Carpet cleaning

Whenever her Peugeot 206 needed fixing, Lerease Sweeney used to put her trust in a local garage. like many drivers, she struggled to understand the basics of how her car worked.

But as the repair bills started piling up, the events manager from London started wishing she knew how to fix the more basic problems herself, so she signed up for the part-time DIY Motor Vehicle Maintenance course at the City of Westminster College.

The course, she says, has been a revelation. “The fact that most things are actually quite straightforward has been the biggest surprise to me,” explains Lerease, 29. “And yet it can be so expensive to get the most basic things done at a garage.

“I’m getting a good grasp of the basics, and it’s all stuff I can do at home. I recently learnt how to do an oil change – before the course I didn’t even realise there were different types of oil for different cars.

“I feel so much more confident now I understand how things work. My car is about 10 years old so I’m hoping I’ll save lots of money in garage bills.”

Lerease is one of many motorists around the country signing up for basic car maintenance courses in the face of soaring repair and servicing costs. According to a recent survey by Warranty Direct, the average garage charges £80.44 an hour for a mechanic’s time, up 7.5 per cent on 2010. Some hourly charges top £200.

And so I find myself one chilly Thursday evening clad in blue overalls with my head under the bonnet of a well-used Peugeot 206 in the college’s vehicle workshop.

One of the attractions of the 10-week course is that it isn’t classroom-based. Lessons are designed to offer practical experience – students practise on a variety of cars at the Paddington Green Campus in west London.

The course caters for motorists of all levels and covers skills such as changing tyres, checking fuses, basic servicing and pre-MoT checks. as it’s an evening class, students can fit it around their normal jobs.

The subject of tonight’s three-hour class is brake pads. We’ve had a brief theory explanation with course leader Paul Germaine and we’re now getting to grips with the cars.

After checking the brake fluid, our group jacks up the blue 2004 Peugeot a few feet and starts removing the first front wheel. everyone gets involved – from checking the manual and deciding which tools to use, to removing, cleaning and measuring the brake pads. We have a quick tea break before moving to the other side of the car. There’s plenty of chatter around the cavernous workshop and Paul and his team walk between groups answering questions.

According to Paul, who’s a trained mechanic and the college’s motor vehicle technical team leader, the current economic climate has led to more interest in DIY car maintenance.

“Many people feel intimidated going into a garage,” says Paul. “But this is a practical course that provides a certain amount of knowledge, and that gives motorists the confidence to question what they’re told needs doing. if the mechanic says the brake pads need changing, but they’re not sure, they can say, ‘Show me’.”

Lerease, one of five women on the course, adds: “When I used to go into a garage they often spoke in a language I didn’t understand. it was all technical jargon but now I feel more confident. When my car needs an MoT I feel I’ll know a bit more about what they’re talking about, so I shouldn’t end up spending money I don’t need to.”

Students can work on a range of popular models – alongside the Peugeot there’s a Ford Focus, Vauxhall Zafira, Ford Ka and Vauxhall Astra. And the course is designed to be as relevant for owners of modern cars as older ones.

“The basic principles are still the same,” says Paul. “Whether it’s changing brake pads or checking fuses.”

The course aims to be flexible and tailored to individual needs, and students are encouraged to bring in their own vehicles.

Jon Jonas, a solicitor from London, is keen to get his 1981 VW campervan to the workshop to understand more about how it works.

“I joined the course because I wanted to see if I could learn how to do the basics of mechanics myself because my campervan is quite expensive to get fixed,” explains Jon, 35.

“I also wanted to get an understanding of the terminology used. The course is fun and very interesting, I’ve learnt a lot. I now feel more confident about things like changing the oil or a spark plug. It’s definitely worth the money.”

The course isn’t cheap at £250, but Paul reckons students can make the fee back by the money they save doing their own repairs or servicing. Then there’s that all-important confidence you gain.

It’s largely up to the individual which jobs they feel comfortable tackling. but students are trained to consult the manual, which states the difficulty level for each job, before starting any work.

As the class draws to a close, we get the brakes and wheels back on the Peugeot and lower it to the ground. And I realise I’ve done it – I’ve successfully changed the brake pads on a car.

The next time a mechanic tells me they need changing, I won’t look at him blankly and nod. I’ll feel confident enough to ask questions to check the work really needs doing. I might even attempt the work myself (with the help of the manual).

Above all, I won’t have to drive away with a sick feeling in my stomach, wondering if I’ve been taken for a mug.

The main DIY jobs taught, and the approximate savings, by course tutor Paul.

• Remove old and fit new brake pads

Dealer/garage: £85-£125.

DIY: £25-£45.

• Oil and filter change/minor service

Dealer/garage: £130-£160.

• Bulb replacement

Halfords: £5.50 plus full retail of bulb.

DIY: Price of bulb only.

• Simple diagnostics, e.g. fuse blown on cigarette lighter

Dealer: £55-£125 per hour.

• Preventative maintenance like checking tyre wear, antifreeze levels, oil level, lights and wipers

DIY: Savings could be huge if parts wear to a point where they are unsafe or illegal.