Your rego renewal says you need a safety check. Here's what that actually involves, what tends to cause a fail, and how to avoid paying for a second inspection.

Bought a new car recently? There's a good chance someone at the dealership made it sound like the logbook services have to be done there, or the warranty is gone. For a lot of Wauchope drivers that means a drive into Port Macquarie and a morning spent waiting around.

It's seven in the morning, you turn the key and get a click. Or nothing at all. Most people's first thought is the battery, and often they're right. But a flat battery and a failing alternator can look almost identical from the driver's seat, and swapping the battery when the real problem is the charging system means you'll be stuck again within days.