Car Driving Tips in the UK

Buy a car from a dealer, otherwise check all the following yourself. Check the following paperworks:

1. The vehicle registration certification (V5C).
Typically a red and blue piece of paper, it shouldn’t be a photocopy or computer print out. And the document serial number needs to be checked https://www.gov.uk/checks-when-buying-a-used-car.

V5C checks:
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) same as stamped on the car
Engine number same as the one stamped on the car
Recorded keeper’s information is the same as the person selling the car

2. Examine the car’s service history
Ideally the previous owners of the car will have had the vehicle’s service book stamped by a garage each time it has been serviced. Better still (ещё лучше), there should be accompanying invoices that tally with the stamps and detail the work carried out. Even better still, the service book will have been filled out with the car’s VIN and engine numbers when it was first sold.

3. It’s a good idea to ask to see current and past MOT certificates. Every car over three years-old must have an MOT to help maintain its roadworthiness, and every certificate will show the car’s mileage when it was inspected, helping verify that it’s reliable. Validate vehicle MOT and road tax https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk

4. Do a data check. A data check costs just £20 and can reveal if a car has been declared a write-off following accident or mechanical damage, or is owned by a finance company rather than the vendor.
It could be a car which is being sold because of debt by owner (outstanding finance) to a financial company. Drivers who buy such a car unwittingly face it being rightfully repossessed by the finance company.
Another is, car can be stolen and is possibly being passed off as another vehicle – known as cloning.

5. Pay for an expert inspection. I can ask Azad for a car inspection or take it to local garage and pay for inspection. Ask seller that buying condition if seller deducts the cost of inspection from the price of the car.

6. Get a receipt of purchase. Any reputable garage will provide a receipt for a used car but private sellers may not think to do so. Insist they do give you a receipt. It should list the make and model of car, registration number and VIN, mileage at the time of sale, agreed fee and dated signatures of both the vendor and purchaser.

7. Inspection checks:
Is the mileage consistent with the age and look of the car?
Check the mileage on the car against MOT tests certificates and service records if they have them.

Is the paint finish even, or can you see panels that look different?

Do the tyres have sufficient tread? If they are low they will need replacing either immediately as it’s illegal to drive if tyre thread is less than 1.6mm depth.

Is the spare tyre, jack and the vehicle’s toolkit present?

Are the seatbelts functioning and undamaged?

Do any fault lights appear on the dashboard? Check against the manual.

Are your washers and wipers functional?

Are all lights functioning? You may need someone else to help you with this, or simply ask the owner to activate them all while you inspect from outside.

Do all the locks, windows and internal controls for air conditioning, demister, radio and so on work properly?

Signs of rust:
Look in the boot and under the bonnet. Are there signs of unusual welding or rust?
Are there signs of rust under the footwell mats or under the car?

8. Test drive – Do the same route as on practical driving test from Pinner Driving Center to Bushey then back to Pinner via Northwood. Check steering wheel vibration, brakes, handbrake, how the car accelerate and speed 40 and 50 miles per hour drive

Car running costs estimate calculator

Car insurance – Which will be expensive for new drivers, especially the under-25s.
Road tax – Unless you’re getting a car in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) band A, an electric vehicle, or one built prior to 1973, you will have to pay road tax.
MOT test – After a car is older than three years it must undergo an annual MOT test to ensure its roadworthiness, and any maintenance needed to make it fit for driving has to be carried out.
Tyres – These will need replacing, because driving with tyres that have insufficient tread is illegal and can result in a fine and points on your licence.
Fuel – Obviously you’ll need fuel if you want to drive anywhere.
Conclusion: A major part of your running costs will be insurance and tax

Cheapest is group 1 which has the following cars (all of the are hatchback):

1. Volkswagen Polo
2. Nissan Micra
3. Skoda Citigo
4. Volkswagen up!
5. Ford Ka+
6. Smart ForFour
7. Ford Fiesta
8. Hyundai i10

