Hi I would like to introduce myself. Working in the Garage and tyre and all Car Servicing business now for 40 years. So. worked for a couple of national tyre companies before starting my first business. Of course, I now own a company here in the UK called Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre. Blogging about anything to do with Car Servicing and their related products. Naturally, that will help my business. We are members of Point-S and MotorCodes and are also a Unipart Car Care Centre.
So, I must admit that I am a great fan of the Vito van. A few years ago, I owned a beautiful red Mercedes mini-bus. Fortunately, the vehicle was very reliable. Requiring very little maintenance apart from the normal servicing and the usual tyres and other renewable. As most of my readers now know, my wife and I had eight children. So we needed a large vehicle to transport the family.
We also did a lot of travelling!
Especially to France, where we spent most of our summer holidays. Unfortunately, the only downside came when we tried to sell the Vito. Positively, it was in great condition. Being a garage owner, we had the van service at very regular intervals. Brakes were a prime consideration. Because the safety factor when travelling long distances.
So, we advertised the van in all the usual places. Including online web sites. Finally we received an offer from a taxi guy from Chester. The price he offered was below the price that we were asking but we reluctantly let the Vito go.
Same colour Vito in for Brakes
Last week when visiting the garage in Halifax . So, I noticed a red Vito on one of the ramps having some work done. Significantly, the rear wheel were removed and the brake calipers were hanging down. Dale one of my mechanics was working on the van at the time. Asking what was wrong , Dale explained that the van had braking problems and indeed required a full brake rebuild on the rear brakes.
However, when removing the rear wheels
, Dale discovered a horrific problem ! The rear shock-absorber had completely broken off and was just hanging there! This can be clearly seen in the above image. Unfortunately, the break was from part of the chassis. Serious rotting had taken place in the shocker mounting area. Welding was not an option ! So, to correct this problem, a complete new chassis box section would have to be engineered. Consequently, this is beyond our remit and would have to be done by a specialist body repair shop.
After contacting the customer, we were instructed to carry on with the Mercedes Vito Brakes. As a footnote, the customer said that he had never heard any banging or strange noises at all. I find this hard to believe with a shocker hanging down.
Your car service can be carried out when the car is under the manufacturerwarranty
So, as a garage owner of long standing ! This is a question that I am always asked. Albeit too late to benefit my garage. Of course, when customers come to us for say a tyre fitting. Naturally, then they sometimes ask us what the price of a service would be for their car. Some customers then say that we can’t do the car servicing ! Because the car is under the manufacturer’s warranty. Subsequently, they must take their cars to the main dealer (franchise garage).
This ruling was brought out in the European Union (EU) in 2010
As an update to previous legislation. Consequently, this is similar to the American version of “Right to repair act”. It was brought up to date to prevent car manufacturers from adopting protectionism. Including diverting the cars that they made to their franchise dealers. Thus not allowing any work to be passed onto the independent garage sector. While the vehicle was still under warranty. This also would have included Prestige Car Servicing. Giving the main dealer garages the monopoly for all the work. Whilst the car was still in the warranty period.
This was not acceptable to the EU. Car Servicing under Warranty
So, as car repair bills were then accounting for 40% of running and owning a family car,. Unfortunately, the costs were going to rise in future years. In my opinion, this legislation was not very well publicised. Because the general public do not know much about the fact that you can take your vehicle to a reputable independent garage,. Finally, even if the car is still under the manufacturer’s warranty scheme,.
Car owners are still told that they must return their cars
to the franchise dealers for servicing. Including out-of-warranty repair work. Including such things as brake pad replacements and other wear and tear items. Tragically, or else if they don’t, it will affect their car’s warranty. This is simply NOT TRUE?
A couple of my customers have told me recently that this is what the salesman told them when they bought their new vehicle. One was a guy with a BMW, who told him that the car
had to be serviced by the BMW garage to keep the cars warranty. Another woman customer had bought an Audi TT from the local Audi franchise and they told her the same. I am not sure if it is a lack of knowledge by the car salesman, but I suspect that they must be trained to say these things.
The EU legislation states that all car makers. Car Servicing under Warranty
So, they have to offer the least: a two-year unlimited mileage warranty on all their cars. This starts from the day the car is first registered. These car sales people should know the law and I am sure the same thing is applicable in the USA, as I stated under their “right to repair laws”. The two-year minimum warranty ruling also applies if the car changes ownership within the warranty period.
