Questions, answered.

Most cars are done inside an hour. Some platforms take a bit longer if the filter is awkward to reach or the sump needs more access time — we'll tell you up front if yours is one of them.

Yes. We use manufacturer-spec oil matched to your car — LongLife, dexos, PSA, whatever applies. We never substitute a generic 5W-30.

We stop and call you. Nothing else gets done without you saying yes to a separate quote. An oil service is an oil service; we're not using it as a cold-call for upsells.

Yes. Every service uses oil and filters matched to your car's manufacturer specification, not a generic blend. If you have a particular preference or an approval (LongLife, dexos, PSA, etc.) we match it.

Interim (every 6 months or 6,000 miles) covers oil, filter and a safety check. Full (annual) adds the air filter, cabin filter where fitted, and a fuller inspection. Major (every 2 years or 24,000 miles) adds spark plugs on petrol cars or the fuel filter on diesels where due, plus brake fluid. Exact parts depend on the manufacturer schedule for your car.

Yes. The Block Exemption Regulation means servicing at an independent specialist — using the right parts and keeping proper records — does not affect your manufacturer warranty.

Battery test, brakes, tyres (tread depth, pressures and condition), coolant/antifreeze strength, wipers and screenwash, and all lights.

No — if you book any work with us off the back of the check, the £29 is deducted from that invoice. If everything's fine, the £29 is just for the check.

October to December, while the weather's turning and it actually matters.

No. The test itself is carried out by a DVSA-approved test centre on the same street as us. We handle everything else — the pre-MOT check, dropping the car at the test centre, and fixing anything that fails.

We tell you exactly what failed, what it'll take to fix, and the cost before we do anything. If you want us to fix it, we can usually get it back to the test centre for a retest the same day, workshop load permitting.

Ask us for the current MOT fee when you book — it's the test centre's fee, separate from any work we do.

Yes — most customers do. Drop the car with us once, we run the pre-MOT check and any service work, take it for the test, and hand it back sorted.

Usually yes. Modern cars log fault codes even after the light clears. Reading those codes often points straight to the cause — a failing sensor, a marginal component, a pending issue that hasn't triggered a permanent warning yet.

That's when diagnostics matter most. We'd rather spend an hour finding out what's actually wrong than guess again. Our rate covers the diagnostic work; if we find a fix, the parts and labour to resolve it are quoted separately.

Not yet. ADAS calibration is on our future investment list but isn't something we offer in 2026.

Cars built before around 2017 use R134a. Newer cars use R1234yf. R1234yf is more expensive because the refrigerant itself costs more and the equipment to handle it safely is more expensive. We have the kit for both in-house.

Every two to three years is typical. If the aircon's still cold and the cabin smells clean, you don't strictly need to regas — but if it's lukewarm, noisy, or smells musty, that's your cue.

Yes — a straight regas is about an hour. If we find a leak or a failed component, we stop and call you before going any further.

No, and manufacturers have quietly walked this back. DSG boxes have a schedule (usually 40k miles). Torque-converter autos benefit from fluid service every 60-80k miles. CVTs typically specify a change interval. 'Sealed for life' was a marketing claim; the physics of transmission fluid says otherwise.

A drain-and-fill replaces roughly half the fluid — the rest stays trapped in the torque converter, cooler and valve body. Dynamic exchange uses a machine to circulate new fluid through the entire system, pushing old fluid out as new goes in. It's the correct service for most modern autos when fluid condition matters.

Anything with a DSG, a conventional automatic, a CVT, or similar modern auto. Particularly if the car is over 40,000 miles and has never had a proper transmission service. Manuals benefit from oil changes too, just less dramatically.

Imports — especially Japanese ones — often run slightly different specifications to their UK-market cousins. Oils, coolants, fluids, service intervals, even fuel recommendations can differ. Generic garages typically apply the UK-market service schedule, which is close but not correct. We service these cars often enough that we know the differences.

Everything we see: BMW inline-six models, Honda hot hatches, Nissan GT-Rs, Subaru all-wheel-drive performance cars, Mazda RX-8 and MX-5, various Toyota and Lexus, Mitsubishi performance models, plus European performance and enthusiast cars. If it's unusual and you want it serviced properly, start a conversation.

A full inspection and a fluid baseline. We document what's on the car, what's been done recently, and what needs attention. From there you get a realistic plan rather than a surprise bill six months in.

Yes, for most repairs. We'll give you a firm price once we've inspected the car. For larger jobs — clutches, timing belts, head gaskets — the firm price is only available after we've confirmed the actual state of what we're working on, because we'd rather quote honestly than guess and then surprise you mid-job.

No. We're a mechanical workshop. For bodywork and paint we'd recommend a local specialist and can point you at one if you ask.

Ask us. We charge our diagnostic rate for an inspection and give you an honest read on what the car actually needs. We'd rather tell you the other garage's quote is fair than pretend we can do it cheaper.

Yes — a 15-minute visual check while you wait, no appointment needed if we've got the bay time. We'll tell you straight whether anything needs doing, and quote a fixed price in writing before any work starts.

Sometimes. If the discs are above minimum thickness, have no lipping and no heat damage, pads alone are fine. If they're worn, warped or corroded, doing the pads without the discs is a false economy — you'll be back in.

Every two years. Brake fluid absorbs water over time, and that water boils under heavy braking. Sponge-pedal feel and reduced stopping power are the tell-tale signs. A fluid change is £59.

Advisory means 'will probably fail next MOT unless you fix it'. Not immediate danger, but don't leave it until the test. We translate advisories into plain English.

The usual signs: the revs rise but the car doesn't pick up speed (slipping), the biting point has crept right to the top of the pedal, a heavy or spongy pedal, a whine or rattle that changes when you press the pedal, or difficulty getting into gear. Any one of those is worth a look before it leaves you stranded.

Because it genuinely varies car to car — gearbox layout, whether it's front or rear drive, and whether the flywheel needs replacing all move the labour and parts by hundreds of pounds. Rather than quote a headline number and add to it later, we price your car specifically and confirm a fixed price in writing before any work starts.

Not always. Many modern cars have a dual-mass flywheel (DMF), which wears alongside the clutch. With the gearbox out we measure it and check it against the manufacturer's limits. If it's within spec we tell you and leave it; if it isn't, we explain why before replacing it — never as an automatic add-on.

Yes. Request a date online and nothing is paid up front — we'll call or email to confirm the slot and your fixed price. Or call us and we'll talk it through.