The Magic Blog

Have a teenager who just started driving? It’s important that they know there’s more to being a driver than traffic lights and speed limits – taking care of their car is imperative to staying safe on the road. Here’s a guide to teaching your teen how to keep their car in the best possible condition.

The lights on the dashboard

There’s nothing more frightening as a new driver than seeing an unfamiliar symbol light up on the dashboard and not knowing how to deal with it. Take your teenager through all the different symbols – teach them what each one means and what to do if it lights up while they’re driving. This will save them a lot of time, stress and even money.

The basics underneath the bonnet

Straightforward things like checking the car’s oil and topping up coolant are easy enough for teenagers to do on their own and can keep them from being overcharged at a mechanic. A simple trick to teach your teen is that anything colourful under the bonnet is okay to touch – everything else should be left to a professional. This generally includes the car’s oil dipstick, the coolant reservoir, brake fluid and windscreen washing fluid.

Changing a tyre

This is one of the most important things your teen should learn how to do before they get out on the road by themselves. Changing a tyre is simple, but it can be a daunting task – it’s best to help them master it before they get into a situation where they have to teach themselves. Take your child through the guide in the car’s manual step-by-step; this way, if they need to revisit the manual to change a tyre in the future, they’ll already be familiar with it.

Paying attention to how the car runs

A big part of owning a car is being familiar with how it sounds and feels when it runs. This helps drivers identify changes, even small ones, that could require professional attention. Make sure your teenager gets to know their car well and be aware of anything that feels or sounds a little off.

Keeping the car clean

Teenagers are renowned for being messy, so it’s important to teach them the value of a clean car. Keeping the car in its best possible condition can improve driving conditions and make it safer and easier to get around. We suggest gifting your teen a few key items to keep in their car: paper towels or rags, disinfectant wipes and interior car cleaner are a great place to start.

Let us handle the big messes – find your nearest Magic Hand Carwash location today and we’ll show you how we can help keep your car looking as good as the day you bought it.