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#tipthursday Save money in the long run by servicing your vehicle

The benifits of serving your vehicle reguarly and how it can help save you money.

Booking your service can often seem like an unnecessary expense, especially at the moment with the rising costs of living. However, by following your service schedule as much as possible, you will help to reduce future vehicle repairs and maintenance costs.

Benefits of servicing your vehicle regularly inc,

  • It helps your car run effectively and efficiently, saving on fuel and maintenance costs.
  • Prolongs the lifespan of your car.
  • Prevention of parts failing and further, more costly repairs.
  • It helps keep you safe and legal on the roads.
  • Less likely to break down saving on the costs of recovery & repairs.
  • A well maintained and cared for car will hold more of its value if you decide to sell.
Service your vehcile
Prevention is better (more cost-effective) than cure, especially when it comes to vehicles.

Estimated prices for your particular make and model of vehicle are available upon request. (Each and every vehicle is so different (amount of oil required, parts needed, etc, can all affect price), that we don’t advertise fixed prices.) If you have any questions about servicing or would like to book your vehicle in, call or email us.

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#tipthursday 3 tips to get your vehicle summer-ready

Our 3 top tips for summer vehicle care

As summer approaches and (fingers crossed) warmer, sunnier weather is on the way, it’s a great time to make sure your vehicle is good to go to make the most of it. Here are our top 3 tips that’ll help keep your vehicle in top condition for summer driving,

  • Book an air-con check/ service. AC services help to keep your air conditioning system working at its best. Over time the system won’t blow as cold air as it should, getting it serviced will help keep it efficient and maintained. A must for any staycation or travel plans during the warm summer months.
  • Book a FREE vehicle health check. A vehicle health check gives our mechanics the chance to give your car a really good overall inspection up on the ramp, and most importantly, all the safety components. Booking before any road trips or staycations will mean we can make sure your vehicle is safe for long drives.
  • Make sure your service schedule is up to date. By keeping up with your service schedule, you are effectively prolonging your vehicle’s lifespan, efficiency, economy and re-sell value. Making driving a lot more comfortable and lessening the likelihood of breakdowns or parts failing.

If you have any questions about how we can help get your vehicle summer-ready, just get in touch.

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#tipthursday Stay Cool and Book your AirCon Service

Be cool like this customer and book your aircon service.

With the warmer weather on the way, we’ve just had our first aircon service of the year. This is a great time to get your vehicle’s air condition check over to ensure it’s optimally working and keeping you cool, before the rush of summer holidays and stay-cations.

The guys are fully qualified having undertaken the Automotive Air Conditioning System Diagnosis course, so have the essential knowledge to service vehicle air conditioning systems. EU legislation requires all technicians who service, recharge and repair vehicle air conditioning to be certified to carry out this work. So you can be assured your car is in safe hands with us. You can find out more about the benefits of booking an Air Con service with Maitland Motors here.

If you have any questions or would like to book in, call or email the office.

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Happy Birthday to Us! We are 6!

A quick look back at some of our highlights from the past 6 years.

Time flies when you’re having fun and we are so proud to say that this week marks 6 years in business for Maitland Motors. From what started out as a 1 ramp unit with just Ross and his toolbox to the industrialist workshop you see today with our hardworking team of techs, we’ve come a long way in such a short time.

The 1st home of Maitland Motors

Over the past 6 years, we have welcomed 2 fully qualified and talented techs Dale & Jay, our future star, apprentice Sean and the Mrs herself joined the team to help with the running of the office. Ross and the team have also undertaken a huge list of training courses gaining qualifications in areas such as EV, Hybrid, Stop/Start to name a few and are constantly developing their skills and know-how to further improve the service we provide.

Our current workshop, Manse Lane, Burntisland.

Other highlights from the past 6 years include moving to a bigger, 3 ramp premises here on Manse Lane, joining The DPF Doctor network, becoming a Pagid/IMI Accredited Brake Specialist centre, joining The Good Garage Scheme (where you can read some of our fantastic top 5 feedback of the week reviews) and meeting industry-leading experts such as Andy Savva, Daren Darling and Steve Scott to name a few.

Ross with the Garage Inspector, Andy Savva

All of this has only been possible thanks to our amazing customers who constantly refer and leave us great feedback which helps us to grow and reach new people. So, a huge thank you to each and every one of our customers and supporters. Some of who have relied on Ross from as early back to when he was “doing homers” on his driveway in the rain & cold.

We also have to give a huge thanks to our fantastic and hard-working team, who are the backbone of our workshop and without them, wouldn’t have made it to this milestone. Thanks, team!!