The 2010 EU ruling, along with previous legislation,
has been around for quite a while now and all franchise garages know that you cannot force a new car buyer to return the car for all its car servicing or brake work. Enabling the car to retain its warranty. The only stipulation is that the independent garage that is carrying out the service should carry out the work according to the cars manufacturing service manual and also use service parts of the same quality as the original equipment fitted the vehicle.
One that may be recommended by your family or friends.
If possible, look out for a garage that is one of the “good garage schemes.”. My garage is a member of one of these schemes and you may think that I am blowing my own trumpet.
But in my opinion ! Standards are high and customer care is a priority at most of these regulated garages. I must stress, though, that if a part is found to be faulty,. Then the franchise dealer has the right to repair the van under the terms of the car warranty. In my opinion, this is entirely fair and reasonable. Because it will be the manufacturer who will be paying for the faulty parts being repaired. Consequently, they need to have proper procedures in place and a correct paper chase
Third-party sold warranties are not the subject of this post. Including extended warranties offered by the garage that have sold the car. So, my advice is to be careful with that situation. You might need to have your car serviced at the dealership where you purchased the van in order to take advantage of some of these additional warranties that are not subject to the rules governing manufacturer’s warranties.
We recently had this type of problem with a car that had a worn-out clutch. Car Servicing under Warranty
The lady customer brought the car to us for a new clutch fitting. Unfortunately, she did not tell us that the car was still under warranty. She genuinely thought that she did not have to pay for the clutch fitting. Unknowingly, and that we could claim the money back from the car manufacturers. After a long argument and many phone calls to the main dealer, she finally paid us for her clutch fitting and went away a very confused and disgruntled lady, never to be seen again.
This was a perfect case of the car owners not knowing about their warranty procedures.
“Under EU law, you may invoke your guarantee at any dealer in the manufacturer’s network, regardless of the EU country in which you bought the car. So if you buy your car in Germany and take it back with you to France,. So, you go to a car dealership for that make of car close to your home to ask for a manufacturing fault to be remedied (within the guarantee period), rather than travelling back to Ermany.” http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/cars/faq/index_en.htm
We are fortunate to have a few of our customers who own a Jaguar XF.
So, like most older guys, I have always been a keen fan of Jaguar cars. Going back to when I was a young man working in a garage as an apprentice mechanic,. We were fortunate enough to have some wealthy customers. Importantly, who could afford to buy new Jaguars from time to time.
One of them was one of the directors of the Fox’s biscuits empire. Hence, who was one of the Fox families. Luckily, he always had four or five new cars on the go at once. Consequently,who always kept us busy with the servicing and repairs.
Jaguars have always appeared to have brake or tyre problems. So, throughout their history,. I can remember when, in the late 1960s, the new XJ4 came onto the market. This car sported wonderful flared arches. Including new 6×15-inch wheels that were fitted out with a new tyre from Dunlop Tyres. Subsequently, the tyre size was ER70VR15.
These tyres were especially designed for Jaguars by Dunlop. Jaguar XF Brake Problems
Dunlop was developing tyres with Jaguar engineers. Who at that time was a major force in the UK tyre market? Importantly, this car also came out with disc brakes all around.
I always remember the problems that the XJ4’s were having with vibrations. Annoyingly, coming through brakes and the steering wheels. Firstly, it turned out that one of the problems was engine vibrations. So, Jaguar engineers tried out many things. Of course to try and correct the problems.
I then worked for National Tyre Service, which Dunlop owned entirely. It was our task to try to balance the wheels to our best ability. But in those days, we did not have the sophisticated electronic equipment that we use in today’s cars. In fact, we had to take the cars to the Dunlop garage in Leeds. Strangely, at the time, this was done in secrecy. Because of the huge problem that Jaguar was having with these vibration problems.
I was once able to stop and watch the engineers go to work balancing the wheels. Jaguar XF Brake Problems
The balancing was carried out on a special machine that I had never seen before. It must have been brought to Leeds from the Dunlop factory. The most amazing thing was that the Dunlop technician actually skimmed some of the tread off the tyres. Trying to make them
rounder. I certainly know that all this was hush-hush. Incredibly, so not to affect the reputation of Jaguar and also Dunlop. I believe that Jaguar had to do all sorts of things to correct the vibrations problem ! An excellent article about the early Jags can be found on…Aronline .
Back To the future with the Jaguar XF. Jaguar XF Brake Problems
As I have said before,! We have three or four customers that come to us for servicing. Including other jobs done on their Jaguar XF. We have had a couple of these with complaints about brake vibrations and a droning noise. One of our customers came in with brake problems similar to the others.
This one was a bit different in that the problem did not occur when he was doing high speed ,the car was smooth, but when he started to slow down to about 60 mph and then 40 mph the vibration and droning noise would start to happen.
