Safety tips for long-distance driving home for Chinese New Year, given by Debbie Ding, defensive driving instructor

“How about some tips for safe driving back for CNY reunion dinner?" I ask Debbie Ding, owner of Debbie School of Defensive School in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. Our gazes meet and a smile lights up in Debbie’s eyes.

Slouched in my chair across her, I try not to stare at her face, but my gaze has a mind of its own, travelling from her shiny curls dancing on her bare shoulders, down a butter-coloured top and to beige jorts that mould every curve.

Debbie rests an elbow on the arm of her chair. "Start the journey early, which means getting enough sleep the night before." She rests her delicate fingers of a folded hand on her chin. "Before the journey, send your car to a workshop for an inspection. Ask the mechanic to check for frayed belts, worn brake pads, loose wires, level of water in radiator, engine oil and suchlike. If your tyres resemble a worn-out rubber mat, change them immediately.” A scowl flits across Debbie’s face. “Prefer the highways to trunk roads. Trunk roads are notorious for accidents during festive seasons.” The tone of her voice matches the scowl on her face. “If travelling with children, bring some toys, finger snacks and games to keep them occupied. Have a potty, baby wipes and a few plastic bags ready."

Debbie rises from her chair, goes to the coffee maker, pulls out a paper cup and makes coffee from the machine.  The aroma of cappuccino swirls in the air. "The night before, put a few damp face towels in a plastic bag and leave them in the fridge,” she says, tossing a sunny smile over her shoulder. “Take them with you for the journey." My eyes follow the jaunty sway of her hips as she walks back to her desk and places the paper cup in front of me. Steam billows up, misting my spectacles. "Use the towels to wipe your face once in a while to stay fresh and alert. Don’t drink too much water unless you don’t mind taking a leak behind a bush as rest stops beside highways will be packed with travellers. Never, never multi-task while driving such as eat, kiss, apply lipstick or use the cellular phone."

She plops back on her chair which whooshes like air from a punctured balloon, leans back and crosses her legs at the knees. "When driving, observe speed limits and avoid road hypnotism on straight roads by occasionally glancing to the sides. Play some sentimental music to calm frazzled nerves. Women who love to wear heels should kick them off after getting into the car and change to flats to drive." 

Her red lips curl up in a grin. "Last but not least, have a strong rope ready so that you can tow your car to the nearest workshop if it breaks down."

 A chuckle escaping from my throat, I lift up the paper cup to take a sip of the acidic-smelling coffee.

Debbie sticks both fists together. "Gong Xi Fa Cai to your readers and have a safe journey home. Happy driving.” Her smile is as bright as the afternoon sun outside.

/end 

Safe driving tips back for Chinese New Year reunion by Debbie Ding, defensive driving instructor

“Start the journey early, so that means having enough sleep the night before,” says Debbie Ding (pix above), leaning back on the leather car seat. “Before the journey, you should send your car to a workshop mechanic for an inspection. Ask him to look for frayed belts, worn brake pads, loose wires, level of water in radiator and suchlike.  If your tyres are bald, change them immediately. Prefer travelling along the highways to trunk roads.” She opens the car door a crack and screens down the window. “Trunk roads are notorious for accidents during festive seasons.  If you are travelling with children, bring some toys, finger snacks and games to keep them occupied. Have a potty and a few plastic bags ready.

“The night before, put a few damp face towels in a plastic bag and leave them in the fridge. Take them with you for the journey. Use them to wipe your face once in a while to stay fresh and alert. Don’t drink too much water unless you don’t mind taking a leak behind a bush as rest stops beside highways will be packed with travelers.  Never, never multi-task while driving such as apply lipstick, eat, kiss or use the cellular phone.” Debbie gets out of the car and rests her butt on the front bonnet (pix below). 

