1. Check your oil levels
Although some of us might not be driving as much as usual, it's always nice to show your car that you still love it by checking it’s all good under the hood.
Make sure your engine's cold and you're parked on level ground. Find your dipstick - that's where you check the level
Pull out the dipstick and wipe the end with a cloth, then put it back in
Pull it out again and look at where the oil mark comes up to between the MIN and MAX
If it's looking low, find your oil cap (it'll have a can on it) and unscrew it
Pour in some oil but don't go mad - overfilling is a bad idea and you can always check your oil level again if you want to go gradually. Don’t forget to screw the cap back on and wipe up any spill
2. Lose some weight
Admit it: you cart around approximately 2 tonnes of junk in your car. Broken sunglasses, 7 shoes, 2 coats, a tennis racket (which is weird because you don't actually play tennis), a layer of empty crisp packets and your entire filing system. Enough!
Set aside some time for a full clear-out. You'll feel better, your car will smell better - and you'll be more fuel efficient from the lost weight.
3. Check out those tread depths
If you're baby is looking a little bit rough around the wheels, measure your tread depths. These should be the legal MINIMUM of 1.6mm around the centre 3/4 of the tyre. But in reality, that's not enough for winter.
The AA recommends 3mm to deal with ice and snow - and let's face it, February can still see plenty of that. If you've been putting off the price of new tyres, Valentine's Day is the perfect time for a grand gesture.
4. Treat your car to a proper car wash
Why washing your car every now and then is a good idea:
Stopping your car from getting deeply dirty keeps the surface in good nick, maintaining the value
Regular and thorough washes can keep rust at bay because there's less damp or acidic muck eating away at the undercarriage and wheel arches of your car
Winter can cause a horrible blurry build-up on your windscreen, causing serious glare
If you’re unsure how to wash your car as thoroughly at home, YouTube is your friend, and can probably explain it better than we ever could!
Look after your car and your car will look after you.
5. Promise you’ll change
What's one bad habit your car would thank you to give up? Mine's got to be going up through gears rather than skipping them when I can. I'm told I'll get through clutches like nobody's business.