What you need to know about Buying a Car for your Teenager

Not so long ago, your child was just a toddler, reaching out their pudgy little hand for you to hold as they crossed the road. It seems that no time at all has gone by and now they’re suddenly old enough to not only cross the road by themselves, but to actually drive a car!

Our parental instincts stay with us regardless of the age of our children so when it comes to your teenager’s first car, it’s no wonder that safety is at the top of the list of priorities. If you’re buying a car for your child, here are the top considerations to ensure you make the right choice:

• What will the car be used for? Sounds like a silly question, but will they be driving younger siblings around? If so, consider suitability for car seats and for youngsters to safely get in and out of the car.

• Brand new or second hand? Cost will probably come into the equation for this one, but take into consideration the cost of any repairs on an older vehicle that may outweigh the upfront cost of having a new car warranty.

• Not all new cars are created equal! Be sure to research and compare safety ratings and features of new vehicles. Look closely at items such as airbags, brake systems, crash test results, reversing camera, electronic stability control.

• If buying a second hand car, have a professional mechanic do a pre-purchase inspection. Although it’s not a guarantee that the car is in perfect condition, it will point out any weaknesses that need to be addressed and give you a realistic view of the condition of the car.  You can come and see us at any of our service centres for a pre-purchase inspection.

• Once you’re happy with the car you’d like to purchase, make sure it is clear who is responsible for the upkeep. Who will pay for petrol, insurance, repairs, service and general maintenance?

In their eagerness to get on the road (and look cool), your teenager may be pushing for a little red vintage convertible, but when push comes to shove, you can always pull out the ‘parent card’ and remind them just who is paying for it. J

Keep an eye on the outside too

We all do our best to look after our car by bringing it in for a regular service, but how much care do we take over its exterior?

Keeping your car looking good on the outside isn’t just about looking good! It will save you money on repairs if you take regular care and also help with the re-sale price when the time comes to say goodbye.

First let’s look at the paint. There are basically two primary types of car paint – water-based and solvent-based paints. Both use a liquid that holds the pigment in suspension so it can be sprayed, and once dry the two types of paints compare favourably. But whichever paint your car has, you’ll need to make some effort to look after it.

Even if you keep your car inside a garage overnight, it’s still out there in the elements most days.  The sun’s UV rays will have some effect on paint, and worse still can also affect the inside of your car by fading upholstery and the dashboard.  We recommend putting a reflective screen inside your windscreen. But added to that the gravel and stones that flick up off the road, sap from trees that you might park under and at the very worst bird droppings, will all leave marks on the paint if not cleaned away.

The birds took a liking to this Mini Cooper!

Some people like to wash their car every Sunday. Others say that a once a month hose down with some car shampoo is ideal and others swear by a wash and wax every 6 months.  Whichever your choice may be will probably depend on how dirty your car gets, but we’d recommend that you pay it some attention and make sure that dirt and debris don’t stay on its surface too long.

Waxing the paintwork after a wash will help you protect the car for longer, and the nicer your car looks the more likely you are to look after it.  An extra coat of wax on the bonnet to cope with the added heat there is recommended.

It’s also a good idea to touch up paintwork as soon as you see any nicks in it, so that the rust doesn’t set in. Or if it’s a larger dent have it seen to sooner rather than later.

This dent should have been attended to a long time ago. Look at the rust!

So love your car. If you leave us to look after the mechanical parts and you look its exterior you’ll be rewarded with a vehicle that’s a pleasure to drive and you won’t mind being seen in!

Looking after your car battery

Summer is still lingering, but colder months are just around the corner.

Before we get there it's a good time to start thinking about our cars and take some precautions now to avoid the winter blues later on.

The component that tends to come under the most stress in winter, and usually fails first, is the battery that powers our car.

We might think it's the engine that powers the car, but it won't be going anywhere if the battery is flat. And we all know that there are few things worse than being stuck with a car that won't start on a cold morning when you're already late for work.

A first step to avoid the worry is to know how to check the battery. If you’re not sure where it’s located have a look at the owner’s manual. In most car’s it’s quite prominent in the engine bay under the bonnet, but on occasion it can be found in the boot of the car.

If your car is old, then it’s most likely that the battery will be old too. If that’s the case, i.e. three years or more, then it’s worth having it checked by your mechanic to ensure it's going to be capable of doing its job in the colder months ahead.

Once you’re familiar with where the battery is located, have a look at the state it’s in.  It's quite common to find the build-up of corrosion on the terminals (terminals are hard to miss once you’re looking at the battery); it's a white crystalline substance that can affect the battery's performance.

Pouring boiling water over the terminals is enough to clean the corrosion off the outside of the terminals, but to clean them properly it's necessary to disconnect them. To disconnect the terminals loosen the terminal clamps, negative first and positive last, and then wash the corrosion away from the battery terminals and the clamps with boiling water.

Dry the terminals and clamps and reconnect the leads, positive first and negative last. To help stall the build-up of corrosion apply a smear of Vaseline or other petroleum jelly over the outside of the terminal.

Do not apply the jelly to the terminal before you connect the leads as that could affect the conductivity and lower the battery's performance.

If you’re not confident in doing any of this then bring your car in to Cooper Automotive and we’ll make sure you’ll be safe on the road this winter.

Handy hints:

If you are going to disconnect the terminals on the battery make sure you have your radio's security code as you'll need that when you reconnect the battery again. If you don't have it, get it from you dealer or manufacturer before you go any further. Without it you won't be able to use your radio!

It’s also worth noting that your engine may run rough, idle poorly or the engine may cut out at idle after the battery has been disconnected. This occurs in some cars because the car’s computer has lost its memory while the battery was disconnected. Once you have driven the car for a while the computer will re-learn and will idle normally again.