"When driving, remember that there are only two correct positions on the steering wheel.  Nine-and-three and eight-and-four, corresponding to the numerals on the face of a clock. That means hands on the position of the numerals nine and three of a clock face or eight and four. Don’t put a hand on the top of the steering wheel, as the activation of the air bag during an accident will force your arm against your face. Observe speed limits and avoid road hypnotism on straight roads by occasionally glancing to the sides.  If you love to wear heels, kick them off after getting into the car and change to flats to drive. Gong Xi Fa Cai and have a safe journey home.”    

/end

Kuala Lumpur Undercover II will released in March, 2017

by Monsoon Books, UK

Five Reasons to Buy This Book

§  You simply want to read fantastic creative non-fiction set in

Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Batam and Tanjung Balai Karimun

§  You want to peep into the underbelly of these four places

that you never knew existed

§  You want to know the temptations that lead weak-willed  

men and women to go astray

§  You want to know where and how to get the best babes

at the best prices

§  You want to know the bobby traps and scams awaiting amateur

                  night-clubbers, karaoke aficionados and johns-wannabes

/end

Defensive driving instructor Debbie Ding warns of scams when renting a motorcycle in Thailand

“Riding a motorbike is a cheap and convenient way to travel in the smaller towns of Thailand like Chiangmai and Pattaya,” Debbie Ding (pix above) says. “But beware of scams and bobby traps. First, check that nothing is wrong with the bike. Next, take photographs of the bike from all angles, especially of scratches, dents, anything broken and even bald tyres. If you don’t, when you return the bike, you will be accused of having damaged the bike and be forced to pay compensation for so-called repairs. Second, you need an international driving licence and a national motorbike licence. A shady motorbike hire company will allow you to rent a bike even if you can’t have these two documents. But, once you ride off on the motorbike, they will tip a cop by mobile phone to nab you!” She kick-starts her bike and flashes a grin. “The under-table money you pay will be shared between the cop and the hire company!” The exhaust of her machine growls as Debbie zooms away. Vroom...!

/end

Defensive driving instructor Debbie Ding gives tips for safe driving back for Chinese New Year's reunion dinner

[Pixs of models for illustration purpose only]


"Can you give some tips for safe driving back for CNY reunion dinner?" I ask Debbie Ding (pix above), owner of Debbie School of Defensive School in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

"Start the journey early, so that means get enough sleep the night before," says Debbie, adjusting the left strap of her red bustier. "Before the journey, you should send your car to a workshop for an inspection. Ask the mechanic to check for frayed belts, worn brake pads, loose wires, level of water in radiator, engine oil and suchlike. If your tyres resemble a worn-out rubber mat, change them immediately. Prefer travelling along the highways to trunk roads. Trunk roads are notorious for accidents during festive seasons. If you are travelling with children, bring some toys, finger snacks and games to keep them occupied. Have a potty, baby wipes and a few plastic bags ready."

Shr rises from her chair goes to the coffee maker, pulls out a paper cup and starts to make coffee from the machine. "The night before, put a few damp face towels in a plastic bag and leave them in the fridge. Take them with you for the journey." She walks back to her desk and places the paper cup in front of me. "Use them to wipe your face once in a while to stay fresh and alert. Don’t drink too much water unless you don’t mind taking a leak behind a bush as rest stops beside highways will be packed with travellers. Never, never multi-task while driving such as eat, kiss, apply lipstick or use the cellular phone."

She returns to sit on her chair, leans back and crosses her legs at the knees. "When driving, observe speed limits and avoid road hypnotism on straight roads by occasionally glancing to the sides. Play some sentimental music to calm frazzled nerves. Women who love to wear heels should kick them off after getting into the car and change to flats to drive." Her red lips curl up in a grin. "Last but not least, have a strong rope ready so that you can tow your car to the nearest workshop if it breaks down."

I chuckle and lift up the paper cup to take a sip of the coffee.

"Gong Xi Fa Cai your readers and have a safe journey home. Happy driving!”


