What does that smell say about your car?

Written by Declan
No, we don’t mean the old MacDonald’s wrapper or half-drunk bottle of milk that is left in your vehicle, we are talking about smells that are coming from your vehicle when it is running. If you notice a certain smell when using your car it is very important to try and establish quickly where it is coming from. If you have your fans on, it may be that you are picking up smells from the outside or even from the car in front of you, but if after opening the window you realise the smell is confined to your vehicle, then it’s time to do some investigating. Below are some common smells that you may discover and what they may mean: Rotten eggs – this is often linked to the...
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Don’t delay on your car service

Written by Declan
Cars need to be serviced regularly to ensure that they run at their optimal performance and to try and avoid any unnecessary repair bills. It is always surprising how many car owners have no idea when their car was last serviced or when it is due one. This is usually the case if the car has been bought second hand and is over three years old. Delaying on your service could be costly and you can end up doing some irreversible damage if you are not careful. The cost to service a car can vary depending on the make and model, the type of service needed and where you take it. On average you can expect to pay between £200 and £400 for a main dealer service on a standard...
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DPF Care – what you need to know

Written by Declan
First off, I’d probably best explain what a DPF is. DPF stands for Diesel Particulate Filter, which should give you some clue. Essentially it filters out the harmful particulates that diesel generates more of, before burning them off when you meet the optimum conditions. This then allows emissions to stay within ever-tightening environmental guidelines. The issue comes in not meeting those optimum conditions often enough, as the particulates won’t get burnt off, leading to the DPF becoming full, blocking and ultimately breaking. Your first warning will be your DPF light – hopefully, this will be yellow. That means you can fix the problem yourself by completing a regeneration cycle. Often the car will tell you what to do, but if not, check your manual. Generally, it will involve driving at...
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Why is your car wobbling when driving away?

Written by Declan
Wobbles and shakes in vehicles can be very common but that does not mean that there isn’t something wrong that needs to be looked at. Sometimes you can tell what the problem is by understanding when the car shakes and wobbles. If for example, you notice a vibration through the steering wheel which gets worse at speed it can often be due to poor balancing of the wheels. If the car is pulling to one side it is usually your tracking is out and you need the wheels aligned. The tyres can often be one of the main reasons for vibrations or wobbles on the vehicle as listed above but also the tread and condition of the tyre can have a huge impact. If your car is wobbling when pulling...
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How to look after your car through the summer months

Written by Declan
With summer on its way and many people planning to go on holiday, it is important to look after your car, especially if you are going to be using it for long journeys.  In winter people often know what they need to do to look after their vehicle to ensure that it starts in the cold weather and this it is as safe as possible to drive through snow and ice conditions.  There are also some checks that you should make in your car in the summer months.  With the weather warming up it is important to ensure that you always have the correct level of coolant in your vehicle as otherwise, it can quickly overheat which can cause long-term damage. You may also want to ensure that your car...
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