What's Under Your Bonnet?

When you look under the bonnet of your car, it might seem complicated. But, Vuyi Mpofu explains that you don’t need to be a mechanic to understand what makes your car work. Here are 5 things you need to know.

- Vuyi Mpofu

My motoring journey began when I was a toddler. My father was an enthusiast of all things mechanical. In his spare time, you would find him tinkering under a hulk of scrap metal formerly identifiable as a car, with the hopes of re-engineering it into something roadworthy. The only way I could spend time with him was by lying alongside and mimicking his every move, much to his amusement and my mother’s dismay – normal girls played house with dolls! What I learnt became my passion. I’ve always felt that it is important for women to know things that make the car engine work and demystify the parts we all hear about, but might not fully understand. Recently, I had a chat with my colleague Sagie Moodley, owner of Segi’s Auto Performance. Sagie is passionate about educating women on the basics of car maintenance. “Many women overlook the importance of ensuring that technicians use genuine parts when servicing their cars,” he says. He adds that ignorance is not bliss; it is expensive and could cost you plenty in the event of a breakdown or your life in an accident. Confident with the mechanical know-how I had amassed over the years, I popped open the bonnet of my car. Here is what is most commonly found in the engine:

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