/end

Defensive driving instructor Debbie Ding advises how to temporarily stop leaks in a car radiator

[Pix of model for illustration purpose only]

“If you see steam coming out from your radiator, it means a hole or a rupture in the seams,” says Debbie Ding, owner of Debbie School of Defensive Driving in Cheras, KL. “Don’t panic. Look around you. Is there a convenience store or a sundry store nearby? If there is, go get either a small bottle of black pepper powder or two eggs. Wait for the radiator to cool down and open the cap. Pour the black pepper powder into the radiator. Top up with water and close the cap. You can start the engine and drive. The black pepper powder will flow to the split or holes and block them. Or you can crack two eggs and pour the whites into the radiator. Once the water heats up, the egg whites get cooked and will be forced against the leaking hole. Drive to the nearest repair shop immediately. Remember, you can’t drive for a long distance with these quick-fixes.”

/end

Defensive driving instructor Debbie Ding gives Mor Sai tips for night driving

[Pix of models for illustration purpose only]

Mr. Ang Mor Sai, Chow Kah’s father, stops his jalopy outside Debbie School of Defensive Driving in Taman Connaught in Cheras. The school consists of a cabin under an angsana tree in a fenced-off area about the size of a football field. Its owner, Debbie Ding (aka The Dangerwoman) steps out of the cabin office, flaunting a 34-24-36 figure.

“Wow! No wonder my son recommended her to me!” Mor Sai (right pix below) whispers to himself, eyes bulging, as he gets out of his car.

“Good evening, Mr. Ang,” says Debbie (pix above), extending her hand. "Welcome to my school." After pumping Mor Sai's hand, she leads him to a sports car behind the cabin. “Let’s talk inside my car, make the lessons informal.” They hop in and make themselves comfortable.

“First tip for night driving is to adjust the rear view mirror so that you avoid the reflection of the cars' beams in the rear.” Debbie tilts the rear view mirror a few times. Click! Clack! “See? Here’s how it’s done.”

Mor Sai nods in understanding.

“Next, make sure your windows and windscreen are clean.” She pulls out a folded piece of old newspaper from the glove compartment. “An effective way to clean the windows is to use a crumpled piece of newspaper. It’s more effective than using a wet cloth. One reason is that newspaper can absorb oil. Let me show you. See my window? This is before.” She steps out of the car, crumples the newspaper and wipes the side window on the inside and outside using circular motions. “See? This is after. Isn’t it clearer?”

“Yes, it works like magic.”

Debbie enters the car and manoeuvres it so that it faces the back wall of the cabin, about ten feet away. “Your headlights must be adjusted to the right level. They must not be uneven. Not too high or too low.” She switches on the headlights. “You can check headlights by shining them against a wall. See my big headlights?” Turning sideways, she notices Mor Sai staring at her bosom and snaps, “Mr. Ang! Please don’t stare at my personal headlights! What I meant was my car’s headlights!”

Ang Mor Sai’s hand flies to his mouth. “Ooops! Sorry!”

“Another thing I want to mention is the wearing of anti-glare night driving glasses. These products are just gimmicks and not particularly effective. Yellow tinted glasses are beneficial when driving in foggy conditions but not during night.”

“Since you mentioned fog, is it beneficial to install fog lights?”

“Yes. Fog lights can help you see better in foggy condition.” Debbie wets her lips with her tongue. “My final advice is to dim the dashboard lights when you’re driving at night. If possible don’t look at the in-car GPS, but rely on voice directions. Or if you’re familiar with the route, dispense with the GPS entirely. Lights from the dashboard and GPS are distracting as they disperse light all over the interior.”

“Great! I’ll try it when I'm driving back afterwards.”

Debbie casts a glance at the sky. “It’s getting dark. My lesson ends now. Thanks for coming, Mr. Ang.”

******

Half an hour later, while Mor Sai is driving home, he receives a call on his moby from his son, Chow Kah.

“Papa? Where’re you?”

“Jalan Cheras. Just finished my night-driving lessons. I'm driving without GPS or dashboard lights. Feels great."

