What that noise probably is
Knocking over bumps, squealing on turns, a rhythmic hum that changes with speed. What each one usually means before anybody opens a bonnet.
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Written between jobs
Advice worth
Advice worth
reading first
This is the stuff we end up explaining on the phone twice a week, written down once so you can read it before you ring. None of it is trying to sell you a repair you do not need.
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Pick what applies to you
Does a mobile service affect my warranty?
No, and the regulation that says so has been in place since 2003. What you do need is the right schedule, the right parts and the record stamped.
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When a flat battery is not the battery
Half the batteries we are called out to are fine. It is usually the alternator, a parasitic drain, or a car doing nothing but short journeys.
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How long should brake pads last?
Anywhere between fifteen and fifty thousand miles, and what decides it is mostly how you drive rather than what you bought.
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Is a pre-purchase inspection worth it?
On a private sale, almost always. What we check in two hours, what we cannot tell you, and the things that should stop a sale outright.
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Keeping a van fleet off the ramp
Why downtime costs more than the parts, and how a yard of vans gets serviced without anybody losing a working day.
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One email, when the frosts start
Every autumn we send one message about getting a car through winter without a call-out. That is the whole list. No offers, no monthly round-up.
About this advice
Who writes these?
The two of us, usually at the kitchen table after a long day, which is why they read like somebody talking rather than a marketing department. If something here is wrong, tell us and we will change it.
Are you just trying to sell me a repair?
Half of these end with “it is probably fine, keep an eye on it”. The battery one in particular exists because we got tired of arriving to replace a battery that did not need replacing.
Can I ask about something not covered here?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Ring or send a message describing what the car is doing. If it turns into an article, we will not name you in it.
Does any of this apply to my car specifically?
Broadly, but cars differ. Anything here is general guidance rather than a diagnosis of your vehicle, and a registration plus two minutes on the phone will always beat a paragraph.
Reading this locally
All of the above applies wherever you are, but the practicalities do not. The area pages cover what changes depending on which town you are in.
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Unit 9, Wyvern Way, Alvaston, Derby, DE21 6BF
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