The problem is, like so many of these things, that when we road test the cars the problem never shows itself up, the car plays mind games with the owners. This particular car was taken back to the main dealers, but we now know that the braking and droning noise is now a recognised fault, the cause is thought to be the disc brakes or hub run out.
Another Jaguar XF that we were servicing was found to need discs and pads all round.
We contacted the customer, who kindly gave us the go-ahead to do the job. He gave us his consent, and we carried out the brake work. About three months later, the car had developed a slight brake vibration, and he left the car with us for examination. This all reminded me of our problems with the XJ6 and Jags in the 1960s.
We road tested the car, and sure enough, the brake pedal did vibrate slightly. We could find nothing wrong, and true to our warranty policy we suspected that the discs could be faulty and ordered a new set of discs.
Our supplier agreed to change the discs and accordingly sent us a new set. The New Jaguar XF discs fit onto the hub and we noticed that a slight amount of rust had formed on the outer part of the hub; this can be seen on the pictures that we took.
We think that we cured a previous Jaguar XF by removing any rust and thoroughly cleaning the hubs
Of course, before refitting the brake discs. When we did this on this particular Jag, it appeared to solve the problem. So, we cleaned off any rust that had formed on the hub. Thus, we re-seated the discs and re-fitted the aguar XF Brake Problems. Ryan Road tested the car, and all was well. The car had no brake vibrations, and so far, it appears to be working fine.
We now think that this could be a problem if you are lucky enough to own one of these fine cars. Please make sure that the hubs where the discs fit are totally cleaned and look like new, because any rust build up will cause the disc to run out of line, only a fraction, but we feel it would be enough to cause a brake vibration on the Jaguar XF when the pedal is applied.
Daily Nation Neglect car servicing at your own peril Daily Nation If you simply asked a garage for major car servicing and handed the car over with a flat spare, one rear wheel five psi below pressure, feathering wear on one front tyre tread, a screw…
EricRoberts‘s insight:
Neglect car servicing advice from Africa
I know that I keep going on about how important car servicing is. But its good advice when I see other countries preaching the same thing. So this article comes from Africa! Giving the motorist some good points that affect all car drivers. Importantly to have your car serviced. Of course, there may be some serious underlying problem with your car.
Especially about hidden problems that you do not know about.
Significantly, a service should pick up. The main neglect that we come across is Car Brakes problems, For example, leaking brake cylinders that are undetected could lead to a sudden brake loss, and heaven knows what that could cause, so please have your car serviced at regular intervals. Please do not Neglect car servicing?
If you would like some advice about your cars servicing intervals, then here you are .
From my advice I would like to stress that the newer your car is then the fewer services the car will need. Most of today’s modern cars that our customers drive are supposed to be serviced every12000 Miles Per Year. Or at least once a year. Some of the older models require more Servicing a Car, but we tend to check out the service booklets and service the cars accordingly.
After three years, your car should have averaged, say, 12000 miles every year, but many drivers do not do that amount of miles, so in that case, i would advise you once again to stick to the mileage regime and not the time scale.
In my opinion, it is best practice to stick to the cars service manual. If you do Neglect car servicing and exceed the miles, say if you use your car for work purposes, then you should have the 12000 mile service once a year, or at least make sure that the car has a major service.
But most importantly
Please make sure that the car has the oil and filter changed, as oil contamination can always lead into other, more serious problems. Also check the time or mileage that your timing belt needs changing; this can be a major problem if you Neglect car servicing If your car requires it, most do and have a brake check. if you have a 12-mile yearly service, then all this will be taken care of.
Being the owner of a busy garage has many “ups and downs.”. One of the more pleasant aspects of the job is seeing the number of different cars and car models that would appear in any given week.
This past week has seen cars as diverse as a Rolls Royce Wraith ( which was one of only 220 cars produced) to a Wolsey Hornet Mini from the late 1960s, not counting the everyday cars such as Ford Fiestas and VW Golfs. We had a Citroen DS3 call in to us early in the week with rattling car brakes.
It was in my favourite colour, a very bright red ( I love red cars). We put the citroen car with the Noisy Car Brakes on a ramp and removed all the wheels to check the Brakes, and sure enough, the front pads were worn down to the metal and the friction from “metal to metal” had also damaged the front discs. The rear brakes were cleaned and checked and were good for further use.
We contacted the customer and was given the go-ahead to replace the brakes
Of course, this meant that the customer was getting good-quality brakes with a nation-wide guarantee. The job was completed and the customer went on his way. Importantly, I took a couple of pictures because I am a great fan of the Citroen DS3.