“Be careful,” Chow Kah says. “I heard a radio traffic report on myFM that a car is speeding in the wrong direction along Jalan Cheras.”

“Yes, I know. In fact, there’re hundreds of cars travelling in the wrong direction.”


/end

Care care: How to replace a car battery

Buying and replacing your own battery is relatively simple and more economical than going to a workshop. Below is the step-by-step guide

(1)Make sure the car is parked on flat ground, engine switched off and the hand brake is on.

(2)Wear a pair of gloves if you have them. You’ll also need a pair of battery pliers or a battery wrench.

(3)Locate the battery. Not all batteries are located under the hood in the engine compartment. For example, the battery in a Volkswagen Touareg is located under the driver’s seat.

(3) Determine the positive (red) and negative (black) poles.

(4) For safety reason, detach the negative cable (black) first. Why? If you remove the positive first using a wench, you may create a short circuit if it touches a metal part of the car that is grounded. This is dangerous.

(5) Remove the hold-down clamp and the plastic cover, if any. Place all nuts and bolts carefully on a piece of paper on the ground. Don’t put them on top of any engine components as they may roll down into nooks.

(6) Lift up the old battery with both hands. Be careful not to spill any acid out.

(7) Clean the cable lead-ring with a hard brush if it is coated with white oxidation. Some mechanics splash hot water on the lead-rings as a quick-fix, though this is not advisable. If you do this, make sure you allow them to dry completely.

(8) Insert the new battery on the tray or housing.

(9) First, secure and tighten the positive battery cable (red). Second, secure and tighten the negative battery cable (black).

(10) Replace the hold-down clamp and plastic cover, if any.

(11) Check that the battery is secure trying to move it back and forth.


/end

Car Care: Choices in Upholstery

The upholstery of most modern cars is made of vinyl, flannel, fabric or leather. The term "vinyl" strictly means a type of plastic material made by a chemical process called polymerisation.

Luxury cars often come with leather interiors which exude sheer comfort and extravagance. In terms of comfort, leather ranks the highest as it is similar to human skin.

Regular cleaning and conditioning are important in keeping upholstery looking new. Both flannel and fabric upholstery collect dirt easily. Vacuum cleaning is required for flannel seats, and fabric seat covers have to be removed for regular
washing. For vinyl seats, wiping with a cleaner is recommended. Generally, leather upholstery only needs wiping with a damp cloth but specially-formulated cleaners are also available.

However, please note that a cleaner specially formulated for leather will also normally work on vinyl but not necessarily the other way round. This is because many cleaners made for vinyl have an alkaline content which works against leather. A leather cleaner contains oils and lubricants which are designed to soak into the grain of the leather thus keeping it supple.

Vinyl is impermeable; therefore, stains usually will not be absorbed into the material. However, when vinyl loses its elasticity and becomes stiff, a vinyl conditioner cannot readily soak into the material to revive it as can be done in the case of leather. When vinyl dries out to the point of cracking, it is time to think about re-upholstering. If it is necessary to repair cracks, tears and holes in vinyl upholstery, vinyl repair kits are available that are simple to use.

Leather is permeable and with regular use of leather conditioners, it is possible to use a car's leather upholstery for decades. Some vintage cars are proof of this. Many stains on leather can be removed with a good leather cleaner. On more stubborn ones, a mild degreaser can be used but first make sure that the type of degreaser you are using will not discolour the leather too much. Apply it on some unseen part of the upholstery first. Tears and holes in leather upholstery cannot be fixed as easily as in vinyl but leather is much more durable. Seek professional help in complicated cases. Leather upholstery also increases the value of your car, and will not discolour even under ultra-violet lights.

Many suggestions can be made on how to keep your car's upholstery clean. For a start, both adults and children should not eat in the car. Smoking is also taboo. Cigarette butts have been known to cause many holes (and accidents as well) in the upholstery of cars and once the smell of cigarettes permeates the car seats, it is difficult to get rid of. Flannel is particularly susceptible to unpleasant smell.

