ENGINE LONGEVITY

There’s no way around it – your car’s engine needs basic TLC every 10 000 km if it’s a diesel, and every 20 000 km if it’s a petrol. And if you are doing your own servicing, you should be able to afford to stick to these intervals.

Diesel in SA is very high in sulphur – unless you consistently buy the more expensive 50 ppm- grade diesel, your oil should be quite degraded by the time 10 000 km has elapsed, and no matter what the owner’s manual says, clean oil at regular intervals will only prolong your engine’s life.

Your engine’s needs are pretty straightforward: it must breathe clean air, it must consume only clean fuel, and its lifeblood ( its oil) must be kept clean and pure. Every once in a while, you also need to give it an oil change: a total blood transfusion.