#tipthursday Check your windows & wipers

#tipthursday from Maitland Motors

This is a really easy one all of us can do in just a few minuets every few weeks. Check your windows and wipers regularly, especially your front and rear windows looking for any cracks or chips. If you do find anything, most insurance companies will replace your windscreens as part of your policy, so be sure to give them a ring. We’ve all seen the adverts, a damaged windscreen can be fatal.

You can also check your wipers easily yourself by lifting them away from the window, inspecting them for any cracks, tears or nicks in the rubber. Any damage will stop them from working as well as they should and will make diving in poor weather conditions more difficult. If you do spot any damage, you can go ahead and replace them yourself, though it can be a bit fiddly.

These are really easy checks you can do at home, especially as we approach the winter months, but any questions regarding your windows or wipers leave us a comment below or call the office.

The Good Garage Scheme

Did you know that we’re a part of The Good Garage Scheme? This means you can rest assured that your car is in safe hands with us. Ran by one of our favourites, Forte, it aims to improve the standards in the automotive industry. Something we work very hard at each and every day.

To become a member we have to perform to a Code of Conduct, 10 points which you can find here. We understand that our industry has a really bad reputation when it comes to ripping customers off, but we want to do anything and everything we can to a reassure customers, old and new, that our garage’s aim is to provide an honest, reliable and welcoming service with your car’s best interest at the core of what we do. Signing up for the Good Garage Scheme just reflects what Maitland Motors is all about: high standards and good customer service.

It’s also where you can read genuine feedback from previous customers and we’re very proud of our very high customer rating. You can see for yourself on the Maitland Motors Good Garage Scheme feedback page. We really do appreciate it when customers take the time to leave feedback.

As always, if you have any questions about Maitland Motors and how we can help look after your car then just leave a comment below or call us in the office.

#tipthursday Is your car making strange/weird noise? Get it checked.

Is your car making weird or strange noises, such as banging, nocking, squealing or grinding? Then this could be a sign it’s time to get your car booked in for a check. Ignoring noises could result in what would have been a quick and affordable fix, turning into a large and expensive repair.

Brakes, suspension, timing belts, and wheel bearings (to name a few) can all be culprits of noises when they are no longer working as well as they should/can. There are parts on cars that do wear over time and you should expect to replace them as general, ongoing maintenance of your car. As we always say, prevention is better than cure when it comes to cars and booking in as soon as you hear or feel any changes with your car will only help to keep it running at its best and as safely as it can.

To book in for a FREE Vehicle Health Check, where we visually check and inspect all areas of your car, then call the office or send us a message.

Why we always fit OE Quality parts

Here at Maitland Motors, with over 20 years experience in the trade, we’ve worked on many a car and fitted many different types of parts of varying quality. With this knowledge and experience behind us, we strongly believe that fitting OE Quality parts is better for you and your car.

Maitland Motors, proud to always fit OE Quality Parts.

Yes, you can get cheaper parts out there, but they are cheap for a reason and you’ll find you’ll be replacing them a lot sooner than you’d expect. OE (Original Equipment) Quality parts match or can actually exceed the quality of the part fitted by the manufacturer when the car was new. Fitting these parts do not invalidate the vehicle’s warranty, when cheaper parts can. Over time they give you much better value for money and help your car to run at its best.

We are proud to fit OE Quality parts from brands such as Pagid, Mann Filters, Varta Batteries, Forte and Shell Oil to name but a few. These companies are industry recognised as leading manufactures up there with the best of the best.

New Pagid brake pads and discs being fitted. Pagid brake discs and pads are guaranteed for 25 months or 25,ooo miles, whichever comes first.

Here’s a few more reasons why we believe OE Quality parts are best for our customers;

  • OE Quality parts are more rigorously tested making them safer for you and your passengers.
  • Better products that matches the quality and reliability of the original parts at new.
  • These manufactures spend more time and money on product development compared to the cheaper brands ensuring the highest quality of parts is achieved.
  • They have longer life spans than cheaper products meaning less replacing; great for if you do a lot of miles.
  • Less risk of these parts not fitting correctly, not performing correctly or more worrying, failing.

We believe our customers and their cars deserve the best, which is why on each and every job booked into Maitland Motors we only use OE Quality parts, ensuring good value for money and peace of mind that the parts we fit adhere to the highest of standards in the automotive industry. As always, if you have any questions about OE Quality parts and how they can help you and your car then just leave a comment below or phone the office.