Drink only plain water inside the car, which if spilled, will not stain the upholstery. Unless absolutely necessary, pets should not be in the rear seats of cars. Get a station wagon or remove the back seats to transport any pets.

Use seat covers when the car is sent to the workshop or any place where there is a possibility of greasy mechanics entering the car. Some workshops have seat covers but they might not have been washed for some time.

In this country, mechanics with greasy hands and feet may have no qualms driving your car without first cleaning themselves. They do not wear overalls and once they sit in the car, you may have to spend the weekend cleaning up the stains. Try to educate such mechanics on not to dirty the upholstery of your car.

Lastly, try keep your upholstery out of direct sunlight. One way is, of course, to avoid parking your car in an open area. If this is not possible, use a sun-shield.

LEATHER SEATS:

Heat Dissipation
Temperature drops to 29 degrees Centigrade.

Comfort
Similar to human skin. Touch is organic and natural.

Clean and Refreshing Feeling
Breathes through its trichopores and does not collect dust. lt provides
a clean and comfortable ride.
Maintenance
0nly wiping with a damp cloth is required

FLANNEL SEATS:
Heat Dissipation
Temperature drops to 42 degrees Centigrade

Comfort
Prohibits body movement and gives rise to a feeling of restriction and being tied up

Clean and Refreshing Feeling
Collects dirt and holds moisture. Tendency for bacteria breeding, producing on
unpleasant smell

Maintenance
Vacuum cleaning required, impossible to be completely rid of any unpleasant
smell and bacteria

VINYL SEATS:
Heat Dissipation
Temperature drops to 45 degrees Centigrade

Comfort
Stick to your back! Does not provide comfort at all

Clean and Refreshing Feeling
Does not breathe well at all. Smell of vinyl.

Maintenance
Wiping with damp cloth and mild detergent required.

FABRIC SEATS:
Heat Dissipation
2 layer covers: Temperature drops to 45 degrees Centigrade
1 layer cover: Temperature drops to 43 degrees Centigrade

Comfort
With the fabrics rubbing against each other, you simply connot move.

Clean and Refreshing Feeling
Collects dust easily. Very difficuh to keep clean.

Maintenance
Removal for washing or replacement with new set.

/end

What to do in Case of an Accident

Shock suffered by the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident often results in confusion. Such a state of mind may lead to doing the wrong things or forgetting to do the right things immediately after the accident. Problems with the police and the insurance company can be avoided if one is mentally prepared beforehand on how to deal with such an unfortunate event.

1. Stop your vehicle
If you have injured someone or have damaged either government or private property, you have to stop at the scene of the accident. Examples of government property include traffic lights, lamp posts, signboards, fire hydrants and suchlike.

2. Provide or phone for medical assistance
If anyone is injured, either phone for an ambulance immediately or flag down another vehicle to transport the injured to the nearest hospital. The first option is preferable as an ambulance can move through heavy traffic faster since other vehicles will give way. In the meantime, give first aid to the injured if you are trained to do so.

3. Know who the driver is
Try to obtain the particulars of the other driver (or motorcyclist) such as name, address, driving licence number and vehicle registration number. If the other driver is no co-operative, you should at least note his identity if there is more than one occupant. There have been instances where a drunk driver has "swapped" places with a sober passenger. Also, make sure you jot down the other vehicle's registration number as soon as possible. Don't disregard the possibility that the other driver will just drive off.

5. Don't argue or comment
The driver of the other vehicle may blame you for the accident. Worse, a busybody bystander may get involved and pass judgment. Never admit fault or argue with anybody as it does not serve any purpose.

6. Witnesses
Obtain the names and addresses of people who witnessed the accident. Even the registration numbers of vehicles which were trailing behind the victim’s vehicles prior to the mishap are useful. The drivers of such vehicles can be contacted later by the authorities and interviewed.

