If you've ever wanted to know more about the way your car works
Ever wondered about that strange rattling noise your car makes when you start it up in the morning, or why every time your car's brake pads are changed, you have to change the brake discs too?
If you'd like to know a little more about your car, or need someone to ask all the stupid questions you're too embarrassed to ask anyone else, try out the AA's new Know Your Car course.
It's a one-day, not-for-petrolheads course at the AA Technical College in Midrand, and is designed to educate car owners about how their cars work and what you need to do to keep it in good condition. The course provides all the basic information the average car owner would need and is not bogged down with the sort of technical jargon that will have you snoring in 30 minutes.
The course I attended was conducted by the rather animated AA national technical training manager and principal at the AA Technical College, Werner Wandrey.
Wandrey was exceedingly knowledgeable and was very good at answering a wide range of questions from the group of 14 attendees. Having been a mechanic since 1995, he was well aware of the common car foibles.
The course covers basic information about the engine, as well as braking and steering systems, car maintenance, pre-trip inspections, occupant restraint systems and tyres. There's also a great deal of information about what to do if you're involved in an accident or if your car breaks down.
Wandrey was also quite accommodating when it came to questions and constantly encouraged the group to get involved in the course. As a result, the course never felt like a lecture.
The one issue that Wandrey cautioned us about was the common tendency to diagnose our vehicle's problems.
"Let the mechanic figure out what's wrong with your car. If you tell him what you think it is, he will focus on that and will probably ignore the real cause of the problem," said Wandrey.
Despite my background as a motoring writer, I found the course to be informative and entertaining and I would urge all car-owners to seriously consider attending because it's a great opportunity to be a little more educated about the jalopies we spend so much of our lives in.
The course runs from Monday to Friday (Saturdays on request), from 9am to 3.30pm and costs R500 with a 10% discount for AA members. To book for this course, please contact Lion du Plessis on 011 347 9300 or click here to email him.