November roads can be slippery, with fallen leaves, standing water and early frosts all making it harder to stop. Your brakes need to be in top condition when it counts.

Signs your brakes need checking:
⚠️ Squealing or grinding when you brake
⚠️ The pedal feels soft or spongy
⚠️ The car pulls to one side when stopping
⚠️ A brake warning light on your dashboard

Don’t wait for a near miss. Book a brake check with us and drive into winter with confidence. ✅

…and while you’re at it, remember your MOT date too!

Bonfire Night is a good reminder that the dark evenings are well and truly here.

Before the winter weather settles in, it’s worth a quick check that your car is ready for it:
✅ Is your MOT due soon?
✅ When was your last service?
✅ Are all your lights working properly?
✅ Are your wipers and screenwash up to the job?

If you can’t remember when your car last had some attention, now’s the perfect time to get it booked in before the winter rush.

We’re here to help, so give us a call or pop in and we’ll get you sorted.

Silence, right after the cambelt snaps.

Your cambelt (or timing belt) keeps your engine’s moving parts in perfect time. When it fails it often gives no warning, and on many engines it can cause serious, expensive damage.

Some modern engines use a “wet” cambelt that runs in engine oil. These need a little extra care:
✅ The correct oil specification really matters
✅ Regular oil changes help the belt last
✅ A worn wet belt can shed debris that blocks the oil supply

Every cambelt has a replacement interval by mileage or age, whichever comes first. Not sure when yours was last done? Check your service history, or ask us.

Don’t leave it to a fright. Get in touch and we’ll let you know when yours is due.

Darker evenings and wetter roads mean less grip and longer stopping distances. That’s when tread depth really counts. The legal limit is 1.6mm, but grip in the wet drops well before then, so it’s worth checking now.

✅ Do the 20p test on every tyre, including the spare
✅ Recheck pressures as it gets colder, since cold air lowers them
✅ Check your lights while you’re at it, you’ll be relying on them more

More than 1 in 5 breakdowns on motorways and major A-roads are tyre-related. A few minutes now could save you a long wait on the hard shoulder.

Stay safe out there. Call in and we’ll check your tyres and lights before the long nights set in.

Did you enjoy the extra hour in bed? ⏰ The clocks went back at 2am, so don’t forget the one in your car!

Your phone will have sorted itself out, but many car clocks won’t. While you’re at it, it’s worth checking:
✅ Your dashboard clock (the handbook will show you how if you’re not sure)
✅ Your dash cam: a wrong timestamp can cause problems if you ever need the footage for an insurance claim
✅ Your lights: the evening drive home is about to get darker, so make sure every bulb is working

Struggling to find the setting, or spotted a bulb out? We’re always happy to help.

In 2023-24, more than 2.1 million vehicles failed their MOT because of tyre defects. Over a third of them had already been flagged with a tyre advisory at a previous test. Advisories are early warnings: parts that are wearing but haven’t failed yet. Left alone, they can turn into a fail, a bigger bill, or a safety risk.
✅ Check your last certificate for advisories (you can view your MOT history free on GOV.UK)
✅ Tyres, brakes and suspension are the ones that most often get worse
✅ Get them looked at now, not the week your MOT is due

We’re here to help. Bring your last MOT sheet in and we’ll talk you through it.

Wet leaves, dark evenings… how are your brakes feeling? 🍂

Autumn roads are some of the trickiest of the year. Wet leaves, standing water and early sunsets mean you’re relying on your brakes more than you might think.

A few signs it’s time to get them looked at:
✅ Squealing, grinding or scraping when you brake
✅ The pedal feels soft, spongy or sinks further than usual
✅ The car pulls to one side when you slow down
✅ Vibration through the pedal or steering wheel
✅ A brake warning light on the dashboard

Brake fluid matters too. Over time it absorbs moisture, which can make your brakes less effective, so it’s worth checking it’s been changed in line with your service schedule.

If anything feels different, don’t wait for winter to arrive. Pop in and our team will give your brakes a thorough check, so you’re ready for whatever the season throws at you.

Your air con isn’t just for hot days. It takes moisture out of the air, which makes it one of the quickest ways to clear a misted-up windscreen on a cold, damp morning.

Running it regularly through winter also helps:

✅ Keep the seals and compressor lubricated
✅ Reduce the risk of leaks and costly repairs come spring
✅ Stop musty smells building up

Top tip: run it for around 10 minutes once a week, even in winter. If it’s slow to clear the screen or smells damp, it could be due a check or a re-gas.

Pop in and see us. We’ll have your air con working as it should, whatever the weather.