The colours are very bright and modern-looking,
with a choice of 11 colours and four different roof colours, You can even have colour-coded alloy wheels and different carpet designs. There is also a sports version known as the D-Sport, which comes with blue teeth and climate control. The car also include 17-inch alloy wheels; the one I looked at came with Yokohama tyres and looked great. They also come out with additional body modifications and really look very stylish.
This car, in my opinion, is a great tribute
to the newCitroen DS3 designers, who had to compete with the BMW Mini and the great little Fiat 500.
More reading…
The DS3 is the first in a range of very different Citroen models that put the emphasis on style and personality, along with strong performance and driver appeal. With its stylish look and compact size, it’s easy to see why so many comparisons have been drawn with the popular MINI and Fiat 500.“
“The engine combines strong low-rev performance – 110bhp at 3600rpm and 199lb ft at 2000rpm, enough for a sub-10.0sec 0-60mph time – with a claimed 62.8mpg (combined cycle) and 118g/km of CO2 emissions, which sees annual road tax costing just £20…”EVO
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/brakes-pads-only.jpg396800Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pellon-tyres-logo-509x321.jpgEric Roberts2024-04-04 19:39:182024-07-04 17:12:07Noisy Car Brakes
Even in dry weather, changing your wiper blades on a regular basis is essential!
Hi everyone once more! Today, we’re going to shift our attention from complicated topics like batteries and engines to something a little more straightforward but nonetheless essential for safe driving: your car’s wiper blades. “Why bother changing my wiper blades if it’s as dry as a biscuit out there,” you may be asking yourself. Well, maintaining your wiper blades in optimal condition is essential, especially in our notoriously erratic British weather, where it might be bright one minute and pouring the next. This is why it matters, particularly to Halifax residents like us.
Unobstructed Vision Throughout the Year-Change wipers during drier months First of all, clear visibility isn’t limited to days with rain. Road grime, dust, and other particles never take a vacation; they’re always willing to cover your windscreen. For a pristine windscreen in dry conditions—especially during a rare British heatwave—you need good wiper blades. Maintaining your car’s appearance is important, but so is making sure you can see well, which is essential for identifying that stray pothole on Skircoat Road or that unexpected pedestrian crossing the street in front of The Piece Hall.
Avoid Cracks in the Windscreen– Change wipers during drier months Not only can outdated or damaged wiper blades be inefficient, but they might also pose a risk to your windscreen. Smears or streaks from worn blades can make it difficult to see, which is dangerous and annoying. Even worse, aged blades with cracked rubber can cause scratches on your windscreen that require expensive repairs to fix. Just think of the money you would have saved by not needing to buy a new windscreen if you had only changed the blades!
Be Ready for Unexpected Weather changes In Halifax, we are aware that a bright forecast does not necessarily indicate a dry day. Here, the weather can shift more quickly than the results of a cricket match. You could be enjoying a clear sky drive one moment and then suddenly find yourself in the middle of a rainstorm. Having your wiper blades changed on a regular basis will ensure that you’re ready for any unexpected changes and that driving isn’t affected when the skies open up.
It’s an Easy Solution– Change wipers during drier months One of the simplest auto maintenance jobs is replacing your wiper blades. It’s not expensive, plus it eliminates the need to go to the garage. Consider it as a little stopover: you visit your neighbourhood car dealership, pick up a fresh pair of blades, and swap them out in the parking lot. For vehicle comfort and safety, it’s a swift victory!
Effectiveness and Efficiency Finally, fresh wiper blades perform well. They do a better job of evenly distributing washer fluid, which makes it easier to maintain a clean windscreen. New wiper blades work better at removing dust accumulations from the previous week or bothersome bug splatters after a country road trip.
Keeping Safe and Helping Local
So, remember the significance of having new wiper blades, regardless of how dry or wet it are. Visit your neighbourhood Halifax store to get a fresh set, or contact us if you have any questions about what kind of blades are ideal for your vehicle or how to install them. Not only can we assist with major problems, but also with the little switches that keep you safe while driving.
Folks, always keep in mind
that being safe is more important than simply remaining dry. And a simple first step in that direction is to inspect the wiper blades. Enjoy your drive!
Despite the warmer, drier weather being associated with the summer months, the importance of having fresh wiper blades with good adhesion to the windscreen glass is just as important as any other time of year,
I opened my garage doors on Saturday. Then a dark green BMW Minihad been left in the car park overnight. As a result, the owner had left a note . Thus to say that she would be calling in that morning. At the time, we had not noticed . The rear drivers BMW Mini Suspension was not straight . But leaning in at the top.
