The road sign flashcard deck
78 cards · 13 families · real DfT artwork
Every card pairs two signs that actually get confused with each other, with the rule that tells them apart on the back. Paired deliberately, in the order the confusion happens.
Includes the code that unlocks the practice quizzes.
Notify me when it's availableThe theory test book
All 307 rules · every sign · both tests
Everything that's free on this site, in a form you can read on a sofa without a screen, with practice questions written to match each chapter.
Also includes a quiz code.
Notify me when it's availableWorth having in the boot
Twelve things that cover most of what fails an MOT and most of what goes wrong at the roadside, each linked to the guide on this site that tells you how to use it.
Getting the one that fits your car
Bulb fittings, wiper sizes and oil grades all vary by model, so don't buy on the name alone. Each of these lets you put your registration or your make and model in first and then shows only the parts that fit. We don't do the lookup ourselves — they hold the fitment data, so they're the ones who can be right about it.
Bulb kit
Lighting is the single most common MOT failure. A spare set costs less than the retest.
Commonly stocked Bosch, Osram, Philips
Engine oil
Has to match the grade in your handbook — 5W-30 and 5W-40 aren't interchangeable on every engine.
Commonly stocked Castrol, Shell Helix, Mobil, Comma
Tyre pressure gauge
Pressures should be checked cold, roughly monthly. Forecourt gauges are famously out.
Commonly stocked Michelin, Ring, Draper
Tread depth gauge
The legal minimum is 1.6mm across the centre three-quarters. A 20p coin gets you close; a gauge gets you a number.
Commonly stocked Draper, Laser, Sealey
Screenwash
An empty washer bottle is an MOT fail. Concentrate works out cheaper than pre-mixed.
Commonly stocked Prestone, Holts, Comma
Wiper blades
Smearing or juddering is an MOT advisory at best. Sizes differ front to back and side to side.
Commonly stocked Bosch Aerotwin, Valeo, Michelin
Coolant / antifreeze
Top up cold, to the right spec for your car — the handbook gives the type and the ratio.
Commonly stocked Prestone, Comma, Halfords own-brand
Jump starter
The charging-system light means you're running on what's left in the battery. A pack beats needing a second car.
Commonly stocked NOCO, Ring, CTEK
Sealant & inflator kit
A get-you-home repair for a puncture, and the 12V compressor doubles as the thing you set your pressures with on the driveway. If your car came without a spare wheel, this is what replaced it.
Commonly stocked Slime, Holts Tyreweld, Ring
Warning triangle
The Highway Code says to put one at least 45 metres behind the car on the same side if you break down — and never to use one on a motorway.
Commonly stocked Ring, Halfords own-brand, Draper
Torch
Rule 276 again: if you break down, make yourself visible with light or reflective clothing. A phone torch dies exactly when you need it.
Commonly stocked Ring, Varta, Anker
First aid kit & water
Neither is legally required in the UK, and neither is expensive. A bottle of water in the boot covers the wait for recovery as well as a hot day in traffic.
Commonly stocked St John Ambulance, Reliance Medical, Halfords own-brand
Brands listed are ones commonly stocked in the UK for that part. We haven't tested them against each other, and none of these links earns us anything. Photographs are openly licensed and credited on the disclaimer & sources page.