Get Winter Ready with a Free Vehicle Health Check

As the weather begins to change and the nights are getting shorter, it definitely feels like autumn is here early. The change of year is a great reminder to get your car booked in for a Free Vehicle Health Check here at Maitland Motors.

We will get your car up on the ramp and 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.

Getting your car checked over regularly means we can flag any issues and the costs involved early and before they escalate into bigger more costly repairs. As we always say here at Maitland Motors, prevention is better than cure, especially when it comes to cars. You can find out more about a VHC with us here.

To book your Free Vehicle Health Check and make sure your car is winter ready, call us in the office, send us an email or leave a comment below.

Top of the Class for Maitland Motors

We’ve had a very busy and exciting few weeks here at Maitland Motors.

Alongside looking after your cars, Ross spent a couple of days training with the one and only The Garage Inspector, Andy Savva. Christine from our office has also been back in the classroom starting her PDA in Book-keeping and Dale our technician was pleased to receive his certificate for his Air-Con course he did a few months ago. All this learning and development will only have a positive knock on affect on your experience here at Maitland Motors.

Ross and Dale. Dale having received his certificate for an Air Con course he passed a few months ago. Well done Dale!!
Ross and Dale. Dale having received his certificate for an Air Con course he passed a few months ago. Well done Dale!!

Its a legal requirement for a technician to have this certificate to carry out Air-Con services and handle (potentially dangerous in the wrong hands) air con refrigerant. Dale is now safe and legal to do so keeping him, our team and our customers safe.

Ross had a brilliant couple of days with Andy Savva on the Marketing Essentials for the Garage Business and the Financial Understanding Essentials for the Garage Business courses. Ross came back to the workshop full of new ideas on how we can improve our services and continue on building our reputation as being a friendly and approachable garage. We’re already putting some exciting changes into place, so watch this space.

Well done Ross, another certificate to add to the collection.

In an industry that is rapidly changing, it is so important to keep up to date with new developments and the ways in which cars are being repaired\ maintained. More and more technology is playing a bigger part in workshops and the only way to keep up is by investing in training and our future. Things are very different from when Ross was an apprentice… This is why we are so keen to keep learning, developing and improving as much as we can with the aim of repairing our customer’s cars as efficiently and accurately as possible.

As always, if you have any questions or would like to know more about Maitland Motors and how we can help look after your car, just leave is a comment below.

#tipthursday Get to know your Owner’s Manual

For this week’s #tipthursday we’re talking about your Owner’s Manual and why you should get to know yours. The Owner’s Manual is usually left forgotten in the glove box but it’s full of useful information specific to your make and model of vehicle. It can answer a whole range of questions such as when you should get a service, what your ideal tyre pressure is and warranties you may have.

We recommend having a look at the Maintenance Schedule, which if you follow, will help save you money in the long run. As we always say, when it comes to vehicles, prevention is better than cure and having a well-maintained vehicle will help keep it running effectively, efficiently and safely. Following the manufacturer’s spec will help with this.

Any questions about your vehicle and how to keep it running effectively and safely, just get in touch.

Brake fluid intervals. What are they and how can they help keep your car safe?

Your brakes have to be one of the most important parts of your car, so its important to keep them maintained and in good working order.

An integral part of the braking system is your brake fluid, which over time can age, wear out and may have collected impurities, moisture or rust. Brake fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid, which works very cleverly by transferring the force of your foot pressing the brake peddle into pressure which then stops the car. If there are any problems or issues with your brake fluid, then this could result in a loss of your brakes.

This is where brake fluid intervals come in. We recommend having your brake fluid checked yearly to monitor its condition and that its of good working order. This is also a good chance to spot any leaks which will affect your car’s ability to brake. We’d also recommend booking a brake fluid flush every 2 years or 20,000 miles to ensure it’s clean and effective for braking safely. Your own car manual will also advise of when and how often your make and model should have this done to keep it running to manufacture’s spec.

If you feel a change in your decreasing power, sudden changes in braking, noises when braking or the ABS light comes on, it may be time for a brake fluid flush. Or at the least, booking in for a check to diagnose the issue. Again, loss of brakes and poor braking could effect the safety of your car. If you have any worries or concerns about your brake fluid or brakes, please get in touch by leaving a message below or calling us in the office. Remember, we are a Pagid/ IMI Professionally Accredited Brake Specialist so you can be assured your car is in safe hands.

Maitland Motors: Brake Specialists

Maitland Motors – Pagid/IMI Professionally Accredited Brake Specialist.