Repair or replace your vehicle exhaust pipe

For many car owners the first they know that their vehicle exhaust pipe needs attention is the noise it makes and many do not realise that a damaged exhaust pipe leads to reduced engine performance and fuel efficiency so it is important if you suspect that there is a problem with your vehicle exhaust system that you have it checked by a mechanic. Should there be an issue then whether to replace the whole exhaust, part of it (as it comes in sections) or repair it will depend on how badly it is damaged. Replacing an exhaust system is costly but if most of the pipe is corroded it is probably the best option. Most garages will be able to quote for this but there are specialist exhaust centres that...
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Buying a used car – what to look out for

When you are considering buying a used car there are a number of details to identify before you begin your search. The financial constraints are probably going to be the main concern for most people when deciding on a vehicle and this may influence your decision on where to buy the vehicle from however it is worth remembering that many dealerships offer finance over a number of years and if you qualify it may be a good way of getting a better vehicle for your money. The size of the car needs to thought about as it is not a good idea to have a car that is bigger than you need for instance if you only go to the local shops on a regular basis it would not be...
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Using a local garage for servicing verses using a dealership

It is of utmost importance to keep our vehicles in a good roadworthy condition making sure that it has an up to date MOT certificate and that it is serviced regularly but how important is it that we use one of the large car dealership service centres for these services? Is it equally as good to use a smaller local garage for our services? If you do not feel capable of carrying out minor maintenance work on your vehicle yourself then you will need to employ the services of a mechanic to do this for you. Shopping around for a good deal on servicing is a must as prices vary considerably. Local garages are a good place to start and are usually a lot cheaper than car dealership service centres....
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Are you being quoted a fair price for car repairs?

Car repairs are something that none of us like forking out for and often they can spring up from nowhere and usually at the time that is most inconvenient. Unfortunately, some garages will take advantage of the fact that many of their customers do not know a lot about the internal workings of a car and therefore trust that what the garage says needs to be done is correct. Although this is against the law, some garages will quote for additional work that does not really need doing. They may also quote for work that does need doing but at a lot higher price than you may expect. If you use a chain garage such as QuickFit or National for example, they are often a bit more expensive than an...
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Making sure you don’t pay over the odds for tyres

If you are a car owner then you need to be sure that you look after and maintain it well. If you neglect your tyres and drive your vehicle with flat, worn, damaged or under/over inflated tyres, you run the risk of a serious accident. You can also get points on your licence which may have a knock on effect on the cost of your insurance as well as possibly even your job. Tyres can be very expensive with people often having to fork out in excess of £300 for a set of four new tyres. There are so many options available to your when it comes to buying tyre it can all get a little confusing and you may not know which ones you should buy. You have the...
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