How To

Giving your car’s paintwork a wash is one of the easiest ways to take care of your vehicle. With most of the My Auto Shop team’s cars being covered with dirt dust from summer road trips, we’ve put together our tips on keeping your car’s paintwork at its best. Start by cleaning your wheels Before […]

If you’re towing a trailer or caravan, one of the worst things that can happen is for your trailer to wobble precariously back and forth, eventually falling on one side and dragging your vehicle down with it. Trailer sway can be a major problem for many trailer owners, especially with New Zealand’s winding roads, and […]

As the Velvet Underground song goes, “I got a foggy notion!” … but, I confess, when it comes to fogged up windows, I don’t have the foggiest. Having full understanding on how to stay safe when your windows mist up is essential driver knowledge. There are always things to learn in the automotive world, and […]

It’s timely to be writing an article about car dealers and the tactics they use on (sometimes) unsuspecting buyers to get them to spend more. I’m looking for a vehicle, searching through private sellers and car dealers alike for that perfect vehicle. But, alas, the time has come! At MyAutoShop, we’ve got your back, and […]

Wouldn’t it be great if, on that (rare) occasion that something went wrong with your car, you could somehow use a sixth sense to diagnose exactly what was wrong with it? Like Spiderman’s spidey senses, but for cars. Well, if you ask a seasoned mechanic, you’d pretty quickly find out that such super powers do […]

If you’re anything like me, you spend a fair bit of time cleaning surfaces and decluttering your personal spaces in the name of mental health and a general sense of having life under control. But, you know, life just has a different idea sometimes. And such is the case when you’re cruising along, interior looking […]

Buying a used car is something that virtually everyone undertakes at some point in their lives, and the idea is to spend your hard-earned money on something decent rather than a defect-ridden lemon. Unfortunately, whether you’re trying to buy privately or through a dealership, lemon cars are out there. It’s critical not to rush into […]

There really is nothing quite like a car wash to get you (and your car!) feeling incredible when you’re out on the road.   That said, if you’re not necessarily thrilled about the idea of manual labour in the name of getting your car looking tip top, then you’re probably no stranger to the local carwash […]

Is there a car part that better expresses the driver’s attention to detail, or not, as the case may be, than its wheels?  Now, we all know you’re out there washing your car twice a week (or maybe not?), but there are some great ways to ensure that you’re getting the best mileage out of […]

Okay, we realise the headline might seem a little bit paradoxical, but here at My Auto Shop, we know the importance of staying calm no matter what situation you’re in, especially when it’s of the automotive variety. So you’re driving along, music blaring (invariably, right?) and you spot a red light up ahead.  Coolio.  Happens […]

Oh man, we all have that one friend.  You know, the one who doesn’t take the corners too well on a long road trip, and before you know it, you’re pulled over and they’re dry-retching into a ditch. Well, safe to say that you better be quick when that request is made known, because we […]

Okay, hands up, who’s been here before?  You’re peacefully driving along, minding your own business, and then – “Crrrrchhh!” – it’s suddenly all gone pear-shaped.  You, my friend, have just been in a car accident. No worries though, right?  You’re smart, you got car insurance cover, and it’s time to inform your insurer that yes, […]

It always starts so innocently.  A sweet, perhaps little sheepish, call from another area of the house, echoing its way into my innocent ears, “Baaabe, do you know where the car keys are?” So, truth be told.  I often do know where they are (on my desk, or on the bench), and that’s why my […]

To be fair, much like the term ‘tune up’, the terms oversteer and understeer might seem a little out of date.  But, we humans like familiarity, and while the meanings have evolved, the words seem to stay the same. Basically, oversteer and understeer are motoring dynamics which remain with us, despite the profusion of electric […]

Okay, so you’ve read our Zen Guide to Peaceful Road Trips, you learnt all about how heat can bring about car motion sickness, and now you just want the cold hard facts – “How the hell do I cool this car down?!” Whether you use sun shades on the windows or window tinting to keep […]

If you’re a regular here on the My Auto Shop blog, you’ll know we like to keep you fully informed and equipped to deal with everyday car issues.   With the summer sun now shining into directly into our eyes (cue sunglasses), we thought it might be time to give you the down-low on how to […]

Odometers serve a very certain purpose in our cars.  We need to know how far we’ve travelled, as this gives us an indication of where a car is at in its lifecycle and what servicing requirements there are at any given moment. Many cars were equipped with the mechanical Auto-Meter gadget in the early 1900s, […]

Oh yeah, we know it, you know it, we all know it.  Check the tyre pressure.  Yeah, yeah.  Sure.  But who’s really doing it?  Well, to put it plain and simple, regularly checking your tyre pressure is critical to the safe operation of your vehicle. Tyres lose pressure over time (funny that!), which is why […]

Okay team, we’re not trying to tell you how to suck eggs here, but we’re thinking maybe an article about blind spots has, in fact, been sitting in our blind spot here at My Auto Shop.  So, here it goes, let us open your eyes to the elusive and potentially dangerous “blind spot”. A blind […]

“Just jump start it, dude!  You’ll be sweet!” … And they were never heard from again. Okay, so that might be going a little bit far, but the point we’re making is that while it seems everyone under the sun is quick to tell you they “just jump started it” – it does take a […]

Buying a project car can be an incredible opportunity, offering a rewarding way to spend your time while building up your mechanical muscle.  However, it’s best to keep a clear eye on the road ahead.   Project cars are notoriously time consuming and can lend to things going financially awry if you’re not aware of the […]

Your starter motor is what starts the engine. Which you already put together, but do you know how it works? If you don’t or even if you do, we might teach you a little more. It’s important to know how they work because it makes it easier to spot when they aren’t. Eventually you’ll put […]

If you hit a bump or weight is transferred around the car while driving, the shock absorbers control it. They ensure that your tyres remain in contact with the road. They make up an integral part of your suspension system. Shock absorbers are basically operating all the time as you drive. They ensure smooth driving […]

We’ve covered improving fuel economy, saving fuel and saving money, plenty of times. What we’re focussing on here is improved efficiency. More specifically, decreasing fuel consumption and increasing gas mileage. If you want to increase your fuel economy you need to have your car in tip top shape. We can help you maintain your car […]