When i was a kid, like many other boys i liked driving computer games either ones like “Formula 1” or such as “TopGear”. In both games very imporant part was route with lapses and i remember how i was playing “TopGear” and checking the circular route and my position on the route. Same is here, if you want to pass the driving test you must know the are and roads and ideally routes on the roads. Find routes on the internet, study the area by cycling for example, study roads around driving center, use google maps for that. Then, on practical test you will feel like you playing “TopGear” with familiar routes and roads

If you are going to turn right and waiting too long and a car on the right giving way to you (flashes the light, stops) or an examiner says go half – way – then drive half way and block right side of the road. Then, keep checking left side of the road when an oncoming car gives way to you the turn right and drive on.

When you park on the right side of the road – don’t do sharp turn to the right side, always do smooth prolonged angle drive to the right side of the road.
When you check right side mirror for parallel car to the kerb always use right back door handle as indicator to navigate in or out to the kerb. Remember, that the handle gets closer to the kerb before the back wheel so if you see that the handle “virtually touched” the kerb it means that the back wheel is very close to the kerb and possible will touch it.
Use the streering wheel (in or out) to adjust parallelness of the car to the right kerb

In whole Tolcarne Drive keep speed 20 miles per hour until you reach Catlins Lane, Cookoo Street or Joel Street !

From Pinner Driving Centre there is no straight road, it is either turn left or turn right !

If examiner directed you / choosed route to turn left (towards Catlins Lane or Cookoo Street) from Pinner Driving Center (similar to your 1st exam) then signal left, then again left and wait until road is clear, then join the main road.
On your way back signal right, then signal right and stop, observe the road (no car coming from Pinner Driving Centre, then turn right towards the centre)

If examiner directed you / choosed route to turn right (towards Joel street) from Pinner Driving Centre then signal right, wait the give way sign, you may ask the examiner to move back so you can see the left side of the road clearly, when the main road is clean then join it, when you pass the school and Harlyn road on the left there is bend to the left, slow down to see if any car on the road already, if there is then stop as early as possible and give way to oncoming car as narrow (left and right side has parked cars) so only one car can go through it. If at the other end no cars or car is waiting to give way to you then drive on.
On your way back to Pinner Driving Centre, signal left and once you left the main road slow down and wait if any car is coming from the Pinner Driving Center as the entrance road is narrow, allows only one car.

If on your way back from Catlins Lane, you will be asked to turn left – remember it goes towards Harlyn Street with 2 entrances to the road, use 1st entrance on the right to join the road (turn right), at the end of the road is sharp bend, use 1st sharp turn right and wait and check left and right side of Tolcarne Drive before joining it.

If you see a pedestrian in unsafe place on your driving road, slow down and stop. Give priority to pass to pedestrian!
If you see a pedestrian approaching a zebra crossing, even on opposite side and you are driving slowly and able stop – then stop.

Always be aware of pedestrians near the zebra crossroad, near junctions. Especially, in Pinner near Sainsbury’s and bridge is very pedestrian busy area.

Right stick in – Правый на себя – Front windscreen spray water + washer wash
Left stick out – Левый от себя – Full beam headlights

Question: How you turn on your dipped headlights
Dipped headlights – First switcher on your left stick with light icon, 2 turns ip does your dipped headlights on
Tip: If it’s a rainy day, you may put dipped headlights on at the beginning of your test, 2 turns up swithes (dipped) headlights on and move on
Sidelights – First switcher on your left stick with light icon, 1 turns up does your sidelights on

Question: How you wash your front windscreen
Push entire right stick up – it does one wiper clean, if you hold it wiper will continue cleaning
Spray water and wash the windscreen – Pull right stick towards you, it will spray water the windscreen and washer automatically will clean it after water. I also should keep spare tyre under back bonnet panel and i must not forget to refit valve caps (Ассоциация: Принцип тот же что и на велосипеде).