When we eventually got the BMW Mini on the ramp (Saturday is a very busy day for tyre customers), we were astounded to find that the problem was caused by a broken bottom arm link, a part of the BMW Mini Suspension. The bottom link had completely snapped in two. This caused the wheel to pull in at the top, making the car undriveable.
This link is part of the cars multi-link system
that is now common on modern vehicles such as the BMW Mini and is used to give the car independent suspension in all four corners of the car. The BMW Mini Suspension top and bottom links are part of that system.
The lady customer can not remember running over any objects, but with all the snow that has fallen in the Halifax area this winter, it is possible that she may have run over a large stone that was buried in the snow without knowing and snapped the link in two. This year has been a particularly bad year for broken springs and other suspension parts.
The video that I have included in this post clearly shows the bottom link in action; it is the part that is a silver colour at the bottom of the BMW Mini suspension.
The new part has now been ordered and we will be fixing the BMW Mini this week.
More reading…
“Does multi-link suspension have any disadvantages? In short, yes… Such systems are more complex and incorporate more components, making them more expensive to design and produce. For this reason the systems were first introduced by luxury brands.
That said, lower vehicle production costs and higher customer expectation have more recently seen the technology filter down to many large and mid-sized mainstream vehicles. Development of the multi-link suspension systems is ongoing.
For example, Italian company Magneti Marelli
(most famous for its auto electronics) is making significant headway in producing cost-effective multi-link systems for small cars.
Its new designs incorporate flexible links, the benefits of which are said to allow fewer total parts, simplified bushing designs and reduced noise transmission into the passenger compartment”..http://www.carpoint.com.au/advice/2009/what-is-multilink-suspension-7533
Independent Car Care centres-Cars are among the most essential parts of our lives.
Independent Car Care centres
Virtually everyone owns their own vehicle. Whether it is for public use or private use. To ensure that your vehicle maintains its pristine condition. So, it is essential to periodically visit to your Independent Car Care centres. Car care centres are ideal destinations for repairing and maintaining vehicles. There are numerous benefits that vehicle owners attain when they take their vehicles to these dealers.
The first benefit is that these centres possess expert mechanics. Who have mastered every minute detail about automobiles. This lets them handle any form of issue with your vehicle. Consequently, they may undo most significant damages to your automobile. They typically repair, check or service your batteries, wiper blades, tyre pressure, clutch, lights, brakes and engine. These repairs will ensure that your vehicle remains pristine. That will protect it from the strain it typically faces.
The second benefit is that the mechanics offer peace of mind . They have mastered virtually everything about vehicles due to their immense experience along with their training. Whatever make or model your vehicle might be. The mechanics know all of its workings. To them, it is irrelevant whether your vehicle is vintage, rare or foreign. They also possess all the ideal pieces of equipment. Along with tools to repair or to service your vehicle. They guarantee that your vehicle’s condition will improve. Hence, the mechanics offer peace of mind as you remain assured that they are the most ideal experts to handle your vehicle.
The third benefit is that these care centres mechanics are cost-effective. Their charges typically reflect the type of repair or service they perform. If your vehicle has sustained extensive damage or requires extensive servicing. So, their services will reflect that. In fact, their charges are often reasonable with immense damages. Likewise, their charges are relatively minute if your vehicle does not need plenty of work. The mechanics, in addition, are insured. This means that they will not charge for any issues that may arise when they attempt to repair or service your vehicle.
Independent Car Care centres– offer more care for your car
The fourth benefit is that the mechanics offer additional services. For instance, if your car has broken down somewhere and you cannot move it, you may hire them t
o tow your vehicle. This will be considerably more affordable and convenient than paying an independent towing company. The mechanics also offer ideal advice. Your vehicle may require new parts like brakes or headlights. If so, these professionals may offer advice on the type of Online Catalogue are most ideal.
For instance, there are brand new spare parts that are considerably expensive. But are essential for certain parts, like gearboxes. There are also recycled spare parts which are affordable and may be ideal for parts like headlights. They may also offer advice on whether a particular component needs to be repaired or if it requires replacement. Independent Car Care centres advice is primarily to suit you and your budget.
On the whole, Unipart car care centres are ideal centres for having your vehicle repaired or serviced. They are affordable and effective. We have now left the Unipart scheme, and it will make no difference to our customer service going forward.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/canstockphoto88031629-scaled-e1704782691464.jpg333500Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pellon-tyres-logo-509x321.jpgEric Roberts2024-03-26 18:39:372024-07-05 07:25:38Independent Car Care centres
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