This article is predominantly about the pitfalls of scrapping a car but applies equally to a simple change of registration ownership. If you are proposing to scrap your car or even send off a SORN statement or even just a change of ownership declaration, be very careful. The DVLA Continuous Registration Department will stop at nothing to obtain the £80 penalty for non-declaration, if you fail to follow their procedures.

If selling your vehicle privately or disposing of the vehicle by way of scrapping the vehicle, the vehicles export or theft, the registration Document instructs you to complete the relevant sections of the document and send to the DVLA. Please note the following statement:

DVLA will issue an acknowledgment letter after 4 weeks to confirm you are no longer the Registered Keeper. If the acknowledgment letter is not received please contact DVLA on 0870 240 0010.

It seems to be an imposition that callers are required to make a call to a premium rate number when, through possibly no fault of their own, they do not receive the acknowledgment letter. This matter is being investigated by Ofcom but at the moment you have no choice but to make this call or you could face a fine of £80 or more if the DVLA issue a County Court Summons, which they will do.

If like most people, you find it hard to track time, 4 weeks will pass by very quickly and I suggest you mark a calendar when the 4 weeks is up and if you have not received an acknowledgment letter from the DVLA then do call the number.

The DVLA will not accept the possibility your document could have got lost in the post or that it may even have been lost within the DVLA. I have now resorted to paying the price of 4 First Class stamps for a signed for acceptance by the DVLA as this does offer a degree of security in order to confirm the document was sent to the DVLA.

Within the classified advertisements of the local papers there are many that offer good prices for collection of vehicles be they for scrap or resale. Initially the seller should contact the advertiser to see if the minimum price quoted is genuine and then ascertain if the advertiser is licensed. It should also be noted the many advertisements for collection firms who will pay you money for your scrap vehicle, may not be licensed by the Environment Agency and you should seek a buyer who is an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) license holder who will issue you with a certificate of Destruction (CoD).

With respect to the use of the 0870 number by the DVLA, the DVLA is awaiting the outcome of a report by Ofcom which has currently extended its period of consultation, before it will consider issuing a freephone or other number.

If you do receive a County Court Summons from the DVLA concerning the Continuous Registration because you did not receive the acknowledgment letter but you are convinced you sent off the signed section of the registration document and have a photocopy as proof, you can opt to go to Court to explain to the Judge you did follow the procedures but did forget to make the call when no acknowledgment letter was received. Many people do this and generally if you can substantiate the fact you did all that was required, the Judge may find in your favour.

Legal advice is being obtained at this moment in time to ascertain if the wording on the Registration document – received please contact DVLA on 0870 240 0010 - is a legal requirement?

In conclusion, I can only stress that failure to conform to the requirements of the DVLA may lead to the £80 fine becoming considerably greater with the imposition of Court costs.

Complete the documentation as required, obtain a proof of posting and if you do not receive the acknowledgment letter after 4 weeks, call the number and save yourself some money, time and aggravation.

If you don’t get the time to take your car to the service station quite often you can go through the owner’s manual. This will help you to maintain the car yourself. Checking the battery, changing the oil are things that you should not avoid. Checking the electrical system is equally important.

For maintaining a car properly you should follow a few simple steps such as:

•    Rotate the tires after every 8,000km.
•    Change the tire for a new one if needed.
•    Keep tires aligned and inflated.
•    Check the tire pressure at least once in a week. Bad tyre pressure also affects the fuel economy.
•    Don’t forget to clean brake dust regularly. Use clean cold water to do away with brake dust.
•    Check the rubber drive belts that are there in front of the engine. After 50,000 miles the rubber drive belts should be replaced.
•    Use the grade of motor oil according to the recommendation of the manufacturer.
•    You can check the oil level yourself. In this way u will be able to understand whether the engine needs oil.
•    Checking the coolant level is also very important.
•    Battery terminals are also needed to be checked.
•    Go for regular engine tune-ups.
•    The lights also demand regular checking.
•    Change clogged air filters regularly.
•    Wash your car on a regular basis.
•    Wax it occasionally.
•    Always use original parts.

Even if you check your car parts regularly it is necessary that your car gets inspected by a mechanic. This should be done at least once in a year. Some of the parts of the car can not be inspected visually. The mechanical inspection will cover these parts such as brakes, suspension and so on.

If you find anything wrong with your car go for servicing immediately. This will save you from further harassment. It will also save your money. If you notice any unusual noise, shimmer, vibration, leak or warning light while driving take your car to a garage without any delay.

You can maintain a log book, where you can keep the details regarding the maintenance, routine check-up and repairing of the car. However following these tips are not enough. You should also remember a few things while driving. You should avoid rash driving in order to save your car from any kind of damage.

Maintenance of a car will help you in various ways. A properly maintained car ensures safe and smooth driving

Always put in mind that a car is a machine. It will not work without the aid of human intervention. But just like any other machines, it is also prone to break down and a long list of risks on or off the road. These should be prevented because your life is at risk.

