TMG - Tips & Tricks

How to clean your car

The first step to a successful car cleaning exercise is to park your car on a flat, concreted or sealed area, with enough space to have the doors open, and still move the hose or vacuum cleaner around. Make sure you have everything you need before you start.

We recommend that you have these items to clean your car:

· Car shampoo

· Car polish

· Window cleaner

· Wheel cleaner

· Vinyl & plastic protector

As well as the cleaning products you'll need:

· Garden hose

· Bucket

· Cleaning sponge or woolen cleaning mitt

· Cleaning cloths

· Chamois

· Towel

· Vacuum cleaner

Cleaning the interior

Start with the interior to avoid dragging the vacuum cleaner cord over wet ground.

· Collect all the rubbish.

· With a clean soft cloth, dust off the dash, steering column and centre console areas

· Remove the loose floor mats. Note: some maybe secured with clips.

· Vacuum the floor, moving the seats forward and back to ensure you don’t miss anything.

· Vacuum the seats getting as far into the nooks and crannies as you can to pick up sand and crumbs

· Vacuum the floor mats and the boot

Interior detailing

Using your vinyl and plastic protector;

· Clean the dashboard, kick panels, door trims, steering column and seat surrounds with your vinyl and plastic protector.

· Remove the excess product with a clean dry cloth.

Cleaning the exterior

Before using a cleaning agent, ensure that it is suitable to use, should you have paint protection applied to your vehicle.

Use a sponge or cleaning mitt rather than a brush. A brush may leave scratch marks that can only be removed with a full cut and polish

· Close doors, windows and boot properly

· Remove surface dirt, grit and dust by wetting the whole car with the hose

· Mix car shampoo in a bucket of warm, not hot water

· With your sponge or mitt clean your car, ensuring you have missed no spots,

· Rinse the soapy water off with the hose. Never pour the contents of the bucket over the car because you'll re-apply the dirt you've just removed.

· Dry the car body down with your chamois to avoid water marks appearing on the surface

Cleaning door jams

· With a damp cloth, clean dust from the door pillars, around the edges, underneath the doors, around the boot lid, bonnet and inside the fuel flap.

· Use an old dry cloth towel for the door seals and rubbers as hinges and check straps will be greasy

Cleaning the wheels

We recommend that you use a separate sponge or mitt for cleaning your wheels, otherwise oily residue from the brake pad dust will end up on the paintwork next time you clean your car.

· Wet your wheels and use a cloth to clean them

· Apply wheel cleaner as per manufacturer’s instructions.

· Hose the wheels down then dry with an old towel

Cleaning the windows

If you have no specific window cleaning product, then damp newspaper works just as well (if not better)

· Clean mirrors and windows inside and out

· If your car has glass headlights, do them as well

Finishing touches

It is especially important to ensure that the maps are re-secured properly, otherwise the driver’s mat may slip forward and jam the accelerator pedal.

Polishing

We recommend polishing your vehicle on a cool day or in the shade, as dry polish can be difficult to remove from hot paintwork. Start with the roof, working your way down and around.

· Apply with a clean, soft cloth, doing a small area at a time

· Allow each area to dry, and buff to a shine with another soft clean cloth.

· Don't start the next area until you have buffed the first

· Finally, clean dried polish from seams and joins, particularly where lights, handles and locks meet the bodywork

Things to check

It is a good idea while you are cleaning to lookout for panel and paint damage, windscreen chips, cracks in lights, loose trim, tyre condition and pressure (including the spare).

Check your windscreen washer fluid, brake fluid, oil and coolant levels. Check the lights, including brake and reverse lights, are all in working order.

Safety tips for Scooter riders

1. Always wear protective clothing.

2. It is advisable to wear brightly coloured, warm clothing

3. Always wear a helmet.

4. Ride defensively.

5. Be seen.

6. Ensure your scooter is safe.

Tips for Scooter riders to be safer on the road

1. Look where you want to go.

2. Move away from danger.

3. Know the abilities of your scooter and your limitations.

4. When in doubt, give way.

5. Break prior to a corner and accelerate out of the corner.

Safety checks for before you ride

You must be sure that your scooter is in good order as this is the time to find out whether there's anything wrong with your scooter.

