Your car will never start on the first ignition when you are getting late for a train or plane. To prevent such frustrating incidents from recurring, do give your car a weekly peek under the hood to see if all's well. Check all the oil levels, liquids in the radiator (water and coolant), wiring on the battery terminals, wires running out of the coil spring and the five wires that octopus out of the distributor cap.

You're sure to have a flat on a lonely stretch old road. Such things happen especially we are in a rush or traveling alone or that’s the way we feel. Do check the tyre pressure when you top up on fuel. Don't forget about the spare tyre and if yours is the type bolted onto the rear as in the Gypsy or the Sierra-then get the wheel bolts greased regularly for it's the toughest thing to unbolt, after jacking up a car. Speaking of which, ask for the jack to be greased too.

You've spotted the cutest person of opposite sex in the car alongside yours. You're about to drag-race when your car goes into a bunny-hop. When was the last time you took your car for a service? Or had the air, fuel and oil filters changed? That is something which should be done regularly if you want to give your car a healthy and long life.

You've finally found the only vacant spot in the parking lot-and you can't leave the car! This is a typical 'monsoon moment'. The windows don't roll up, the central locking doesn't work (so you can't lock the doors) or the horn decides to take off on a non-stop honking binge. Water has the most incredible knack of getting in through closed car doors, dripping through invisible cracks in the root and into the bonnet, setting all the electrical and cables into a tizzy. Get the window, door and bonnet beading checked for cracks and tear and replace them if necessary. The outer window cosmetic trims (that are a car-picker's delight) are usually to blame for waterlogged doors. Get them nailed down if you must. Check your brakes pump them after you drive (at one consistent speed) through the water and on sure protection is the nibble glove any mechanic will gladly stretch over the distributor against the rain.

Five drivers to avoid in all circumstance while you are on the wheel are as follows:

1. If the driver is seated half on, half off his bike, he's probably unbalanced.
2. If the driver is chatting on his cell phone, he/she's distracted.
3. If the driver is driving with one hand, and his gaze is anywhere but on the road, he/she's the unreliable sort.
4. If the driver is driving a car with dark tinted glasses and you can't see a damn through it then surely he/she's avoidable; the suspicious sort.
5. If the driver got the music blaring but still crawls past you at 30 kmph, he/she's definitely got a hearing problem, can't keep the pace and still hopes to impress you.