7. To report or not to report?
If the accident is minor, you may wish to settle it privately with the other party instead of making a police report to file an insurance claim. Three questions to consider when deciding this are:

(1) How much non-claim bonus (aka no claims discount) do you have from your insurance company? This amount will be wiped out when you make a claim and you have to re-accumulate from point zero percent in a new cycle.

(2) Are you at fault that makes you liable to a fine? The police will fine the party at fault (RM300 or more) for having committed a traffic offence

(3) Do you have alternative transport? Usually, a loss adjuster needs to check the damaged car and approve the repairs proposed by the workshop. This is to ensure that no unnecessary parts are replaced and no unnecessary repairs are undertaken. The procedure takes time so you may be without a car for two weeks or even longer.

If there are serious injuries or death, there is no alternative but to report the accident. The time frame for a report to be lodged is within 24 hours. Once a report is lodged, an officer will decide whether the accident needs investigation. If it does, the officer will go to the scene to take measurements and record important observations such as skid marks, broken glass, condition of road and presence of traffic signs, etc.

Before you make any statement to the police, remember that you have the right to consult a lawyer. Be co-operative to the investigations officer and explain how the accident occurred. You will only be issued with a report number at this stage. A formal written report is available after only a few days. Once you get the formal report, you have to submit it to your insurance company.

Never trust any tout hanging around the traffic police station at Jalan Bandar who tries to lure you to send your car to a particular workshop with false promises. Common tricks are to say that "The fine will be secretly hidden in the repair cost which we will refund to you" or "We can lend you a car free for three days" or "We know their loss adjusters, we can get the car repaired very quickly."

These are lies, nothing but lies.

/end

Published by Monsoon Books, Singapore. Sold in Malaysia at Kinokuniya, Popular Book Store, Borders and MPH nationwide. An e-book edition is also available. Please check out moonsoonbooks.com.sg

/end

Tips for selling your used car

Selling your used car involves more than just putting an advertisement in the newspaper, a used-car portal or posting a notice in the nearest convenience store. If you want to get the best price for your used car, there are a few things you need to do.

Repair Or Replace Minor Items
Put yourself in the shoes of a prospective buyer. What minor items that are either broken or faulty would cause a few protests from a prospective buyer? If you are selling an expensive used car, the "investment" spent to replace such small items can be recovered a few times over through a better selling price. Apart from tightening up all rattling parts, some of the items that you should consider replacing or fixing are:

1.Cracked windscreen
2.Faulty radio/CD player
3.Broken headlights or signal lights
4.Cracked or torn upholstery
5.Plastic decorative strips
6.Windscreen wipers with rubber peeling off

Wash And Polish It
Many prospective buyers are impressed or turned off by a car's appearance. So give your used car a good wash and wax followed by a vacuum. If necessary, deodorise the inside of the car to get rid of any odour. Don't forget that the boot and the engine are infamous places for giving prospective buyers a few yelps. Clean the engine if necessary especially if leaking gaskets have left oil traces here and there. If necessary top up the brake fluid and water level in the battery so as not to give an impression of neglect.

Place Your Advertisement
There are many ways of advertising, a few of which are free. If you are not in a rush to sell, you can just display a "For Sale" sign on top ofthe car's roof (or wherever) with your phone number. Another way to advertise free is post a notice in the nearest convenience store. If you plan to advertise in the Classifieds of a newspaper or used-car portal, be sure to state the type, model, year, mileage, asking price, phone number, and best contact hours. Plus selling points should also be included such as "road tax valid for 10 months" or "turbo installed 3 months ago" or "driven only by lady". By listing your asking price, you can save much time by avoiding bargain hunters. Avoid gimmicks such as giving a vague price, for example, RM4X,000.

Be Prepared To Deal With Offers
Be mentally prepared that prospective buyers will try to slice off at least five to ten percent of your asking price; at the same time, many will also pretend to be shocked at minor faults in the car. Also, have the following documents ready to show to prospective buyers: car registration, service book, receipts of parts replaced or repaired.