As well as keeping your scooter roadworthy, we recommend getting it regularly serviced, and having mechanical problems fixed by a qualified mechanic. We recommend that you should carry out some basic checks before you ride.

Equipment you should check

· brakes — try the front and rear brakes one at a time. Make sure each one holds the scooter when it is fully applied

· clutch and throttle — make sure the controls work smoothly

· cables — check the cables for kinks or broken strands. Make sure they are lubricated

· control adjustments — make sure that you can reach all hand and foot controls when you are seated comfortably on the scooter

· tyre pressure - your scooter will not handle properly if the air pressure is too low or two high, because braking and steering will be affected. The owner's manual will tell you the correct tyre pressure

· tyre tread — worn or uneven tread will affect the handling of the scooter and can make it harder to control on slippery or uneven surfaces

· tyre condition — check for cuts, nails stuck in the tread and cracks in the sidewalls. Remember, a blowout on a scooter could be extremely dangerous.

· Indicators — check all four indicators. Make sure they flash when they are turned on and are bright enough to be seen

· Headlights — check the headlight before you ride. Pass your hand in front of the beam to make sure the headlight is really on. (Remember if your Scooter is manufactured on or after 1^st January 1980, it is now a legal requirement to ride with your headlights on at all times)

· Dipper switch — try the dipper switch, to make sure both high and low beams are working.

· Tail and brake light — apply each of your brake controls and make sure that your brake light flashes each time.

· Check the horn.

· Adjusting the mirror — Sit on the seat and swing the mirror outward far enough so you can see around your own body. Adjust the mirror so that it lets you see about half of the lane behind and as much as possible of the lane next to you.

· Petrol — Running out of petrol can be dangerous if it happens when you can't get off the road quickly., make sure you have enough for your trip.

· Oil — Lack of oil can cause your engine to seize. This could result in your rear wheel locking, causing you to lose control.

How to obtain a Motorcycle (Class 6) licence

There are three stages to get your licence

· Stage 1: Learner licence

· Stage 2: Restricted licence

· Stage 3: Full licence.

You must be at least 15 years old before you can apply for a motorcycle licence.

Basic handling skills test

Before you can apply for a learner licence you must pass a basic handling skills test conducted by an approved motorcycle riding instructor or approved testing officer.

The staff at TMG went through the licensing process, in 2009 with Lee Hurley of RideSafe Motorcycle Educations [link to www.silver-bullet.co.nz/RIDESAFE].

The basic bike handling skills test is made up from riding exercises. To obtain a list of these exercises, we recommend referring to The official New Zealand road code for motorcyclists.

Stage 1 – Learner licence

When you have your basic handling skills test certificate, you can apply to sit the learner licence theory test. You can do this at a NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) driver licensing agent.

You'll need to:

· fill out an application form

· produce your basic handling skills test certificate

· produce evidence of your identity

· produce evidence of your address, eg a recent bank statement

· pay the application and test fees

· prove your eyesight meets the required standard

· provide a signature

· have your photograph taken

· pass a multi-choice theory test which consists of 25 general road rule questions and 10 motorbike specific questions. You must answer 32 correctly to pass.

Learner licence conditions

· You must not ride a motorcycle with an engine capacity greater than 250cc.

· You must not go faster than 70 km/h on the open road.

· You must not ride between 10 pm and 5 am.

· You must not carry a passenger.

· When you're riding, you must always have a learner (L) plate attached to the rear of your motorcycle.

· You must always carry your learner licence when you're riding.

Stage 2 – Restricted licence

After holding a learner licence for at least six months you can visit any driver licensing agent and book a time to sit your restricted licence practical riding test.

To obtain your restricted licence, you must:

· have held your learner licence for at least six months

· pay the application and test fees

· produce evidence of your identity – this can be your learner licence

· produce evidence of your address

· prove your eyesight meets the required standard

· have your photograph taken

· provide a signature

· pass the restricted licence practical riding test.

