Car Mechanics

Car Mechanics is the UK's only car magazine with essential advice on maintaining and repairing popular makes and models. It’s an invaluable motoring resource that appeals to both the DIY car enthusiast and the more experienced motor trade professional. Car Mechanics has helped save money for our readers every month since 1958. Each issue includes a wide range of in-depth features written in a clear, straightforward manner: • Readers’ motoring-related problems answered for FREE • Real-life motoring dilemmas from our man in the garage trade • Electronic diagnostics delves inside a different modern vehicle each month to explain its management system • Survival Guide looks at new and used component prices for a particular vehicle • Used Car Focus is an in-depth buying guide on a specific make and model • Service Bay covers a full service with close-up images and comprehensive descriptions • Project cars are a major part of the structure of the magazine as we buy, fix and sell different vehicles over a period of months So if you're into saving money and being a home technician, Car Mechanics will help you out - guaranteed!

Editorial

Car Mechanics

PAINT Correction & Protection • Paint defects can be difficult and expensive to resolve, although Rob Marshall reveals that DIYers need not be left in the dark.

CM Insider • Ben Hackney-Williams brings you another month of news and reviews from the automotive industry

News in Brief

RAIL SOFT TOP ROOF REPAIR • Summer driving in a 500C brings forth pleasure; sorting a disobedient roof brings pain. Rob Marshall explains why.

Tales from the workshop • Fixing advice from our garage proprietor Steve Rothwell

project Jaguar XF 3.0D Project XF • PART ONE: Rob Hawkins takes delivery of CM’s latest project car that was bought at auction for a bargain £2950 + fees.

Port cleaning • PART FOUR: With direct-injection, coked-up inlet ports are a distinct possibility. Andrew Everett takes us through a straightforward manifold-off job.

PRESSURE WASHERS • Efficiency and safety have become the new pressure washer buzzwords, and why it’s not such a bad idea.

POWER IS NOTHING WITHOUT CONTROL

Our Criteria

ALL ABOUT ACCESSORIES

Dealer’s Diary • Peter Simpson and Rebecca Chaplin brings us car trading news as we slowly move out of lockdown.

Buying + Owning Porsche 911 • With prices dipping below £20,000, 997s have finally become affordable. But how do you buy the best – and what about reliability and running costs? We have the answers…

Good Garage Guide

NEXT MONTH

RIP HOME MECHANIC? • DIY isn’t dead but thanks to the never-ceasing complexity of cars its getting harder. This year marks the demise of two of the most kerbside-friendly family ferriers ever – the Morris Minor and Triumph’s Herald – and the rise of the marketing fallacy that sophistication sells. Alan Anderson reports.

The Peter Simpson COLUMN • A bit of use is sometimes all it takes to improve a car’s mechanical condition.

Fifth-gen Mondeo • Rob Hawkins inspects and services a Mk5 Mondeo with over 150k on the clock, which was recently bought by his local garage.

Help! • Your non-diagnostic vehicle-related problems solved by Steve Rothwell

Have a problem vehicle? • GET IN TOUCH...

Sourcing vehicle manuals

Diagnostics Doctor • Steve Rothwell answering your ENGINE MANAGEMENT queries

NISSAN NOTE 1.4 PETROL • Nissan’s Note has a good reputation for mechanical reliability, but what about the model’s electronic diagnostic prospects? Kim Henson and Edward Haggar take a look under the skin of the 1.4-litre petrol-powered Note.

Useful Preparation Data • Below are shown the official recommended change intervals for...