You could write off your car by not making simple check before you even turn it on – it will cost thousands to repair

DRIVERS have been warned that they could write off their cars and cost themselves thousands by skipping a simple check before turning it on.

Mobile mechanic Lara, who runs Marvellous Cars, took to YouTube to urge Brits to carry out some easy DIY maintenance or risk hefty repair bills.

In his video, Lara, from Watford, Hertfordshire, revealed how a simple oversight could leave you stranded on the road.

Using a customer's Fiat 500 to demonstrate, he explained that he was only called out for a battery replacement but discovered a serious misfire and dead throttle.

As Lara and his team investigated, it became clear that the issue was much deeper.

He explained: "We have found something else.

"There's all that melted plastic.

"She overheated and she just kept on running the car until it stalled.

"Now it's misfiring.

"Smoke is coming from the head gasket... That is no good."

CAR ENGINE COOLANT

Lara explained that the overheating was likely caused by a lack of coolant in the engine.

He emphasised how important it is to check all your fluid levels regularly.

You should be making sure your fluids (engine oil, brake fluid, coolant etc) are topped up at least twice a month (ideally once a week if needed) and that you have them changed at the intervals recommended in your owner's manual.

If you do spot that you are low on a particular fluid, simply top it up or take it to a local garage for a small fee.

However, if the fluid keeps draining rapidly, this could be a sign of a leak which will need urgent repairs.

Sadly for Lara's customer, the damage had already been done.

He revealed that the car had to be written off as it required a full engine replacement at the cost of thousands of pounds.

He added: "This will either be a complete engine rebuild or a second-hand engine.

"It's always important to check your car's fluid levels before even turning it on to prevent this from happening."

It comes after drivers were urged to "take five minutes" to check a vital DVLA detail on their car or face a £1,000 fine.