Top Garage Tips

26-May-2009

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Eleni Mitakos is the creator and Managing Director of Galmatic.

Galmatic is not just a cool car website for girls; Eleni has not only has written a book called The Galmatic Handbook all about owning and driving a car, she also runs car workshops for women who want to know what's actually under the bonnet!

AutoChic was lucky enough to interview Eleni and asked her for some quick tips for our auto chicks!

Quick Car Hints and Tips for Chicks

Tip 1 - Don't leave the lippy

Do not leave any make up in your car, as it will melt very quickly and perfume will change colour and will smell awful.

Tip 2 - Don't smoke and drive

Just because cars have ashtrays in them, doesn't mean you have to use them. Smoking in a car is a fire hazard, makes the car stink, the flying ash makes the car dirty and old stubs in the ashtray are hard to get out. If you must smoke in the car, keep a spare water bottle with an inch of water in it and place used cigarette butts in there. The water will make sure that the butts don't stay lit and the bottle is then easy to dispose of.

Tip 3 - Yellow and Red

If you have a new car, you may have yellow and red caps on certain engine parts. Always only touch areas indicated with a yellow cap/lid and leave the red sections for your mechanic only.

Tip 4 - Be green with your battery

Don't throw your old car batteries in the bin as they can be recycled! Make sure you drop them off to a reputable battery dealer or check with your local council.

Tip 5 - Get to know your tyre placard

The tyre placard is an information plate that gives you the details that you need to know about the preferred tyres for your car. It tells you what tyre size is recommended, as well as the correct tyre pressure dependant on how many passengers/weight the car is carrying. It's usually placed on the side of the driver's door, glove box or boot.

Tip 6 - Mums on the move

Remember to always put the child safety locks on in your car – it stops little children from opening the door while the car is moving.

Tip 7 - Wake up

Fatigue is when you're tired – too tired to concentrate while driving. It's really important to watch out for tired signs.

Keep an eye out for:

• Feeling sleepy

• Sore eyes

• Lack of concentration

• Feeling uncomfortable in your seat

• Small black-outs

• Swerving the car.

The above are all signs that it's time to pull over, get out of the car and perhaps grab something to eat or drink (not alcoholic) and have a break from driving.

Tip 8 - Sleep before you drive

If you're going on a long trip, get a good night's sleep beforehand. Avoid driving late at night when you would normally be sleeping.

Tip 9 - Can-can don't

Don't leave tyre foam spray cans or any other car cleaning products in the car as they can overheat on a hot day, deteriorate as a product and spill over the carpet.

Tip 10 - What to look for when buying a car

Have you decided to buy a car but have no idea where to start? First thing to do is make a list of everything that you want in a car, what you definitely do not want and how much you can afford to spend.

Key points to remember are:

• Choose a realistic budget
• Decide which features you definitely want
• Does it need to be a new car?
• Decide the lowest price you will sell your car for.

For more hints and tips, check out www.galmatic.com