As we grow and continue to make exciting plans to expand in the future, one thing has always remained the same – our aim to give our customers an honest, reliable service where they feel confident in trusting us to look after their vehicle using up to date knowledge and equipment. We are so excited to see where the next 6 years will take us.

The Maitland Motors Team
The Maitland Motors Team

For more info on how we can help you and your vehicle, please just get in touch.

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#tipthursday Book your service with Maitland Motors

Why you should keep up with your vehicle’s service schedule with Maitland Motors

Booking in for a service may feel like an expense that’s just not worth the time or money, however as we say here at Maitland Motors, prevention is always better than cure. By keeping up with your service schedule, you are effectively prolonging your vehicle’s lifespan, efficiency, economy and re-sell value.

Skipping on services can affect how well the vehicle performs, resulting in very costly repairs. We had a 5-year-old car in the workshop that had never been serviced. Upon inspection, below is the condition we found the oil sump in; completely congealed with oil. The repair for this is an expensive one; a whole new engine. At service, the old oil would have been drained out, and replaced with new oil alongside a Forte engine flush that would have removed a lot of contaminants within the oil filtration system. The oil has congealed like this due to dirt, contaminants and carbon build-up.

The oil sump of a 5-year-old vehicle, is completely congealed with oil.

Not forgetting all our services include OE quality and highly reputable parts from Mann Filters and Miller Oils. Also, we take the time to check over the rest of the vehicle for any possible safety issues/ concerns so, you are fully aware of the current condition of your vehicle.

#tipthursday Maitland Motors
New Mann oil filter ready to replace the old one for a Ford Fiesta

For more info on the Importance of Servicing your Vehicle, check this previous post on our blog.

To book your service with Maitland Motors please just call the office or email us.

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#tipthursday Book a free brake check

We all know how important having healthy and fully working breaks are. You really want to drive your vehicle feeling 100% confident that if the worst was to happen, it’s going to keep you safe. If your brakes have started to feel different, make noises or have already started to fail, then we’d definitely recommend booking in for a brake check.

Maitland Motors: Pagid/ IMI Brake Specialists
Maitland Motors is proud to be Pagid/ IMI Brake Specialists, so you can be assured that we know about fitting good quality breaks.

Driving conditions, mileage, driving style and general wear and tear of such a used part of a vehicle can cause your brakes to deteriorate. So, getting them checked by a professional every so often will help to ensure your vehicle is well maintained and more importantly, safe to drive.

Checking the brakes is involved during our Free Vehicle Health Check where we visually check the suspension, levels, tyres, exhaust, battery health and lights. Our techs can then give you an overview of your vehicle’s health and a no-obligation quote of any works they recommend be carried out.

To make a booking, call our office on 01592 328848 between 9 am – 5 pm or email maitlandmotors@gamil.com.

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#tipthursday

Ever since paper MOT reminders in the post stopped, your MOT due date can be easy to forget. Here at Maitland Motors, we have a text MOT reminder service that reminders our customers of their due date however, you don’t need to wait for this date to get the test done.


You can have a test carried out a month minus a day in advance, and your test date won’t be affected.

For example, if your MOT due date was the 12th of March, you could have your test carried out any time from the 13th of February. Giving you more time to plan ahead and book in for a day that suits your schedule. We’d defo recommend making use of this extra time.


To sign up to our MOT reminder service we just need your name, reg and mobile number and at the end of the month prior to your MOT date, we’ll ping you a reminder with our contact details.


For more details, please call our office or send us an email.

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#tipthursday Book a Free Battery Health Check

This time of year the extremely cold and changeable weather can really affect your vehicle, especially its battery. You may even find yourself with a non-starter overnight just because the weather has taken a turn for the worse. 42% of all car breakdowns are caused by a failing battery, (battery failure is possible at any time of year,) if charging power is drained. Batteries naturally lose their charging capacity over time so, making sure your battery is in good condition is essential to keep your vehicle running effectively and efficiently.

Here at Maitland Motors, we check all batteries as part of our Free Vehicle Helth Check, Pre MOTs and Interim & Full Services.

We are proud to only fit industry-leading Varta batteries, who you can rely on all year round, being produced to OE spec, with 9 out of 10 manufacture’s fitting them.

If your battery is starting to let you down, book in for a Free Battery Health Check where we can use our up to date equipment to test and diagnose your battery issues.

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#tipthursday Help your vehicle pass its MOT

We believe prevention is better than cure here at Maitland Motors, which is especially true when it comes to your vehicle passing its MOT first time or not.

Here are a few easy checks you can do at home before dropping your vehicle in for MOT that could help achieve a first-time pass, avoiding waiting on re-tests and repairs.

