Vehicle Servicing
The MOT test is specified by the government and is all about safety; both for you the driver and other road users. Servicing a car is about keeping your car reliable, safe and functioning well. Ask about our fixed price servicing.
Our standard full annual service includes:
Changing the oil and filter, checking and replacing air filter, other filters/additional work are advised depending on the mileage of the car and the condition as seen at the time of service and manufacturers guidelines. Checking and topping up all fluids, testing the battery, lights and tyre pressures. Removing the wheels checking/cleaning and reassembling brakes. On most vehicles the inner brake pad cannot be seen and assessed without taking the wheel off.
Checking car over for any issues both on and off the ramp, providing a 34 point report on the car. Anything else will be reported to you before doing additional work. So there are no financial surprises.
The interim or basic service
is ideal for the moderate mileage car and many of our customers perform this between the main service. As well as changing the oil and oil filter, the interim service includes checking and topping up all fluids, checking lights and tyre pressures. Checking the car over for any issues both on and off the ramp, providing a multi-point report on the car. Anything else will be reported to you before doing additional work. So there are no financial surprises.
As a bare minimum all manufacturers recommend changing the oil and oil filter once a year regardless of mileage. We can offer a simple road worthiness check-over checking all the tyre pressures, fluid levels, lights, wipers and in winter checking the battery and anti-freeze.
Did you know?
Vehicles that only do short journeys or infrequently driven rarely get the engine to working temperature and build up a lot of water in the oil, making it less effective.
For all other work on your car we are happy to quote where possible.
The cost of parts and the labour time varies tremendously from one model to another, so just provide us with the vehicle registration for a no obligation estimate. We use industry approved software to look up the labour times on jobs. Don't forget to mention if your vehicle is manual/automatic, if it has an electronic parking brake or air-conditioning. We can do most jobs including brakes, cam belts, clutches, exhausts, in fact it is easier to suggest you ask us what we cannot do.
** For all services don't forget the service book and locking wheel bolt tool / socket **
Maintain your manufacturer's warranty with us
Vehicles outside warranty or for customers working to a budget we will often shop around to find the part that will do the job at a sensible cost. All parts come with a minimum of one year's manufacturer's guarantee. Our experience tells us when a better quality of part is required to complete a job satisfactorily.
Collection & Delivery Service
Free local collection & delivery service is available either with you to hand the keys over - or if it's more convenient, drop the keys off to us in advance and we can manage the collection and delivery of the vehicle.
Can't be without the car? Then consider booking a free courtesy car.
Did you know?
You don't have to go to or buy your parts from the main dealer to maintain manufacturer's warranty. The parts they sell are identical to the ones we can buy but often badged or boxed with their logo. Simply put - main dealers don't manufacture parts themselves.
Quality of parts
As we want you to be satisfied with every job done and to return to us in the future we choose the parts suited to the task. For new cars still under manufacturer's warranty we would recommend using original equipment OE specification parts. To maintain a Main Dealer warranty you must use the correct parts and lubricants and ensure the service meets manufacturer's specification but it does not have to be carried out by the main dealer themselves.
Cam Belt
Also known as the Timing Belt or Chain, regulating the timing that all parts turn within an engine to ensure the combustion is synchronised. Some vehicles have chains and some have rubber belts which should be changed based on the manufacturer's specification either on mileage or age depending which comes first. In some cars the cam belt runs the waterpump and it can be advisable to change this at the same time. To advise you properly we generally need to know your engine code - the first 3 letters of your engine number on your log book. Often we can get the information directly from the registration plate. Please call us to advise.
Did you know?
Should your cambelt or timing chain fail whilst driving it causes catastrophic internal engine damage.
Wet Belts
Wet belts have been used for a number of years in new Peugeot, Citroen and Stellantis (PSA) engines and these same engines fitted into other manufacturers such as Vauxhall. Wet belts are rubber drive/timing belts submerged with the engine oil. These are becoming increasingly problematic as they degrade, with symptoms ranging from oil warning light to complete engine failure. We specialise in replacing these belts and all related components before they become a problem.
Servicing Electric & Hybrid vehicles
We can carry out the standard manufacturer service on electric and hybrid vehicles. Although simpler than vehicles running on fossil fuels, there are still a number of items to be checked/ replaced/ topped up/ adjusted. Hybrid and Electric cars have a secondary battery for the 12V system, and we regularly replace them for customers. We can also service/ top up/ re-gas the air conditioning system on electric cars. The air con system in these vehicles is responsible for managing the critical temperature of the main battery.
Specialist Services
On very rare occasions there are very specialist jobs which require particular diagnostic equipment or tools. On these occasions we will happily help to liaise with the relevant specialist selected from our valued partner directory to ensure the job is completed satisfactorily.
Service Checklist
Detailed checklist for servicing a car
Checking all parts of the car involved in driving with the aim of making the car run reliably, safely and efficiently. Below are some of the main checks made:-
Full Service
The Full Service would involve, in addition to a short test drive, the following
Oil & Filters
Changing oil, oil & air intake filters.
Fluid Levels
Checking all other fluid levels & topping up as required
Lights
Check all lights functioning
Cooling System
Checking the frost protection of the engine coolant & adjusting as necessary
Brake Fluid %
Checking the brake fluid % water content.
Battery Health
Checking the output/health of the alternator, starter & battery & providing a printout.
Brakes
Checking the condition & operation of all braking components (with road wheels removed)
Tyre Pressures
Set all tyre pressures inc spare & reset tyre monitoring system (where present)
Lubricating
All clevis striker & pivot points around & under the body.
Checking for under body leaks
especially transmission & components.
Clear out front water scuttles
& check rainwater drains are clear (to prevent water ingress into car)
Checking the auxiliary drive belt tension/condition
& operation of driven components.
Checking the camshaft drive belt condition
(if fitted and accessible)
Connecting diagnostic software
& interrogating the ECU fault logs.
Carry out a short road test
to access engine operation/braking judder/clutch performance/suspension noise
Reset service indicator
(if present)
Stamp service booklet
Interim Service
The interim service mainly differs from the full service in that the air filter is not changed and the wheels are not removed so brakes can only be checked visually from outside the wheels. The inner brake pad is not visible without removing wheels.
Optional Upgrades
Optional upgrades for items that are not due annually are:
- Brake fluid change - advised every 2 years but necessary when water content gets high
- Cabin/pollen filter - due @4 years or when de-misting becomes poor.
- Spark plugs - due every 4 years/48000 miles (subject to manufacturer)
