Ask The Guide

The short answer is to warm the engine, jack the car up and put it on secure jack stands, then drain the old oil, replace the oil filter, and refill the engine with the grade and amount of oil specified in your handbook. However, the better way to change the oil is to give the car to a qualified mechanic and have them do it, saving hours of time.

By the time you drive around to purchase oil and a filter from an auto parts store, then drive home, you won't have saved much compared to getting a professional to do it!

A software upgrade will not affect the oil usage of the car. It was once considered abnormal for a car to use oil, but it’s not today, and many engines consume some oil. It’s important to check the oil level in the engine regularly and top it up when it’s needed. The rate of oil used on the dealer’s test would seem to be reasonable.

Bleeding a clutch system involves purging the hydraulic system that operates the clutch slave cylinder, replacing the old fluid with fresh fluid. This is an important piece of maintenance to do as the fluid breaks down over time, or air bubbles can appear in the system, causing problems actuating the clutch. Bleeding these systems isn't a job for an amateur as they involve corrosive fluids and specific techniques that, if done incorrectly, can cause significant damage.

It is far better to get a qualified mechanic or dealership to bleed your clutch system for you.

Lowering modern car involves swapping out the four coil springs at each corner for shorter, stiffer items. This should only be done by a professional shop who specialise in suspension, and after having consulted an engineering signatory in your home state to check the modifications you want to perform are legal.

If the shorter warranty of the Subaru is a major concern for you then certainly look at others, like the Sportage or Eclipse, but I would buy the Outback with confidence it will give you a good run beyond the warranty.

The RS, VTI-S, and VTi-L sedans weigh 1331kg while the same models in the 5-door hatch body come in at 1337kg. The Type R weighs 1390kg, while the VTi-LX hatch weighs 1365kg.

Clutches wear out faster with a dual-mass flywheel, but 40,000 km is much too early, although no unheard of. The reason they cost so much to replace is that the flywheel is replaced at the same time.

The recommended fuel for the 1.8-litre AH model Astra is 91-octane regular unleaded.

Honda sells a dizzying range of Civic models, including the VTI, VTI-S, VTI-L, VTI-LX, and RS in sedan and hatchback, with the range topped by the be-winged, turbocharged Type R hatchback. The easiest way to figure out which model you have is to look on the back of the car for a badge on the boot lid which should tell you which model you have.

The fourth-generation Ford Focus launched in April 2018 and, given the previous generations' long model runs, it is likely there won't be a new generation model launched until at least 2025.