THEM'S THE BREAKS

HAS YOUR BROKEN-DOWN RIDE GOT YOU HOT UNDER THE COLLAR? HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP GET YOUR CAR CHARGED , COOL AND BACK ON THE ROAD

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THINK about this for a second: Do you actually trust your car? Will it play the game when you're trying to enjoy the fruits of your hard labour? Can you count on it to show you love when you're 1000km from home?

If not, you'll need to know how to fix your ride when it won't play ball-particularly if you're in the middle of nowhere when it happens. And we're here to help! 

Here's how to get your car back on the road when it overheats or won't start, along with some tips to help prevent future issues.

Of course, there are myriad vehicles out there with a variety of different systems and specifications, so this is just a general overview aimed at more traditional street machine fodder. Google and workshop manuals are your friends if you're after more model-specific info.

IT'S time to hit your local cruise night, but after jumping in your pride and joy and hitting the key, there's nothing.

The starter isn't cranking, there's no joy rumbling from those pipes, and your pleasant evening of cruising is now in jeopardy. What to do? The likely culprit, especially if the car's been starting fine beforehand, is a flat battery. The first two questions to ask yourself is: How long has it been sitting, and what are the dash lights doing? If the dash lights don't illuminate or dull off with the key in the cranking position, the engine is winding slow, or the starter motor is clicking like a machine gun, it's a fair bet you're lacking power. Time to check the battery.

First, check that your battery cables are tight and not covered in crud. Removing the battery cables and cleaning the terminals with a wire brush and/or tightening them up may well solve your problem. Make sure you use the rightsize spanner on those terminals. Check and clean both ends of the cables too - not just the battery ends.