Car maintenance course?

[JJ76]

Hi. I just bought my first car and I'm looking for a really good basic maintenance course (doing an oil change, checking the tyre pressure, that sort of thing) in north-west London. An internet search has just thrown up a bunch of courses aimed at trainee mechanics, which is a bit more than I really need. Can anyone help??

[Robb F]

Buy a cheap fun car and a Haynes manual for it. You will soon learn the basics and will realise its all very easy actually.

Any other information you need can easily be found on the web as guides or youtube videos.

[ChrisDB7]

Robb F said:

Buy a cheap fun car and a Haynes manual for it. You will soon learn the basics and will realise its all very easy actually.

Any other information you need can easily be found on the web as guides or youtube videos.

I second this. I've done it myself and learned to do quite a bit.

[HD Adam]

Don't know where you are located but my local college runs courses like this, usually in the evenings.

Check yours out.

[bertieg]

buy a saxo, you'll have to learn fast how to keep it going

[Gruber]

Hammersmith & Fulham Council run night classes and weekend courses.

Details at pg 96 of this link: http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/Images/bk.CHS%20Adult%20Ed%...

I'd guess other Councils run similar.

[StoatInACoat]

Nowadays a lot of simple suff has "how to" guides on youtube which are generaly quite good. I taught myself with a Haynes book of lies and exploded diagrams to work out how things come apart but the easiest way I learn stuff is to watch someone else do it then copy it myself.

[JJ76]

Just had a look at Haynesonline, looks good. Thanks for the help!

[SirSamuelBuca]

i taught myself its very easy you just need to get the right tools.

get some good spanners with ring ends. Get a good ratchet set.

You will need a oil filter removal tool.

honestly I cannot stress enough its really not that hard! Nuts and bolts just dont be scared!

Another thing you tend to need 2 of the same size spanners/sockets frequently.

[SuperHangOn]

Southgate college used to do evening courses, don't know if they still do.

[Chicane-UK]

The number of colleges doing these courses seems to be dwindling.. people seem to have neither the time or interest in learning basic maintenance on their cars

I used to work at a college in the Midlands that ran a number of courses and had great workshops with ramps, diagnostic equipment, etc - and they eventually dropped all the courses!

[Happy82]

JJ76 said:

Hi. I just bought my first car and I'm looking for a really good basic maintenance course (doing an oil change, checking the tyre pressure, that sort of thing) in north-west London. An internet search has just thrown up a bunch of courses aimed at trainee mechanics, which is a bit more than I really need. Can anyone help??

I think most level one courses only cover what you mentioned anyway? I looked into getting mechanic qualifications last year but decided not to bother as it was a lot of money for basic things that I already knew. Would be handy for a novice to cars though I would have thought?

['Yadi]

I did two terms of adult education evening class for two terms a few years back. About £70 each term iirc
The college had its own fleet of vehicles to work on and each week a student would bring their own car in to service

Good fun and everyone got hands on experience. Recommend it.