Car Mechanics

Follow Rob on Twitter: #CarTechJourno Some long-term car owners do not like ECUs. Viewing them as unnecessarily complicated, they would rather fiddle with contact breaker points and adjust their ignition dwell angles every few thousand miles. Even s

As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m currently running two project car restorations – a1955 MG Magnette and a 1965 Morris Minor Traveller. The Minor is due back from a specialist restorer next week having had its wood and front doors refurbished and, mo

Whenever the owner of this 2019 Fiesta ST 1.5 EcoBoost gave the throttle a heavy press he could hear a distinct thud from below the floor which sounded as though it had come from the back of the engine. He could also hear a corresponding thud when br

When you are racking up the miles driving around, it can be very annoying to have to struggle with a gear lever which slops around making the selection of gears difficult. The nylon bushes and joints on the gearchange mechanism of this 2012 VW Transp

One of my regulars remarked that his mum, who had recently retired, decided to buy herself a MINI Cooper S. It was something she had always wanted and so when her retirement came along, she thought it’s now or never. The 2020 MINI Cooper S was her pr

The owner of this 2005 BMW 545i was meticulous about ensuring the bodywork was spotless. He was also very fussy about ensuring that the under-bonnet area and engine looks clean, and so when he saw a few traces of oil beginning to creep from one of th

I have learnt over many years of working on motors, to never promise a job out until I am certain all the obstacles have been overcome. This was a good regime to follow on this 2010 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. The exhaust manifold had a blowing gasket, a

✓ REPLACE COOLANT HOSE ✓ REPLACE REAR WIPER MOTOR ✓ ADJUST OR REPAIR STEERING COLUMN ✖ RESEARCH AND FIT UPDATED HEAD UNIT ✖ DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR CV ISSUE ✖ REPLACE FRONT SEATS ✖ REPAIR RUST IN DOG-LEGS ✖ CURE REAR FOG ERROR ✖ REPLACE REAR LIGH

✖ FULL MAINTENANCE SERVICE ✖ SERVICE AUTOBOX AND REAR DIFF ✖ RENEW FRONT WINDSCREEN ✖ RENEW FRONT & REAR DAMPERS ✖ FIT NEW BRAKES FRONT & REAR ✖ CHECK REAR BRAKE SHOES ✖ CUT & POLISH ENTIRE BODYWORK ✖ REFURBISH ALLOY WHEELS ✖ ADD A FUEL SYSTE

Once upon a time, car batteries rarely lasted more than three years, and usually ‘died’ when winter came and cold weather reduced their efficiency and at the same time made their main job of starting a cold engine harder by making the oil less viscou

Over the past few months, I’ve reported on some manufacturers switching from a wholesale marketing of new cars (where dealers buy cars from manufacturers to sell on at whatever price they like) to a fixed-price agency sale model where the consumer ac

The Lookers main dealer group – which also operates under the Charles Hurst brand name in Northern Ireland – is set to change hands. The front-runner, with a cash offer, is the Canadian-owned Alpha Auto Group (AAG). AAG is a privatelyowned business w

Developed in conjunction with Subaru (it was built in the same factory as its BRZ model) the GT86, which broke cover here just over a decade ago, will appeal to those looking for an affordable driver’s car that’s light, indecently quick and very unli

The Mk4 Mondeo’s 2.0-litre TDCi engine requires a timing belt, auxiliary drive belt, water pump and coolant renewal every 10 years or 125,000 miles, which can mean that some cars never have it done, either because they don’t last that long, or servic

Manufactured between 2009 and 2015, the smooth-looking Astra J (the sixth-generation of the model that first appeared in 1979) was a popular medium-sized family hatchback and estate. We’re following the servicing of CM’s ex-project, which is a 2011 S

Volkswagen’s turbocharged stratified injection (TSI for short) engine is designed to be a lightweight and fuelefficient petrol motor. With 121bhp at the flywheel, the 1.4-litre twin-cam engine with direct fuel injection packs some punch, propelling t

Sometimes a job comes into the workshop that must be absolutely bang on first time without any room for mistakes. The BMW 7-series that limped into the yard was clearly one of those types of jobs that had to remain free of any ambiguity when reaching

Some years ago, I was introduced to the idea of ‘bangernomics‘ – buying cars at the very bottom of the depreciation curve and enjoying a year of cheap motoring before moving onto something else. Particularly appealing to me was the fact that, if you

Progress had been made on my recently acquired 2006 BMW 130i M-Sport, but a niggle remained with the Getrag sixspeed manual transmission which put a serious dent in my ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ experience. Especially bad from cold, an inordinate amo

This month’s coffee break ramble of mine goes out with my heartfelt sympathies to all the heads of departments within car dealers – especially parts and service managers. On the whole, these guys and gals work tirelessly ensuring the most profit-maki