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!

Project Mondeo

The Peter Simpson COLUMN • We’ve all heard of reconditioned and remanufactured engines, gearboxes and so on, but now it seems that complete remanufactured cars might be on the agenda.

BLOWING HOT & COLD • You might think that cooling systems have not changed but Rob Marshall finds plenty of them that can catch out the unaware DIYer.

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

Tales from the workshop

Treasure Hunt • PART ONE: Rob Hawkins breathes a sigh of relief as we finally manage to buy our next project vehicle in the nick of time.

Bumper deal • PART FOUR: Our 2008 Panda 100HP is basically a wreck bodywise – it’ll never be a minter, but we can at least tidy it up. Andrew Everett starts on the most difficult part of this project.

MECHANICAL MISHAPS • We all make mistakes, but the secret is to learn from them. Here’s some valuable lessons that CM readers have learned over the years.

Dealer ’s Diary • Peter Simpson provides us with an insight into the automotive sales trading world – and beyond.

VOLVO XC60 • Space, comfort and safety are the plus points of this stylish, supremely capable and now affordable mid-sized SUV. So, what are you waiting for?

GREAT EXPECTATIONS • Where would motoring be if visionaries didn’t think outside the box – like Vauxhall more than 50 years ago with its futuristic mid-engined SRV family fourseater concept? Many forwardthinking ideas have changed the shape of motoring for the better but others were perhaps more misguided than marvellous – as Alan Anderson reveals.

More ways to go electric • The choice of electrified cars grows on an almost daily basis, and here Chris Randall highlights some clever engineering from Nissan and Honda.

AWD SUV • Rob Hawkins services the all-wheel-drive Kia Sportage and discovers a mixture of awkward and straightforward jobs.

Help!

Diagnostics Doctor

Take a Brake

Electronic Diagnostics • Rob Hawkins visits Mark Shipman of Auto Electrical Services near York to discover some of the common engine management issues on the diesel engine Citroën C4.

Our Cars

In my Humble Opinion