When you hear the engaged tone press 5 then put the phone down

When you hear the engaged tone, press 5, then put the phone down. It tries for 45 minutes and costs about 10p.Find a small repair agent instead of a national network. A local authorised service engineer may have a call-out fee of pounds 30; the bigger companies can cost pounds 60.Avoid repairs by buying fewer machines, and those less likely to break. (Which? magazine says washer-dryers are prone to prang.)Don’t take frustrations out on the repair man.

Worm out secret short cuts, such as the private service numbers. There will always be a corner of my heart for the woman who locked a service engineer into her kitchen rather than let him go away to get yet another spare part. Or you could marry a plumber.*The Consumers’ Association can send new subscribers back numbers of `Which?’ covering extended warranties (April 1995), machine insurance (September 1996) and most reliable brands (March 1995). Freephone 0800 252100 for information, including an offer of three free issues.Good thing`All the tricks of the trade and no call-out charges’ promises the reader’s Digest Complete DIY Manual. You can change a plug or instal central heating by enquiring within.

pounds 16.95 from bookshops or mail order on 0800 434 434.Mad thingWhile you’re waiting for your central heating to be fixed, wear Giali self-heating washable clothing. Waistcoat or gloves cost pounds 89.95, socks are 49.95 plus rechargeable sealed safe battery at pounds 16.95 or pop in your pocket. Call 01179 690690.Sure thingAA Home Assistance’s Annual Cover. pounds 39 annual fee buys everyone a 24- hour, 365-day emergency service which sends a pre-vetted plumber, electrician or builder within two hours. You pay no call-out or time charge for ninety minutes, and parts are charged at pre-approved rates. Follow up work is available after the emergency.0800 383838..

“Burn some rubber this weekend. See a different world.” The ad’s catchline, set against a volcanic backdrop, is for Vauxhall’s Frontera. In the land of make-believe that off-roaders inhabit, it might have been for a Discovery, Jeep, Sportrak, Maverick, Shogun or Land Cruiser – names evocative of derring-do in the great outdoors

Vauxhall stokes the myth “Volcanic ash is a treacherous surface Beware.” Useful information on the Tesco run. “In extreme cases, it can block escape routes entirely.” So can rush-hour traffic in the urban jungle where most eruption-defying 4×4s do their stuff – with four-wheel drive disengaged if possible.
Logic has little to do with the runaway success of go-anywhere 4×4s in Britain Around 13,000 were bought here in 1986 Last year’s tally was around 80,000. Although the boom seems to have peaked, 4×4s look set to retain an impressive 4 per cent of the new-car market, thanks largely to people who buy them for emotional reasons, not practical ones Just as well.