What is a Free Vehicle Health Check?

We often talk about our Free Vehicle Health Check here at Maitland Motors, but what does that mean for you and why should you book in for one?

A vehicle health check gives our mechanics the chance to give your car a really good overall inspection up on the ramp.

We will visually check areas of your car inc,
brakes,
levels,
tyres,
horn,
wipers & washers,
seat belts,
lights,
power steering,
battery,
antifreeze,
cooling system,
condition of the exhaust,
suspension,
and all safety components.

After all the checks have been carried out we’ll advise you of the condition of your car and if there is anything that is cause for concern. There is no obligation to have any further works carried out but its always good to be aware of any possible repairs that may need addressing sooner rather than later. Especially if your MOT is soon. We can arrange a quote of any works we advise and take it from there.


We aim to help keep your car safe and legal on the road while giving you peace of mind when behind the wheel. Most of us use our cars every day with friends and family as passengers so making sure it is as safe as it can be so is important for all drivers.

If you have any questions, please just leave them in the comments below, we always love hearing from you. Or if you’d like to go ahead and book in for a Free Vehicle Health check, just call the office on 01592 328848 for availablity.

#tipthursday Basic Car Maintenance Schedule from Maitland Motors

We at Maitland Motors believe that prevention is better than cure, especially when it comes to your car. So, we’ve put together a basic yearly maintenance schedule for you. It’ll help you to keep your car running as best as it can alongsidegiving you a good understanding of its current condition and any possible safety issues that should be addressed.

Basic Car Maintenance Schedule for your car from Maitland Motors.

Full Service – 6 months prior MOT (This will also depend on when your car last had a full service, it may just need an interim. We’d always check beforehand before what your car actually needs and advise on the appropriate services required.)

Free Vehicle Health Check – 3 months prior MOT

Pre-MOT 1 month before MOT

MOT (sign up to our reminder text service where we can remind you nearer the time of your MOT date to get booked in)

We recommend this as a minimum depending on your mileage and how you drive. Most car manuals will have details of your car’s service schedule so be sure to check that too.

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below or if you’d like to book in for one of our services call the office on 01592 328848. We always love hearing from you.

What to expect when you book your car in Maitland Motors

Here at Maitland Motors, we strive to give all our customers the best service and garage experience possible. If you haven’t booked with us before, here’s a quick low down on what you can expect.

After you drop your car off, we’ll up on the ramp or if needs be, take it on a test drive. From here, we can diagnose any issues (noises, bangs, lights) or start further investigation for more in-depth work. If you’re a new customer or we haven’t seen your car in a while, we’ll also give your car a Free Vehicle Health Check as standard.

Next, if your car needs new parts to fix or repair the fault, it’ll only be quality and trusted parts, such as Pagid and Mann Filters. We find that using trusted parts helps keep your car running as best it can.
If any unforeseen repairs are spotted that may make the car dangerous, such as bald tyres, we will contact you to discuss and advise of any further costs involved. We would only go on to do additional repairs with your full permission, ensuring that you are fully aware of the work we are carrying.

From here, we crack on with the job. Repair times vary from job to job and car to car, and if for reasons, such as seized bolts or lost locking wheel nut keys, your job is going to overrun its expected time frames we’ll be sure to let you know. For really big jobs or in-depth investigations that may mean your car is with us for a few days, we do offer a courtesy car to help minimise the stress being without a car can cause.

Finally, we’ll take your car on one last test run before calling you with the good news. When you come to collect your car your invoice and any additional paperwork (new MOT certificate etc.) will be ready along with the car. Invoices can be paid over the phone, cash or card in our office, or via bank transfer. You’ll be back on the road again fully aware of the condition of your car and any advisories we’d recommend.

A few tips to keep in mind:
If you’re booked in for an MOT, have a backup plan in case it fails and MOT repairs are needed. Depending on the repairs and when we can get any parts needed, you may not get your car back the same day.
Let us know of any time scales you’d like your car back for, such as school pick up etc, so that we can work our diary around you.
Make sure your car has fuel in it so that we can carry out any test drives to diagnose issues or make sure your car is safe.

So, if like the sound of our service, why not book in for our free, no-obligation Health Check and try before you buy. Call the office on 01592 328848, or email us at maitlandmotors@gmail.com

#tipthursday Quality Parts – Why cheep isnt always cheerful

With over 20 years in the trade here at Maitland Motors, we’ve come across a lot of different parts and oils brands; some good and some not so good. This is why we recommend using quality parts and oils when it comes to getting the best from your car and long term value for money.
We find that the cheapest of parts and brands don’t always last as long which means you’ll be replacing them more often and spending more on your car than you needed have.
Maitland Motors is proud to fit quality parts from Pagid, Mann Filters and Shell Oil and use them on all our services ( apart from manufactures warranty service’s where we use your cars make of parts to keep in line with “right to repair” regulations).
If you have any questions about car brands, they please get in touch by leaving a comment below.

Why Book Your Car In With Maitland Motors?

Some of the reasons why you should book in with us: honest, reliable and a friendly service.

Finding a good mechanic is one of life’s little gems.
The motor repair industry has the reputation of cowboys and ripping customers off, so being wary of a mechanic you don’t know or haven’t used before is understandable. That’s why we here at Maitland Motors are dedicated to proving that we aren’t just any typical back street garage looking to make a quick buck.
We strive to provide an honest, reliable and friendly service where we put you and your car needs first.
Keeping you informed at every stage of a job, we never throw parts at a car hoping it’ll fix it, but take the time to investigate and diagnose faults and issues. Especially on the more complicated jobs. If we come across problems or faults while working on your car that you’re not aware of we’d always advise of these and be sure to let you know of any costs involved and how serious they are.

Of course, any issues that may be dangerous, we’d get your permission first with an estimate so you are 100% aware of what work has taken place on your car.
Most people depend on their cars for work, school runs and life in general so we try our best to get your car back to you as quickly as possible. Sometimes jobs do overrun for many reasons, but we’d always keep you updated on revised time scales. For extra long, complicated jobs, we offer a courtesy car to keep life running as smoothly as possible for you.
Ross and the team pride themself on their friendly, approachable manner and are only too happy to give you as much information as you need or want so that you have a complete understanding of your car and the work carried out. Again, most of us use our cars every day so knowing its condition will only help you get the most of out of it in a cost-efficient way. We won’t pan you off with jargon or try and confuse you, so you can be assured we’ll keep you right.

Why not try before you buy for FREE by booking in for a Vehicle Health Check. You’d be very welcome to see the workshop and meet the Maitland Motors team for yourself.
Any questions please do get in touch, we’re always happy to hear from you.