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A classic car enthusiast's untouched paradise - 140 vintage and classic vehicles belonging to the former Shah of Iran - sits undisturbed in a warehouse outside Teheran.
Little work has been done to restore them to their former glory because the foundation in charge of their upkeep is struggling to raise money.
Among the star pieces, blanketed by a thick layer of dust, is a bulletproof 1953 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV which was used by the Shah to parade the newborn Crown Prince Reza Shah from hospital to his palace.
A Mercedes 500K coupe, the only one left in the world out of six made, is rumoured to have transported Hitler to review his troops shortly before the Second World War. "A private collector offered us $3 million [�1.7 million] for the 500K last month," said Mr Jaffari. But the Foundation of the Deprived and Martyrs, which confiscated the cars after the 1979 Islamic revolution, will not sell any of the irreplaceable vehicles. They believe that as they were bought by the car-obsessed monarch with the public's oil money, they should be displayed to the public and not allowed out of the country.
The Imperial Pahlavi family ruled Iran for most of the 20th century before being overthrown amid intense public distaste for their profligacy. Older people talk of nights when the Shah raced against his twin sister with their Lamborghinis and Ferraris into the early hours on newly built Tehran highways.
A 1974 Lamborghini Countach displayed in the public museum section of the warehouse was given to the Crown Prince by his aunt for passing his driving test. "We rely heavily on museum ticket sales for our restoration budget, and we have started to loan the cars as advertisement tools to production companies," said Mr Jaffari.
(Above: Mercedes-Benz 500K inside the museum)
After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Shah of Iran fled the country and leaving behind most of his possessions. He was famous for his love of sports cars, and he was known for taking out one of his many cars late at night and racing through the highways of Tehran. After he fled the country, many of his cars were put into hiding: either stored in garages, hidden underground, or even pushed into water. Following the revolution, these cars have been recovered, restored, and put into the museum. On rare occasions, these cars are actually driven.
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| Low coolant level will cause engine overheating, which may cause serious damage to the engine.
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 | Check the tire pressure regularly - at least once a month. If you don't have tire pressure gauge it's really worth to buy it. You can find recommended tire pressure in the owner's manual or on the tire pressure placard. The maximum pressure listed on tires is NOT the proper pressure! Refer to the owner's manual |
 CV joint boot is OK | Most of modern vehicles are Front-Wheel-Drive, and they all have CV-joints (Constant Velocity joint) used to transfer the engine torque to the front wheels. The CV-joint is greased inside and sealed by a rubber boot that unfortunately, tend to break sometimes. If the CV-joint boot breaks, the grease comes out, the dirt and water comes in and the whole axle unit may become inoperative in a short period of time. CV-joint located on the internal side of each of the front wheels. You can check CV-joint boots visually looking inside the front wheel arch from the front of the car with the wheel turned outside. The boot should be dry. If it's broken you will see a grease splashed all over the area. If the boot is broken, it needs to be replaced. If not replaced in time, whole axle shaft will need to be replaced which will cost you few hundred bucks more than just replacing the boot. |
 Broken CV joint boot |
As soon as you feel there is something wrong with your car like any kind of irregular noise, vibration, shimmer, or you note some leak or any warning light comes on while driving or anything that seems to be irregular - have your car inspected at a dealer or a garage as soon as you can - it might be unsafe to drive. It's definitely better to check any small problem before it will cause something serious. |
For your safety, I recommend to have your car inspected regularly, at least once a year, by a mechanic. I mean not just visual inspection by one of the fast lube places, but a mechanic that can lift your car and check major components such as brakes, suspension, etc., while having your tires rotated, for example. This is because many components (e.g ball joints), can not be inspected visually.
Basic car maintenance is something every car owner should know. Being able to check the engine oil, the pressure of the tyres and the overall condition of the brakes can save you money, and you won't need to rely on the skills of a mechanic to do everything. All you will need is some basic tools to do the job and of course some time!
The two emissions tested in the MOT are carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC). If your car fails on either of these tests you will need to get the problem solved by an authorised service centre.
Check that there is no sign of brake fluid in the footwell, whether on the pedal, floor or carpets. This indicates a leakage.
Pump the brake until the pressure builds up and the pedal becomes rigid. Hold your foot on the pedal, feeling for any loss in pressure. If the pedal starts to give way, there is a leak in the system.
Brakes are crucially important for safety, of course, but complicated to fix. If there's a problem, avoid using your car until an authorised service centre can perform repairs and adjustments. Ask the service centre to check the overall condition of the braking system.
Place your car at the level spot. Stop the engine. Wait for a while to let the engine oil to pour down to the oil pan. Pull the engine oil dipstick. If you don't know where is the engine oil dipstick, check your 
Wipe it off with a clean rag or tissue. Then insert it back all the way down into its place. 
Now, pull the dipstick again and check the oil level. Normally it should be at "FULL" mark. For example, here you can see that it's a bit lower. It's not a big problem yet, but it's better to top it up. Check the oil condition: If it's way too black, it's definitely time to change it. If it's slightly-brown, it's O.K. If it's dark-brown, but still transparent, it's admissible but it's better to change it soon.
How to top up the engine oil:
Place your car at a level surface and engage the parking brake. Start the engine. Set transmission shifter in "P" (Park) position, and let the engine idle (on some cars this procedure may be different, check the owners' manual for details). Pull the transmission dipstick. Check your owners manual to find where transmission dipstick is located in your car. 
Wipe it off with a clean lint free rag. Then insert it back carefully all the way down into its place. 
Pull again and check the fluid level. If the engine is cold, it should be within "COLD" marks. If the car was driven and is fully warmed up, the level should be at the upper end of the "HOT" mark. If it's just a little bit lower I wouldn't worry about it. Otherwise I'd top it up. Check the fluid condition also: If it's too black and dirty with burnt smell - your transmission is not going to last. Normally it should be clean and transparent, as in the image. The new fluid comes red. Over the time it becomes brownish. If it is brown, check your owner's manual, may be it's time to change it. Some manufacturers require to change the transmission fluid at 30,000 or 50,000 miles others specify that you never have to change it - check what's your car owner's manual says.
How to top up the transmission fluid:
How to check the engine coolant level:
When engine temperature is reduced (few minutes after the engine has been turned off) , simply add a coolant into the overflow tank to "FULL" mark. 
