The checks you can do yourself, this weekend

1. Find the correct pressure for your car — it's on a sticker inside the driver's door frame or in the handbook, not on the tyre itself.
2. Check when the tyres are cold — ideally before you've driven more than a mile or two.
3. Most petrol stations have a free or coin-operated air pump with a built-in gauge, or use your own.
4. Don't forget the spare, if you've got one.

The law requires at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, all the way round — not just in one spot. Below that, it's an automatic MOT failure and a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre.

1. The quick way: push a 20p coin into the main grooves. If the outer rim of the coin is still visible, you're getting close to the limit.
2. The accurate way: a tread depth gauge gives you an actual millimetre reading in seconds.
3. Check a few points around each tyre, not just one — wear is often uneven.

1. Park on level ground, engine off and cooled for a few minutes.
2. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, push it back in fully, then pull it out again.
3. The oil mark should sit between the min and max notches.
4. Topping up — use the exact oil grade specified in your handbook, add a little at a time, and recheck.

Never open the coolant reservoir cap while the engine's hot — it's pressurised and can scald you.

1. With the engine cold, find the coolant reservoir (usually a semi-transparent plastic tank with min/max markings).
2. Check the level sits between those marks.
3. If it's low, top up with the correct coolant type for your car, usually mixed with water — check your handbook for the ratio.

1. Top up the washer fluid reservoir — a screenwash concentrate mixed with water works out cheaper than pre-mixed.
2. Check wiper blades for splits, tears or a juddering wipe — they're a common MOT fail item and cheap to replace.

1. Walk round the car with the engine running — check headlights (dip and main beam), indicators, brake lights, reverse light, fog light and number plate light.
2. Get someone to stand behind the car while you press the brake pedal, or reverse-park against a wall to see the reflection.
3. Find the right replacement bulb for your exact car — most bulb retailers have a reg-plate lookup tool online that tells you the correct fitting.
4. Some bulbs are a five-minute DIY job; others (especially on newer cars with tight engine bays) are easier left to a garage.

Products like fuel-system or injector cleaners are additives poured into the tank that claim to help clean deposits from the fuel system over time. They're not a legal requirement, not part of an MOT, and won't fix an existing mechanical fault — think of them as routine upkeep between services, and always follow the product's own instructions for how much to use and how often.

1. Pull over somewhere flat and safe, well away from traffic, and put the handbrake on.
2. Loosen the wheel nuts slightly before jacking the car up — much easier than trying once it's in the air.
3. Jack the car up at the correct jacking point (check your handbook) until the tyre clears the ground.
4. Remove the nuts fully, swap the wheel, then hand-tighten the nuts in a star pattern before lowering the car.
5. Once back on the ground, fully tighten the nuts properly, then get the tyre pressure and the nut torque checked properly as soon as you can.