Photo by Colin Munch @seemunchphotos

Celebrating British New Year at Calgary’s beloved Ship & Anchor Pub, which was absolutely packed by 11am on NYE. 

Stay in the loop. Win at trivia. Wow at parties.

Written by Nathan Iles

Written by Catrina Bowles   
Illustrations by Amber Solberg

If your car maintenance skills don’t extend further than plugging it in when it’s cold outside, you aren’t alone. But you don’t have to run to the mechanic every time you hear a funny noise under the hood. There are a few tasks that even the mechanically challenged can manage before that dreaded “check engine” light turns on.

Regular Maintenance Matters

“Keeping up with regular maintenance is massively important,” says Jackson Pow, a mechanic working at Cochrane Dodge. “Simple things like oil changes, and whatever your manufacturer recommends.”

Your vehicle's owner’s manual outlines the required maintenance and the recommended service intervals. Many modern cars put a message on the instrument panel that tells you when it’s time for a regular check-up.

“Sometimes they can be a little over the top, but if you follow that, it’s going to make your car last a lot longer,” says Pow.

If your car is newer, you may need to visit your mechanic more often. Many modern vehicles use gasoline direct injection, which improves fuel efficiency but can cause carbon buildup in the injectors.

“That’s something most people don’t know about,” says Pow. “If the injector builds up too much carbon, it can break the injector — and those direct injectors are not cheap at all. It’s way easier to do the emissions services every 50 to 100,000 kilometres.”

Don’t forget to monitor tire pressure! Most manufacturers recommend checking monthly. It’s a lot cheaper for the mechanic to repair a leaky tire than a blown one. 

Start Simple…

Waiting for your next oil change is a great opportunity to get comfortable with basic maintenance. Start by cleaning your interior — those crumbs add up! — then move on to simple mechanical tasks.

“Two things that are super important to keep up with are your engine and cabin air filter,” says Pow. 

Your engine air filter cleans the air before it enters the engine, while the cabin air filter cleans the air you breathe. Both are easy to check and replace.

“Pull the [engine] air filter out and point it at the sun. If you can’t see right through it, that means it’s time to change it,” says Pow.

In most modern vehicles, the cabin air filter is located behind the glove compartment and can be changed without tools.

“The cabin air filter… [is] probably the most neglected thing by customers,” says Pow. “That’s the air you breathe! You don’t want that to be gross.”

If your windshield wipers are leaving streaks, it’s time to chuck ‘em. 

“Changing wiper blades, for the most part, can be done by anybody,” says Pow. 

If a head or taillight has gone out, replacing the bulbs yourself is doable.

“It’ll depend, vehicle-to-vehicle,” says Pow. “But generally that’s something that a customer can do on their own with basic tools that they’ll have lying around the house.”

The options for bulbs are overwhelming, so don’t be afraid to ask the garage staff for help. Advice is (usually) free! 

…But Know Your Limits

Not every task is DIY-friendly.

“One of the more common things we’ll see is a customer goes to do their own oil change, and they pull the drain plug out of the transmission instead of the engine,” says Pow. “Then the car has to get towed in to get fluid back in.”

Online tutorials are helpful, but be sure to play it safe. A botched fix costs more than a job done right. Leave anything you’re unsure about to the experts!

Chunking in the New Year

Written by Nathan Iles

It’s a New Year, and you know what that means: new resolutions. But the desire to change your life overnight can be overwhelming. 

That’s why neuroscientists recommend applying a method to hitting your goals this year. It’s called “chunking”: break down your resolutions into manageable (and measurable) “chunks,” and check in with yourself every few months to make sure you’re on track.  

Here’s a few ideas to get you rolling:

• “I will know how to ask where the bathroom is in Spanish by mid-March.”
• “I’ll figure out the three most important chords on the guitar (E, A, and G) by the end of April.”
• “I will cook at least 10 different recipes by February 22.”
• “I will have saved up at least $500 in a TFSA by May.”

Ambition drives us, but it can also hold us back. Take a breath, celebrate the small wins, and focus on progress over perfection. If you do all that, 2026 is gonna be a good year.

Now get “chunking”!

Luka watches for stray pucks to chomp at the outdoor rink in Elbow Park on New Year’s Day.

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