Matthew Paul

We don’t always think about it, but our windscreens actually bear a fair brunt as we get ourselves around.  There’s nothing more annoying than a distracting windscreen crack or chip sitting in your critical vision area while you’re hurtling down the motorway. Windscreens are actually a key safety component in a car (it could literally […]

With summer on the horizon, I’ve been starting to think about investing in a vehicle and hitting the open roads.  Scanning the online car listings, you soon get an idea of what’s important, and I reckon having a reliable, working air conditioning unit is key to a comfortable ride, no matter what season you’re in. […]

Seinfeld’s famous “Serenity now!” skit was always a favourite in my family, and goes some way to setting the general tone of our family car trips growing up.  We all seem to be searching for ways to access our inner peace these days, and I’m just going to go ahead and say this, but it […]

That dismal feeling that sets in when you’ve realised your car battery has gone kaput isn’t one that is recalled fondly! If you haven’t had the misfortune of this happening to you (yet!), now’s your chance to turn the tide on one of those fails that seems to catch every driver out at least once […]

Ugh, the irking thought of car repairs.  They’re always looming in the background of any driver’s consciousness.  And generally accompanying those thoughts is a sense of dread around the scope of the car repairs, and what the cost is to fix parts. Here at My Auto Shop, we think knowledge is power.  And we’re here […]

So, you’re thinking about buying an electric vehicle (EV), or you already own one.  Nice.  We thought it’d be useful to give you a bit of a guide about where to charge it. Sure, most EV drivers will find charging at home or in a carpark at work can be convenient, but there comes that […]

For many of us, our big annual break comes around at the end of one year, and the beginning of another.  Even if you’re working through the period, you’re no doubt scrambling to get out the door and out to a holiday destination. Sure enough, the roads are busier, bottlenecks more frequent and we daresay […]

Expert’s guide to summer car maintenance Woohoo!  As I write this article, New Zealand’s famous sun is pouring in through the windows and I’m reminded of everything wonderful about living in this country.  Not least the idea of hitting the road and getting out to a beach after months spent in lockdown! If you’re anything […]

We’ve all been there.  It’s the end of the day, you’re cruising homeward, and suddenly everything comes to a grinding halt.  While the team at My Auto Shop love to spend their time making it easy for you to find and book a mechanic, we know it’s not always the solution to every challenge you […]

We’ve probably all had that moment out on the roads.  We all try to avoid road rage, but sometimes its hard.  You know, that moment when a spicy thought or phrase enters your head and, with any luck, leaves again with a deep breath.   Let’s face it, driving while under the influence of high emotion […]

If you’re a true automotive fan, then you’re no stranger to the magnetic power of a manual transmission.  We all know it’s more efficient, and the thrill-factor far exceeds anything on offer in the world of automatic transmission vehicles. But where manual transmissions are, bad habits abound.  In a country where automatic vehicles vastly outnumber […]

Getting tired while driving? I can relate. My first car was a 1999 Nissan Pulsar, and I bought it from my cousin, who had just got his truck drivers licence and was going to start on regular long haul trips.  I was so excited when I picked it up from Wellington and drove it straight […]

It’s fair to say the used car market can be a perilous one at the best of times.  When buying a used car, there’s no doubt you’ll encounter a few pitfalls.  But, with a few lessons learnt, and hopefully with the tips below, you’ll be on your way to tracking down the perfect ride. Potential […]

For many of us, myself included, there’s little chance of being considered a guru when it comes to anything automotive, least of all what to look for when going to purchase a car, or any other type of vehicle for that matter.  That was until I ended up buying an absolute dud the first time […]

It’s a wonderful by-product of our increasingly busy lives that we have the opportunity to spend time on the things that really make us tick.  Whether that’s work, family, sport or another hobby (driving, anyone?), we all want to spend more time doing what we love, with the people we love, rather than spending endless […]