Using your Mercedes repair manual, know how each Mercedes parts work. Carefully familiarize yourself with the interior, exterior, engine and other parts, and then know their specific functions. This will help you in knowing immediately what needs to be repaired and the style of maintenance the parts need. If you have not familiarized yourself with the parts and their functions, it will cause severe car problem and can also damage your skin or any other body parts due to the exhausted chemicals, excreted fluids or deteriorated part that might fall before your body. 

Most auto parts can cause physical damages to your body, if not used repaired or maintained properly.

One of the important things to keep in mind while doing a repair is the hotness or coldness of the car. There are certain auto parts that need to be cooled down first before doing any repair. Examples of these are the tires, engines, and the hoses. There are parts that need to be warmed up first before any repair. Meanwhile, there are parts which do not require heat or coolness before any repair is to be done – meaning which ever condition is applicable. 

The car batteries are one of the most dangerous parts, when not properly maintained. This is for the reason that they contain acid and emit hydrogen gas that is dangerous to the lungs and skin and can even cause explosions. To avoid this, remove away any ignition source from the batteries. Cigarettes are example of these sources so it is better to close the car while working on the batteries. It is also a must to wear gloves while handling the car batteries so that direct contact will be avoided. Aside from this, it is important to know that car batteries can also give you shocks due to the amps they have. Disconnecting the battery negative cable will avoid such problems.

It is also better to make a fire extinguisher accessible while doing the repairs so that in case of unexpected fire in or on your vehicle, you will easily reach it. The car engine and batteries are examples of auto parts prone to explosion, so extreme care while repairing them is a must.  Never allow someone smoking to come close to you when you are still doing the repair.

Protect yourself through wearing a protector while doing the repair. Automobiles have poison gases. The exhaust contains these gases and these are dangerous once they enter the respiratory system. Suffocation is one of the effects of too much, and sometimes even little, intake of these gases. 

Car cables are also combustible. They cause voltage sparks and when combined with gases and other combustible elements, it might cause fire. Maintain your car keys away from the ignition and properly connect the cables to prevent this.

Car safety is everybody’s concern. This can only be achieved through having the right know-how in automotive works.

In the beginning you have to make different searches such as one search to find a place to sell your car, the other search to purchase your car and for find parts and supplies or for maintenance information. Now the situation is changed because it’s all combined in one section whether you need used parts and supplies for trucks and cars or you need an automotive supply store.

Various sites  play important role because through it you can shop online auto or truck parts. With the help of these sites you can have online auto parts store, which include various types of automotive supplies, auto body parts automatic transmissions, used parts. They make you away from the confusion by providing simple and easy, a one-stop shop in order to purchase your all automotive parts and supplies. These online can fulfill your needs by providing all you need like motors, transmissions, car, automotive interiors, and truck body pars, engine repair parts.

This site www.automotix.net is very useful because it provides important information about hoe you can repair your car or truck by purchasing used parts. Automotix provides you a chance to save money wit safety and certified used parts. It means we also get the guarantee of these used parts.

You can get bargain cars marketplace through this site. This bargain cars marketplace is made for those people who want to sell their vehicles very soon and you will have discount on them against the market value. This marketplace is a excellent way to buy or sell your below market value car or truck.

You can get the automotive news, car and truck forums, insurance information, recall information, consumer reports from this site. You can also get car and truck information articles, favorite links news in the manufacturing world and up to date automotive information along with the information on repairs, safety fuel mileage, and driving.

This site also provides one book called Buying Junkyard Parts, which works as a complete guide. This book includes excellent tips on where to look for salvage parts, tips on how to buy used parts, how best to determine a fair price. You will also get the different ways to validate salvage yards. This site also provides you classified automotive section, which includes buyers and sellers of classifieds automotive car or truck supplies, used parts and mainly the auto body parts and supplies. Through this, you can also post your free classified ad for your surplus parts.

 If you want to repair your car, you have to first find a good book that would teach you what you need to know. Get something that you can easily understand. Determine the level of your knowledge about cars and start from there. How well do you know anything about cars anyway? Are you a beginner in car repair? Is this the first time you’re going to take a look at the insides of your car? Or have you done a couple of minor repairs here and there before?

 To get the guide you need, you have to first know the make, year, and model of your car. It would take a whole book to describe how to repair each and every part of your car. So expect to find a book that solely talks about your car’s model and nothing else.

 When you do get hold of the car repair guide you’re looking for, make sure to read it thoroughly before you start digging your car’s engine. It pays to know everything head on instead of groping for the manual right in the middle of the repair job. You don’t have to read the whole book. Just the section that pertains to the problem of your car would do.

 However, don’t assume that the car repair guide in your hand is the be-all and end-all of all car problems. Car problems are much like sickness. It requires thorough diagnosis to be able to fix the problem effectively. This is why you need to get a book that’s a perfect match to your expertise level. You want something that you can easily understand.

 Get car repair guides from the internet or from local bookstores. If you can leaf through the pages of the manual or book that you’re going to buy, that’s better. By doing so, you can be sure that you are getting exactly what you need. Keep in mind that you’re going to repair your own car. You don’t want to do something wrong that could otherwise ruin your vehicle.