Restricted licence conditions

· You must not ride between 10 pm and 5 am.

· You cannot carry a passenger.

· You must not ride a motorcycle with an engine capacity greater than 250 cc.

· You must always carry your restricted licence when you're riding.

Stage 3 – Full licence

You can apply for a full licence after 18 months on your restricted licence if you are under 25 years old, or after six months on your restricted licence if you are 25 or older.

If you successfully complete an approved course (the AA can provide course details), the length of time you must hold your restricted licence for will be reduced to 12 months for those aged under 25 years, and three months for those 25 or older. You must present the course certificate to the driver-licensing agent when you book the practical test.

If you're under 25, you can only complete an approved course after you've had your restricted licence for at least six months.

To obtain your full licence, you must also:

· pay the application and test fees

· produce evidence of your identity – this can be your restricted licence

· produce evidence of your address

· prove your eyesight meets the required standard

· have your photograph taken

· provide a signature

· pass the full licence practical riding test .

What do I need for the riding tests?

Your motorcycle must:

· have a current warrant of fitness (WOF), be up to WOF standard, and

· have a current licence label (sometimes incorrectly called 'registration' label) showing.

You can't use a moped for a restricted or full licence practical test.

You must have an L plate displayed on your motorcycle for a restricted licence practical riding test. You must have your licence with you.

The testing officer will observe your riding, including the way you search around you and control your speed and direction. They will assess your overall driving standard, including your behaviour toward other road users.

8 tips for greener driving

Plan your journey - Planning your route can avoid delay and diversion. Ten minutes of unnecessary driving in a 1-hour trip results in a 14% decrease in fuel efficiency.
Don't warm up your engine before starting off - Today's passenger cars don't require warming up, except in cold climates and after long periods of non-use. Slow running is enough to warm up the engine.
Accelerate gently and keep your speed constant - Start off gently (20km/h in 5 seconds, for an 11% increase in fuel economy) and avoid abrupt, heavy accelerations while driving. Avoid tailgating causing unnecessary acceleration/deceleration which costs 2% and 6% less fuel efficiency respectively in urban and suburban areas.
Check tyre pressures frequently - Driving on tyres whose air pressure is 50kPA (0.5kg/cm2) lower than it should be decreases fuel efficiency by 2% and 4% respectively in urban and suburban areas.
Reduce loads and avoid the need for roof racks - Driving with 100kg of unnecessary onboard weight leads to a 3% decrease in fuel efficiency and luggage on the roof will add to aerodynamic drag.
Use air conditioning only when necessary - Avoid setting the AC too low. AC when the outdoor temperature is 25 degrees decreases fuel efficiency by 12%.
Use engine braking - Releasing the accelerator when recognising the need to slow down stops the fuel supply leading to a 2% increase in fuel efficiency.
Don't idle your engine - Ten minutes of engine idling (in neutral, with the AC off) wastes 130cc of fuel. Turn your engine off instead of letting it idle.

How to loosen stubborn bolts

One of the most frustrating experiences for the home mechanic is a stubborn bolt. To overcome the effects of age and rust on bolt and screws, here are a few tips. To get a quality result, you need make sure you have the right tools. If a spanner or screwdriver does not fit properly, you will damage the nut or screw head.

The first step is to thoroughly clean the crew or bolt. Use a paintbrush soaked in paraffin to remove the dirt and oil, and a good spray with WD-40 on the thread. Leave for 30 minutes to penetrate.

Ring spanners or sockets are the best tools for removing bolts, as they grip right around the nut. Open-ended spanners have one jaw slightly longer than the other and you must grip with the nut with the longer jaw, following the shorter. For leverage use the palm of your hand, not your fingers.

Screws are more difficult to remove than bolts, as it is not possible to apply the same amount of leverage. Try to tighten the screw before you undo it, and make sure the blade on the screwdriver is not damaged.

Repairing your car can be costly, so for peace of mind motoring, we recommend you see a qualified technician