Take down the prospective buyer's phone number if the offer price is below your asking price so that you can call him or her should you change your mind later. If a prospective buy wants to take the car for a spin, make sure you tag along. On rare instances, conmen have merely driven off with the sellers' cars! Finally, may the best price be yours.

/end

Published by Monsoon Books, Singapore. Sold in Malaysia at Kinokuniya, Popular Book Store, Borders and MPH nationwide. An e-book edition is also available. Please check out monsoonbooks.com.sg.

/end

How to buy a better used car -- a checklist

Buying a used car can land you a value-for money bargain or a nightmare with continual break-downs. To help you evaluate the condition of a used car, use the checklist below to check the usual problem areas in the limited time you have to examine it. Remember to inspect the car in broad daylight and not in the evening or at night. A tip from the pros: Putting a piece of card-board under the engine after the test drive will help show fluid leaks. By the time you have gone through the checklist, you should know the condition of the car at least as well as the owner does.

EXTERIOR INSPECTION
1. Are door edges rusty or torn?
2. Do the doors, bonnet, and trunk open and close freely?
(Problems here may indicate a previous accident)
3. Are bumpers dented or rusty? Are theylevel?
4. Is the paint on the different panels of the same shade?
5. Is there any rust or hole at the bottom of the trunk and side wells?
6. Are the rubber parts and seals cracked?
7. Are tyres bald or cracked or bulging?
8. Are the rims rusty, bent or cracked? Are they all the same?
9. Are any headlamps or signal lampsbroken or cracked?
10. Is the exhaust system rusty?

ENGINE INSPECTION
1. Is the engine clean?
2. Has the engine been modified? If yes,why?
3. Look at the underside ofthe bonnet. Is paint blistered?
4. Check fluid levels. Any leaks?
5. Are the V-belts frayed or cracked?
6. Is the radiator corroded?

INTERIOR & ELECTRICAL INSPECTION
1. Is anything torn, broken or patched?
2. Is it rusty under the carpets?
3. Can both front seats be adjusted?
4. Is the dashboard cracked?
5. Is the windshield chipped or cracked?
6. Do all windows open and close?
7. Turn the steering left and right. Is it okay?
8. Depress the brake pedal. Does it feel right?
9. Depress the clutch pedal. Does it feel right?
9. Do the headlights work?
10. Do the signal lights work?
11. Do the windshield wipers work?
12. Does the air-con work?
13. Do the safety belts work?
14. Is the interior of the boot rusty?
15. Is there a jack and a spare tyre?
16. Are the threads on the spare tyre worn out?

TEST DRIVE
Switch on ignition but don't start engine.
1. Temperature light on?
2 Oil warning light on?
3 Charge warning light on?

Start the engine
l. Are all instruments and gauges working?
2. Depress the clutch several times. Any noises?
3. Switch off the engine. Does it restart?
4. Test the hand brake against the engine. Works?
5. Pull forward. Get out of and check for leaks on the ground.
6. Put the car in reverse. Does it work? What about reverse lights?
7. Drive away. How does the car ride? Soft or hard?
8. Is acceleration smooth?
9. Any noises or vibrations when accelerating?
10.Any unusual engine noises or vibrations when cruising?
11. Any problems changing gears?
12.Dive up a hill. Is the power okay?
13.Drive along a long wall. Hear any unusual sounds?
14. Any noise or vibrations when decelerating?
15 Make two tight 360 turns each way. Any noises?
16. Take your hands off the steering Does the car runs straight? (Warning: try this only in a deserted car park )
17. Go over a few bumps. Is the suspension okay?
18. Negotiate sharp corners. Is the handling okay?
19.Let the engine idle for a few minutes. Is the temperature stable?
20.Parallel park the car. Is the steering loose or tight?

POST-DRIVE INSPECTION
1. Open the bonnet. Hear or see anything unusual?
2. Does the engine seem too hot?
3. Does it restart when warm?

Most important of all, check that the chassis and engine numbers tally with those in the registration book. One last piece of advice: never ever buy a used car on impulse -- shop around.

/end