Car accessory guides
Plain-English buying guides and fitting how-tos for New Zealand drivers – from choosing a dash cam to finding the right filter for your car.
Latest guides
Buying a Used Car in NZ: A Practical Inspection Checklist
A step-by-step used car checklist for New Zealand buyers: paperwork, the Consumer Information Notice and VIN checks, money owin...
Lawn Mower Service Parts: Spark Plugs, Blades, Air Filters, Oil and a Spring Tune-Up
A step-by-step spring tune-up for petrol lawn mowers: replacing the spark plug and air filter, changing 4-stroke engine oil and...
Car Speakers and Amplifiers: Sizes, RMS Power, Ohms and Adding a Subwoofer
How to choose car speakers and amplifiers: common speaker sizes and why mounting depth matters, coaxial versus component speake...
Air Tools and Compressor Fittings: Couplers, Hoses, Tool Oil and Filters
How to set up a compressor and air tools: Nitto-style and ARO-style coupler profiles and why they don't mix, BSPT and NPT threa...
4WD Recovery Gear: Recovery Boards, Shovels, Straps, Shackles and Rated Recovery Points
A practical guide to 4WD recovery gear: what a basic kit includes, why only rated recovery points should be used (never tow bal...
Gas Struts for Bonnets, Boots and Tailgates: How to Measure, Choose and Replace
How to tell a bonnet, boot or tailgate gas strut has lost its force, how to measure extended and compressed length, stroke and ...
Soldering and Plastic Welding for Car Repairs: Wiring Joins and Cracked Plastic
How to join car wiring by soldering, crimping or with solder splice terminals, choosing a mains or butane soldering iron, seali...
Tool Storage: Tool Boxes, Chests, Organisers and Setting Up a Home Garage
How to choose tool storage for a home garage or ute: portable plastic and steel tool boxes, tool bags and rolls, drawer chests ...
Travelling With Dogs in the Car: Seat Covers, Barriers, Harnesses and the Ute Rule
What New Zealand's animal welfare regulations say about dogs on the open deck of a ute or trailer and dogs left in parked vehic...
Engine Air Filters: Paper vs Washable Performance Filters, When to Replace and Cleaning Tips
What an engine air filter does, disposable paper versus washable oiled-cotton filters, signs the filter needs changing, how to ...
How to Jump Start a Car Safely: Jumper Leads or a Jump Pack, Step by Step
How to jump start a car safely in New Zealand: the connection order for jumper leads, safety checks before you start, using a l...
Owning an EV in NZ: Home Charging Safety, Charging Cables, Road User Charges, 12V Batteries and Tyres
A practical guide to owning an electric vehicle in New Zealand: safe home charging with a portable cable or wall charger, Type ...
Crimp Terminals and Connectors: Choosing the Right Type and Size and Crimping Them Properly
A practical guide to automotive crimp terminals: the red, blue and yellow insulated colour code, ring, spade, blade, bullet and...
How to Tie Down a Load: Ratchet Straps, Cargo Nets and NZ Load Rules for Cars, Utes and Trailers
How to secure a load on a car, ute, roof rack or trailer in New Zealand: NZTA's lashing capacity rule, ratchet straps versus ca...
Winter Driving in NZ: Car Prep Checklist for Ice, Snow, Fog and Flat Batteries
A winter car checklist for New Zealand: testing the battery before the first frost, wipers, washer fluid and de-icing without h...
Premium, Mid-Range or Budget Tyres? How Tyre Brand Tiers Work and How to Compare Them
How tyre brands are commonly grouped into premium, mid-range and budget tiers, why the tier is only a starting point, how to co...
Side Mirror Replacement: Glass, Cover or Whole Mirror – Power, Heated, Folding and Indicator Options
How to decide whether a damaged door mirror needs new glass, a new cover or a complete unit, the difference between manual, ele...
Replacing a Bumper, Grille or Guard: Covers, Reinforcements, Brackets, Sensor Holes, Painting and the WoF
How to replace a damaged bumper, grille or guard: the parts that make up a bumper (cover, reinforcement, absorber, brackets), w...
Car Sun Protection in NZ: Windscreen Sunshades, UV Protectants, Paint Care and Hot-Car Safety
How to protect a car from strong summer sun in New Zealand: choosing and sizing a windscreen sunshade, side window shades, UV p...
Cloudy or Yellow Headlights: Restore the Lens or Replace the Headlight Assembly?
How to decide between restoring and replacing cloudy or yellowed headlights: what restoration kits do and how long the result l...
Tail Lights and Indicators: Bulb, Lens or Whole Assembly, LED vs Bulb, Left or Right and the WoF
How to work out whether a tail light or indicator needs a new globe, a lens or a complete assembly, how to match left or right,...
Check Engine Light and OBD2 Scanners: What the Codes Mean and the New WoF Warning-Light Check
What a steady or flashing check engine light means, how an OBD2 code reader works and what it can't do, how to read P, B, C and...
Towing in NZ: Tow Ratings, Tow Ball Weight, Trailer Brakes, Licence Limits and the 90 km/h Rule
The main NZ rules and NZTA guidance for towing a light trailer: the 90 km/h open-road limit, combined weight limits for learner...
Dash Mats in NZ: Tailored Fit, Pattern Codes, Glare, Sun Protection and Airbag Safety
What a dash mat does and doesn't do, the main materials, how to match a tailored dash mat to your model, series, build dates an...
