As part of your benefits package, you may be offered free fuel for your company car. Although this may seem too good of an offer to turn down, it's worth remembering that nothing comes for free, and this 'free' petrol will be classed as a taxable benefit.

There are a number of quick and simple jobs you can do to keep your car regularly maintained; most of the checks and services can be done at little or no cost, and will save you time, money and inconvenience in the future. Here's a rundown of what you need to do and when to do it.

If, during your weekly tyre inspections, you find that your tyres have become worn or damaged, then you will need to change them. When buying new tyres, always remember that it is illegal to mix tyres of a different construction (cross-ply, bias belted or radial) on the same axle; it is recommended that only one type of construction is used for the entire car.

The majority of modern car batteries need very little maintenance, and most should be expected to last 5 years before they need replacing. Some makes however can be topped up as needed with distilled water to maintain performance and extend their life.

It is important to keep your oil at the right level to help protect and extend the life of movable engine parts. If your engine doesn't have enough oil, it could be seriously damaged, sometimes beyond repair.

Your car's air filter is very important since it keeps many parts of your car system clean and free of dirt. It is a good idea to check the filter regularly, as if becomes dirty and blocked, it will enable particulate matter to enter engine's combustion chambers.

Nothing is more important than your car's ability to stop itself quickly and safely. It is therefore essential to check your brake system at least once a month, and to ensure that any problems are fixed immediately at an authorised service centre.

Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and water that is pumped around the engine to keep it cool. The coolant itself is cooled as it passes through the radiator. Antifreeze is mainly added to prevent the water from freezing in the winter, but it also acts as an anti- corrosive to protect the radiator from rust.

If you have an automatic car, you should check the transmission fluid levels once a month. This is done quite easily using a dipstick. However, if you have a manual transmission, then the levels can only be checked by crawling under the car and removing a fill plug; most people simply ask the garage to check the levels when the car is serviced.

One of the most important maintenance jobs you can carry out is making sure that your tyres are in good condition and up to the job. You should check your tyres once a week to make sure they are in good condition, and have them rotated every 6,000 miles.

Washing your car regularly can help protect the paintwork from damage and can give you the opportunity to spot potential problems such as chips in the glass or paintwork before they have chance to develop any further. Likewise, if you pay attention to the interior of the car, you may be able to fix small problems - such as a loose panel - before they become more serious and need the attention of a professional.

1 in 5 of all accidents on the road are caused by poor visibility. It is therefore essential to ensure that your windscreen and rear screen wiper blades are in good condition and are working properly; if they cannot clear the screen properly so that you can see the road clearly, then you are creating a danger to yourself and other road users.

A scheme that enables customers to run a car with relatively low monthly payments. At the start of the plane, the vehicle's Minimum Guaranteed Future Value (MGFV) is calculated - how much the car will be worth at the end of the period. The loan is then based on the difference between the car's current price and the MGFV.

The maximum recommended engine speed (measured in revolutions per minute ) at which an engine is designed to operate without causing damage to the components or other parts of the engine. The redline is determined by the manufacturer through stress-testing, and can vary from a few thousand revolutions per minute (in large engines) to nearly ten thousand rpm in smaller, usually high-performance engines such as sports cars with rotary engines.

Tiptronic is a trademarked automatic gearbox with manual override owned by Porsche, who licenses it for use by others such as Audi, Nissan and Volkswagen. The Tiptronic system enables the driver to select a wholly automatic mode, or to choose to override the automatic mode.

All tyres carry a symbol in the form of a letter indicating the maximum speed for which the tyre is intended. The following article will show you how to understand your potential tyre speed better.

An American tyre information system, sometimes found on tyres sold in the UK, consisting of a number and set of letters, For example 220AB. The number specifies the treadwear rating, which offers an indication of the expected usable life of a tyre compared to a standard tyre with a rating of 100.