Plain-English guides on buying a used car, MOTs, repairs, parts and tyres, for Glasgow and the rest of Scotland. They help you ask better questions. They are not a history check or a mechanical inspection.
Why cars refuse to start on cold mornings, the simple checks you can do on the drive in Glasgow, when a jump start makes sense, and when to get help instead.
Read the guide: Car won't start on a cold Glasgow morning? What to checkA plain guide to car dashboard warning lights: which red lights mean stop now, which amber lights mean get it checked soon, and what to do next in Glasgow.
Read the guide: Dashboard warning lights: when to stop and when it can waitA step-by-step guide to buying a salvage car at Copart or IAA in Scotland: accounts, yards, research, setting a max bid, collection, repair and resale.
Read the guide: How to buy at Scottish salvage auctionsA 10-minute routine for any Copart or IAA car: read the listing, run the free MOT and DVLA checks, decide on a paid history check, and set a max bid.
Read the guide: How to check a salvage car before you bidSimple winter car checks for Glasgow and Scottish roads: tyres, battery, lights, screen wash, antifreeze, what to keep in the boot and the Highway Code rules for ice and snow.
Read the guide: Winter car checks for Scottish roadsHow to buy cheap tyres in Glasgow without being caught out: the legal tread limit, getting a full fitted price, part-worn rules, tyre age, sizes and your rights.
Read the guide: Cheap tyres in Glasgow: how to avoid getting ripped offWhich vans need a class 7 MOT, how to check your van's gross weight, what the test can cost, and how to find a Glasgow test centre that is approved for class 7.
Read the guide: Class 7 MOT for vans in GlasgowFinding an MOT centre in Paisley, Renfrew, Johnstone or Erskine, just west of Glasgow: when it's due, booking early, fees, retests and what to do after a fail.
Read the guide: MOT centres in Paisley and Renfrewshire: what to knowWhat to do if your car breaks down in Glasgow, on a motorway or on a local street: staying safe, when to call 999, getting recovery, and what to do next.
Read the guide: Car broken down in Glasgow? What to doHow to decide whether an old or faulty car is worth repairing, selling as it is, or scrapping, with free checks and the steps that matter in Glasgow.
Read the guide: Is my car worth fixing? A plain guideThe real differences between buying a used car in Glasgow from a trader or a private seller: your legal rights in Scotland, checks, paperwork and payment.
Read the guide: Buying a used car from a trader or a private seller in ScotlandWhat an MOT fail means, whether you can still drive the car, the free and reduced-fee retest rules, and how to compare repair prices at Glasgow garages.
Read the guide: Failed your MOT in Glasgow? What to do nextA plain guide to finding the right car part at a fair price in Glasgow: part numbers, new versus used, breakers, fitting costs and what to ask.
Read the guide: How to find cheaper car parts in GlasgowHow to work out what a cheap used car really costs each month in Glasgow: fuel, insurance, tax, MOT, repairs, tyres, parking and the LEZ.
Read the guide: The real monthly cost of a cheap used carWhat to look at, listen for and ask when you view a used car in Glasgow: before you leave, the walk-round, under the bonnet, the test drive and the paperwork.
Read the guide: A used-car viewing checklist for GlasgowWhat Category S and Category N write-offs mean on a used car, how the record shows up on a history check, and what to ask before you view one in Glasgow.
Read the guide: Cat S and Cat N: what they mean on a used carWhere and when Glasgow's city centre Low Emission Zone runs, why a car's year is only a guide for petrol and diesel, and how to check a used car before you buy.
Read the guide: What Glasgow's Low Emission Zone means for used carsPractical checks before you buy a used car in Glasgow: the journeys you do, insurance and tax, MOT history, history checks, the V5C and the city centre LEZ.
Read the guide: What to check before you buy a used car in Glasgow