#tipthursday Check your windows and wipers regularly

Have a good look at your windows often, especially your front and rear windows to make sure there aren’t any cracks or chips that may have appeared over the harsh winter months. If there is damage, most insurance companies will replace your windscreens as part of your policy at no extra cost to you. Damaged window screens can be fatal.
Also, take the time to check your window wipers by lifting them and inspecting for any cracks, tears or nicks on the rubber. The damage will stop them from working as well as they should and can make driving in adverse conditions even more difficult. If you do see any damage, you can easily replace them at home though it can be a bit fiddly. If you need any help with this pop into the workshop or gives us a phone, we’re only too happy to help.

Tyres? What is the difference between Budget, Mids and Premium Tyres from Maitland Motors

Here at Maitland Motors, we aim to give you as much information about your car as possible so you can make an informed decision to suit your needs and budget. One part of your car which can be the difference between a safe car and an accident waiting to happen is your tyers. Tyres come in 3 different price brackets; budgets, min-rage or premium. But what are the main differences and how do they affect you?

Budget tyres, as you’d expect, are the cheapest of tyres are may seem like a very appealing choice when comparing prices. They are safe and will pass the legal requirements of the law. If you do little driving, at slow speeds and mostly from A to B, they can be a sound choice.

Mid-rage tyres can sometimes cost just a few extra pounds more compared to a budget, so can make more sense financially as you’ll get more tyre for your money. They’ll last longer and you’ll get more of the features expected of a premium, so they should need replacing less often.

Premium tyres are usually your well-known named tyres and usually very high performing. They are made of top of the range materials and go through rigorous testing, often with 100s of years worth of experience behind them. If you do a lot of driving and in particular, motorway driving, going premium may last you longer in the long run, offering better grip, wear and fuel efficiency.

We always recommend which tyre to go for depending on your car and how you drive it. More importantly, when it comes to your tyres is that they’re safe and are legal. They should have good tyre tread, no bumps, cuts or gashes and be pumped up to your manufactures recommended pressure. Age and tracking is also something to consider when it comes to tyre wear and tear.

We check your tyres as part of your Free Vehicle Health Check and Services, however, if you have questions or concerns about your tyres then please get in touch by calling the office or sending us an email. We’re always happy to hear from you.

#tipthursday The Right to Repair

Did you know that you are free to take your car to any garage for repairs and maintenance at any age? It’s common that customers are led to believe that they have to take their new car back to the dealer for servicing, MOTs etc, but in fact, you are free to pick and choose who looks after your car. This is called the “Right to Repair” and as long as your garage uses manufacturer parts to manufacturer spec and has their own garage stamp, your guarantees, insurance or credit agreements won’t be affected.

This makes the market a lot more competitive and gives you a lot more choice.

For more info or if you have any questions, feel free to call the office or email us, we’re always happy to hear from you.

We are 4!!

Maitland Motors turns 4 today. Here’s a wee look at how far we’ve come.

Maitland Motors turned 4 over the weekend, happy birthday to us!!

4 years ago Ross opened Maitland Motors with just one ramp, his toolbox and a desire to do things right in an industry renowned for cowboys. Prior to this, Ross had slowly been building up a client base by doing homers in his drive come wind, rain or shine and would often be working 7 days a week. (Most of his homer customers still are still Maitloan However, even with his hard-working attitude and knowledge of the car industry, it was still a big leap of faith to go from being employed to self- employed especially with a young family in toe.


The garage quickly outgrew its first home and 4 years later we are now in much bigger premises with 3 ramps, office and staff room. Ross also has company thanks to our brilliant mechanic Dale who joined the team last summer and Chrissie (Mrs Maitland) who looks after the office and behind the scenes side of the business for this past year. Thanks to our growing team and capacity, we can look after even more customer’s car more efficiently. We’ve also become accredited with many industry experts, such as the Good Garage Scheme, Forte, Pagid (not forgetting that we’re Pagid Brake Specialists) and Varta. So you can rest assured that your car is in good hands.


Even after so long in the trade (over 20 years!) Ross is still as keen as ever to keep learning, bettering his skills and widening his knowledge base and over the past 6 months has been on a few courses. This only has a positive knock-on effect on the workshop and then for our customers as we implement more modern ways of working on cars.


We have big plans for the future and are excited to see where the next 4 years take us. However, at the core of what we do is always our customer and giving them an honest, reliable and friendly service. Without our customers, there would be no Maitland Motors and we certainly wouldn’t have made it to 4 years in business without them. So, we’d like to thank all our customers for supporting us, encouragement and telling their friends about us all of which has helped us hit this milestone.


As always if you have any questions or would like to find out more about how we can help look after your car here at Maitland Motors, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

What is the difference between an Interim and Full Service?

At Maitland Motors we believe prevention is better than cure when it comes to your car. An easy way to maintain your car is to follow your manufacture’s service guide. (Usually found in your car manual.) Depending on how up to date you are with your service schedule you may need a Full Service or just an Interim, but what is the difference and how do each benefit you and your car?

Interim Service An Interim Service is a more basic version of the Full Service and includes an Oil and Filter Change. We check the lights, horn, brakes, fluid levels, exhaust, tyres and double-check for any leaks. If you get your car serviced regularly, then we’d recommend booking in for an Interim as this will help keep your car ticking over in-between its Full Service and Mot. It’s also a great way to ensure there aren’t any hidden surprises that may end in costly repairs if left too long to deteriorate.

Full Service A full-service includes everything above as well as replacing the pollen, and air filters if required and topping up brake fluid & antifreeze. We also inspect the engine, wheel bearings, shock absorbers and air conditing system. Some cars may require additional work to keep up with manufacturer’s spec which inc changing spark-plugs or fuel filters. A Full Service will help ensure you’re getting the best from your car, performance and safety-wise. If it’s been a while since your car was last in or it’s only in a garage for its MOT, then we’d recommend booking in for a Full Service.

Another thing to be mindful of is the “Right to Repair”. This means you are free to take your new car to any independent garage for a service and as long as the garage uses manufactures parts, to their spec, your warranty or finance agreement won’t be affected. This makes the market much more competitive for customers like you and gives you more choice.

Regardless of which service you go for, we always fit quality parts like Mann Filters , Pagid brakes and Shell oil here at Maitland Motors. With all our years of experience, we find quality parts to be great value for money as you’ll be replacing less frequently compared to cheap parts. We have a blog on this if you’d like to know more about the parts we fit and how they benefit you.

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below or if you’d like to book in for a Full or Interim service call the office or drop us an email, we’re always happy to hear from you.