Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to get my car serviced at a Franchised Dealer.

How can I tell I need new Brake Pads.

When do I change my Engine Oil.

What If my car fails it's Mot Test.

How much does it cost for the Mot Test.

Can I return my car for a Free Oil Top Up.

I am thinking of buying a new car can you help.

How often should I change the Antifreeze.

What is a Pollen / Cabin filter.

How do I correctly check my Tyres.

What is a Timing Belt / Cam belt.

My car smells like rotten eggs.

Mot Test Only £35 with a Full Service.

My Air Conditioning seems very poor.

The European Regulations governing the sale and after sales servicing of new cars changed in October 2003.  For new cars purchased after that date you are no longer obliged during the warranty period to get the car serviced by a franchise dealer. You must however continue to get the car serviced according the to manufacturer’s recommended schedule and criteria using only manufacturer approved parts.

Do you hear a noise when braking? is it grinding, screeching, growling. Does your brake pedal feel lower or does the pedal travel further than it used to? Front brakes average around 30,000 miles

It depends on how you drive. If you do a lot of city driving or low speed/low frequency driving, we recommend oil changes at 6000 miles. The sludge formed by contaminated oil reduces its ability to protect your engine from rust, corrosion and thermal breakdown. That’s why we recommend changing your vehicle’s oil and filter every 6 months or 6,000 miles.

You can leave your vehicle with us for the repairs to be carried out, or you can book an appointment for another day. You can also take your vehicle away and get it repaired at another garage of your choice, Or even do the repairs yourself. The latter will NOT incur a retest fee, providing the vehicle is brought back for retest no later than 10 working days from the date of issue, does not include Bank Holidays Saturdays or Sundays.     

For the first time you choose AutoCare Centre to test your vehicle the cost of the Mot Test is currently £53.00. We will then send you a reminder one month before your Mot Certificate is due to expire. On production of the reminder we will test your vehicle at a reduced cost of £40.00.    

You can return your vehicle, at any time between services, for an oil level check and, if necessary, a free top up.

Yes we can, many of our valued customers get us to check out the car before they hand over the cash. This is a service we offer absolutely free of charge all we ask is that you bring the car to us.  

For "ordinary" antifreeze, the vehicle manufacturers generally recommend coolant changes every two to three years or 30,000 miles. Others say it's not a bad idea to change the coolant every year for maximum corrosion protection -- especially in vehicles that have aluminum cylinder heads, blocks or radiators. Several antifreeze suppliers have just recently introduced "long life" antifreeze formulations that claim to provide protection for four years or 50,000 miles.

With increasing traffic congestion and commuting distances adding up to more time being spent inside a car, cabin filters not only increase the comfort, but help to protect the health of the occupants by improving the quality of the air inside the vehicle. Air contaminated by dust, soot, fumes and odors is not only unpleasant, but can present a serious hazard to health. In particular, filtering out many of the pollutants present in the roadside atmosphere can offer relief for asthma, allergy and hay fever sufferers.
Some filters even include a layer of activated carbon to further enhance their efficiency. In common with all types of filter, a cabin filter will begin to lose it's effectiveness as it becomes dirty through use. Most car manufacturers recommend replacement at intervals of around 15000 miles or every 2 years.

The legal minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm over 75% of the tyre's width and around its entire outer circumference. Check using the short 'tread bars' (each 1.6mm deep) which lie across the tread at intervals in modern tyres. It is best to change your car tyres before they reach the limit. A tyre with less than 1.6mm tread requires twice the braking distance of a new tyre When inflating tyres, check the pressure readings used. Some air gauges use bars, rather than pounds per square inch (psi), and any confusion could lead to burst or over-inflated tyres. As an added safety check, inspect your car tyres' inner and outer walls regularly for any cuts, bulges, or abrasions.

The job of the timing belt / cambelt is to turn the camshaft (s) at exactly 1/2 the speed of the crankshaft while maintaining a precise alignment. This means that the crankshaft will make two revolutions for every revolution of the camshaft. Engines will have at least one camshaft, or as many as four camshafts in some of the V-type engines. The camshaft causes the intake and exhaust valves to open and close in time with the pistons which move up and down in the cylinders. The valves must open and close at exactly the right time in relationship to the piston movement in order for the engine to run properly. Timing belts / Cambelts have a limited life span. Car makers use these belts instead of more durable chains because chains are noisier and cost more to manufacture. Your vehicle owner's manual will recommend at what mileage the timing belt must be replaced. 

The "rotten egg" sulfur smell is usually generated by high temperatures in the catalytic converter caused by excess unburned fuel going through the exhaust. The converter oxidizes this fuel, which generates the heat, and the high heat generates the smell. An occasional whiff of this smell upon start-up or momentarily at idle isn't necessarily a problem. In fact, it indicates the catalytic converter is doing its job in preventing unburned fuel vapors from reaching the atmosphere. But of course, the concern is what's causing the higher percentage of unburned fuel from the engine.

Many items on the Mot Test checklist are also duplicated in our service schedule, for this reason if you have a full service carried out at the same time as your mot test we are able to reduce the cost of this combination saving you a massive 40% off the Mot test fee.

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