Question: How you wash your back windscreen
Spray water to the back windscreen – Turn first switcher on right stick up, it turns on the wiper, turn it 2 times does spray water + wiper. (Seems that if you turn it down to the very end it does water + one wiper as well)

Question: How you turn on your fog lights
Turn on 2nd switched on your left stick up once turns on the front, and one more up it turns on the back fog light – it turns on fog lights, fog lights indicators is in the right panel above where the petrol level is, it shows both front (green) and back (orange) for lights indicators

Question: Tell me how you would know if anti-lock braking system does not function correctly
If the anti-lock braking system does not function correctly i will see anti-lock braking system indicator (ABS) illuminating on the instrument panel (dashboard)

Question: Tell me how you would check that indicator lights working correctly
I turn on hazard warning light and side lights, check the indicators on the panel + i will go around that car and do visual inspection

Question: Tell me how you make sure that head resistant is correctly adjusted
The head resistant should be on the adjusted in a way that rigid part of it on the level of my eyes or top of my ears and it should resist my head comfortably

Question: How will you check if power-assisted steering wheel works correctly
The power assisted steering wheel should become light after engine starts and it is heavy when engine not started (Ассоциация: В детстве в Гяндже в припаркованном желтом жигули в кот. я игрался руль я не мог крутить он был тяжелый, когда мотор запускался он становился легче). If after engine turned on steering wheel still is heavy then something is wrong with power-assisted steering wheel system

Question: How would you check that braking system works correctly
Brakes should not feel spongly or slack and the car should not pull on one side.

Question: How would you check demister control
Turn on front demister (top button to heat the front windscreen ) and back demimster (bottom button – to head the back windscreen), also operate the fan for airflow direction, right salon temperature

Question: How would you check handbrake for excessive wear
Actions: 1st apply the footbrake firmly so that vehicle not rolling forward or backward. 2nd release and re-apply the handbrake. 3rd – remove foot from footbrake
Result: The car should remain stationary and handbrake should not travel too much upwards

Question: How would you check that your car tyres has sufficient thread depth and their general condition are safe
Tyre thread depth should be 1.6 millimeters thread depth across the central three-quarters (3/4) of the wheel all around the wheel.
(Ассоциация: Число 1.6 мне уже знакомо, в 1 километре – 1.6 миль)

Question: How would you check the tyre pressure and what is recommended tyre pressure should be
I can find that information in manufacturer’s manual. I will use reliable pressure gauge and check and adjust tyre pressures when the tyres are cold

Question: How would check if brake lights are working correctly
I will turn on the ignition, press the brakes and use reflection of window or door behind the car to see if brake lights are working correctly. Alternatively, i can ask someone to go behind the car and assist me to check the brake lights

Question: How to check your oil level
Pull the bonnet lever up (in right front of driver’s seat, go out and pull the latch to open bonnet, identify the oil tank, take the oil dipstick, clean it with wipe then put back again and check the level, the level should be between minimum and maximum marks, if it’s not enough add more oil), put back the oil tank cap.

Question: How to check if there is enough brake fluid reservoir
Pull the bonnet lever up, go out, open the bonnet, identify the brake fluid reservoir and check if the liquid inside within min and max marks, add more brake fluid if necessary, put back the oil fluid cap

Question: How to check if there is enough brake fluid reservoir
Pull the bonnet lever up, go out, open the bonnet, identify the brake fluid reservoir and check if the liquid inside within min and max marks, add more brake fluid if necessary, put back the oil fluid cap

Question: How to check if there is enough engine coolant reservoir
Pull the bonnet lever up, go out, open the bonnet, identify the engine coolant reservoir and check if the liquid inside within min and max marks, add more engine coolant if necessary, put back the oil fluid cap

Question: How to check if there is enough windscreen washer reservoir
Pull the bonnet lever up, go out, open the bonnet, identify the windscreen washer reservoir and check if the liquid inside within min and max marks, add more windscreen washer if necessary, put back the oil fluid cap

Dipped headlights



Demister and fan controls explanation, also fog headlights

p.s. This video is just to remember the roads and routes but not an example of correct driving.