a year or so's time depending how things go, and get something a little nicer. It's not set in stone though i'm just glad to be driving.

Only had chance to go for a couple of drives and it is a lot different to the car I learned to drive in. Feels a lot faster (even though it isn't, but i'm not used to it) and the clutch is totally different.

I learned to drive in a Corsa. In the clio the clutch is a lot more sensitive and doesn't travel as much. Getting there though :D
 
Wardie said:
Yeah i'll have to see how things pan out. I was hoping to maybe sell in a year or so's time depending how things go, and get something a little nicer. It's not set in stone though i'm just glad to be driving.

Only had chance to go for a couple of drives and it is a lot different to the car I learned to drive in. Feels a lot faster (even though it isn't, but i'm not used to it) and the clutch is totally different.

I learned to drive in a Corsa. In the clio the clutch is a lot more sensitive and doesn't travel as much. Getting there though :D
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Hah, exactly the same as me then.

I hear people moaning about the Clio clutch etc, but I've had no problems with it...Only thing I can say is when ever I drive a new Golf or something for a day, then go into my Clio (which is a 51 plate) the clutch almost has no 'give' so to speak...less responding. But drive it for a day then I'm used to it! :p

So meh.
 
What's the difference between unleaded and super unleaded? I'm guessing it's better for your engine or something along them lines?

At the Shell garage yesterday I had to use Shell V-Max Power or something along them lines.
 
er, higher Octane or something.

Some cars 'require' it, like my mates MR2...well, it states to use x amount octane petrol....but the Super ones over here are the closest he can get.

Apparently better for your engine, but I can't justify buying it for a 1.2...haha
 
Yeah I was just curious and assumed it's for 'better' cars, or cars with bigger engines etc, my old man always used it on his M3.

The regular petrol pump wasn't working so I had to use what was probably a more expensive version at the garage.

Such a strange feeling filling up for the first/second time :D

Just out of curiosity, have you recently passed?
 
Wardie said:
Yeah I was just curious and assumed it's for 'better' cars, or cars with bigger engines etc, my old man always used it on his M3.

The regular petrol pump wasn't working so I had to use what was probably a more expensive version at the garage.

Such a strange feeling filling up for the first/second time :D

Just out of curiosity, have you recently passed?
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I passed about 4 years ago I think...Why do you ask?

But it is an odd feeling filing up for the first time...First time I did it, I was looking for the button to open my petrol cap for about 5 minutes...only to realise you just pull it open! :p
 
Was just wondering :)

Yeah when I first did it I didn't shake the pump when I picked it up and soaked my girlfriends foot.... I also parked on the wrong side of the pump and had to move onto another :F
 
Wardie said:
Was just wondering :)

Yeah when I first did it I didn't shake the pump when I picked it up and soaked my girlfriends foot.... I also parked on the wrong side of the pump and had to move onto another :F
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You don't need to move if you park with your filler cap on the opposite side to the pump...the pipe will reach around/over the car easily. :)

First time I filled up my first car was from a jerrycan and took me ages to work out how to get the petrol cap off and then back on again. :D

InvG
 
Hah :)

Sometimes it's better to park on the wrong side....You get all the petrol out of the hose then ;) Rather than leaving half of what you paid in the slack part of the hose.
 
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