Boot Liners in NZ: Rubber, Carpet or Deep Dish, Vehicle-Specific Fit and Keeping Your Boot Clean
How to choose a boot liner in New Zealand: heavy-duty rubber, textured rubber, carpet and deep-dish liners compared, tailored v...
Seat Cushions and Back Support for Long Drives: Memory Foam, Air, Ventilated and Lumbar Supports
How to choose a seat cushion or back support for long drives – memory foam, air-cell, ventilated, leg-extension and lumbar type...
Driving Sunglasses in NZ: Polarised or Not, Lens Colours, Lens Categories and Night Driving
How to choose sunglasses for driving in New Zealand: what polarised lenses do and when non-polarised suits better, which lens c...
Steering and Suspension Parts Explained: Shocks, Ball Joints, Tie-Rod Ends, Bushes, CV Joints and Your WoF
What each steering and suspension part does – shock absorbers and struts, ball joints, tie-rod ends and rack ends, steering rac...
Radiator Replacement: Signs of Failure, Auto vs Manual, What to Replace Together and Turbo Rules
How to tell when a radiator needs replacing, all-aluminium versus plastic-tank radiators, why automatic and manual versions dif...
Window Regulators and Door Parts: Symptoms, Manual vs Power, Left or Right and Getting the Right Fit
How to tell whether a stuck or dropped window is the regulator, motor, switch or fuse, the difference between manual, power, ca...
Fog Lights, Driving Lights and LED Light Bars in NZ: Beam Patterns, Lumens, Wiring and the Rules
The difference between fog lamps, driving lamps and LED light bars, how to compare beam patterns and lumen figures, wiring basi...
Car Floor Mats: Rubber, Carpet or TPE, Deep Dish Liners and Fitting Them Safely
How to choose car floor mats: carpet, PVC rubber and TPE compared, deep dish all-weather mats, universal trim-to-fit vs vehicle...
Motorcycle Batteries: Finding the Right Size, AGM vs Lithium, Charging and Winter Storage
How to choose a replacement motorcycle, scooter or ATV battery: matching size, terminal layout, voltage and cold cranking amps,...
How Long Do Tyres Last in NZ? Tread Depth, Tyre Age, Date Codes and Wear Patterns
How to tell when a tyre is worn out: the 1.5 mm legal tread depth, tread-wear indicators, reading the four-digit date code, tyr...
WoF Checklist NZ: What a Warrant of Fitness Checks and What You Can Check Yourself
What a New Zealand Warrant of Fitness inspection covers, a pre-WoF checklist you can work through at home (lights, tyres, wiper...
Seat Covers and Side Airbags: What "Airbag Compatible" Means and How to Check Your Seats
Why seat covers on seats with side airbags must be airbag compatible, how to find out whether your seats have airbags, what NZT...
How to Choose Tyres in NZ: Tyre Types, XL, Run-Flat and OE Marks, the EU Label and Legal Tread Depth
A plain-English guide to choosing tyres in New Zealand: matching size, load index and speed rating, choosing between touring, p...
Aftermarket Body Parts and Lights in NZ: Left or Right Hand, Chassis Codes, Painting and WoF
How to order the right aftermarket bumper, guard, headlight, tail light or mirror for your car in New Zealand: left-hand vs rig...
Deep Cycle Batteries for Caravans, Campervans and Boats: Flooded, AGM or Lithium?
Starting vs deep cycle vs dual-purpose batteries, flooded vs AGM vs lithium (LiFePO4) for caravans, campervans, boats and off-g...
How to Choose a Car Battery in NZ: Size Codes, Terminal Layout, CCA and EFB vs AGM
How to read the size code on your current battery (JIS codes such as NS60 and 55D23L, DIN codes such as DIN55 and DIN75), why t...
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y Accessories in NZ: What Fits Your Car and How to Fit It
How to tell which Tesla Model 3 or Model Y you have (original, Highland or Juniper), which aftermarket mats, organisers, guards...
How to Read Your Tyre Size: Width, Profile, Rim, Load Index and Speed Rating
A plain-English guide to the numbers on a tyre sidewall – width, profile, construction, rim size, load index and speed rating –...
How to Organise Your Car Boot: Organisers, Storage Boxes and Cargo Tips
A practical guide to a tidy boot: measuring your boot, choosing between open organisers, lidded boxes and divided organisers, w...
Engine Codes for NZ's Most Common Cars: Find Yours and Choose the Right Service Parts
Spark plugs, drive belts and many filters are chosen by engine, not just model and year. How to find your engine code, and the ...
Car Fuses Explained: Blade Fuse Colours and How to Replace a Blown Fuse
What blade fuse colours and amp ratings mean, the difference between standard, mini, micro and maxi fuses, how to find and test...
How to Remove Car Interior Trim Panels Without Breaking Clips
How to take off door cards, pillar trims and dash bezels without scratches or broken clips: choosing nylon or steel trim tools,...
How to Hardwire a Dash Cam: Fuse Taps, Earth Points and Parking Mode
A step-by-step guide to hardwiring a dash cam: finding constant and switched fuses with a circuit tester, fitting fuse taps, ch...
NZ Road Trip Checklist: Car Checks, Emergency Kit, Maps and Comfort
A practical checklist for New Zealand road trips: car checks before you leave, what to pack in an emergency kit, navigating whe...