Checks can include,

  • Is there water for your window screens?
  • Are your levels inc oil topped up to the correct level?
  • Do your wipers work correctly and keep the windows clean and clear?
  • Do all your bulbs work? (Inc indicators and fog light?)
  • How are your tyres looking? When was the last time you had them replaced? Are they inflated to the correct pressure?
  • Are all your seatbelts working and assessable?
  • Are there any warning lights illuminated on the dash?
  • Check your mirrors. Is there a clear view of the roads behind and around you?
  • How do your brakes feel? Do you hear any noises while braking? Are they less reactive than they once were?

If you do spot or feel that something might contribute to your vehicle failing, getting it booked in or making us aware of it before testing means our techs can address it quickly and efficiently. Also, you are without your vehicle for as short a time as possible and have a better idea of any costs involved beforehand.

If you’re unsure about doing this at home, we’d advise booking in for a Free Pre-MOT. Our trained and qualified techs can do it for you. Call or leave a comment below for more info or to book in here at Maitland Motors.

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#tipthursday Book a winter battery check with Maitland Motors

Did you know, the latest ADAC roadside assistance statistics show nearly 40% of all car breakdowns are a result of battery issues. Our technicians can give you an insight into the health of your battery with a FREE winter battery check, giving you peace of mind that you can rely on your battery this winter or if its time to replace it.

Your battery can be affected by age, only being used for short, irregular trips and a change of weather temperatures. Not forgetting the demands from modern vehicles, such as phone charging, seat heating and GPS.

Here at Maitland Motors, we can quickly check the health of your battery. We start by checking for corrosion on the terminals as well as the voltage output. Then we check the charging rate of your battery, providing a clear indication as to its condition or health. It also gives us the chance to spot any underlying battery faults before they become an issue. Our battery testers can check all batteries including those with stop/ start technology.

Maitland Motors are proud to fit Varta batteries who have over 130 years of experience in the industry. Along with a 3-year guarantee, we find them to be a great choice for your vehicle. (We are in no way endorsed or a partner with Varta, we just find they are the best choice on the market for our customers.)

To book a battery check, which is also part of our Free Vehicle Health Check, call our office or drop us an email.

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What is a DPF?

You may have noticed that Maitland Motors have become a part of The DPF Doctor network, but what does this mean for you? (If you drive a petrol vehicle then nothing. (Petrol vehicles are not fitted with a DPF, so you don’t need to worry.)  

Our diesel customers may have heard or have had issues with their DPF, so how can we help you? 

What is a DPF? 

Your DPF (diesel particulate filter)  helps limit the amount of pollution (soot) emitted from diesel vehicles entering our atmosphere, improving emissions. New Euro 5 exhaust emissions legislation made it mandatory for all diesel to be fitted with a DPF from 2009 onwards.  

The DPF works by carrying out a process called DPF Regeneration. DPF regeneration is when the excess soot, which has been trapped and collected by the DPF, is burnt off at a very high temperature. Burning is activated in 1 of 2 ways, Passive or Active

Passive DPF Regeneration is activated when the exhaust temperature is high enough so that the DPF can do its job of burning off the soot. These high temperatures only take place at speeds of at least 40 mph driven for at least 15 minutes. In other words, a nice long drive on the motorway should activate your DPFs passive regeneration without you having to do anything special. You could have issues with this if you tend to take short, slow, stop-start journeys when the vehicle doesn’t have the chance to get to a high enough temperature to activate the process. Factors that could also cause issues inc, lack of maintenance, wrong oil or driving on empty.  

Active DPF Regeneration is activated when the filter reaches 45% capacity (soot collected) and fuel is injected automatically. This increase in fuel makes the exhaust temperature rise so that it can then burn off the soot. Regeneration is activated on longer journeys, so again, if you tend to do low, slow miles, the DPF won’t have the chance to do its job. 

Looking after your DPF will save you costly repairs and help your diesel run safely and efficiently, new DPFs can cost at least £1000! So if you notice the DPF warning light is on, then taking your vehicle for a nice long drive may be all that’s needed to start the regeneration process (especially if you’ve been working from home or not travelling much). If your light is still on or it’s stating a full DPF it may be time for an expert in DPF care to inspect and diagnose the issues. 

Alongside the leading industry knowledge and products from our friends at The DPF Doctor, we can help keep your DPF running and doing its job. Firstly, we would be to carry out a DPF Assessment, which includes specific tests and measurements using our extensive training. This costs £75 + vat and you will be given a full report on the condition of your DPF and what the next steps (if needed) are to get your DPF running smoothly and efficiently again.  (All works advised are under no obligation.)

Please call or email our office with any questions or if you would like to book a DPF assessment. 

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Should I service my car?

Here at Maitland Motors, we understand that sometimes you have to priorities where and when you spend your money. Often, the family vehicle is near the bottom of those priorities; a birthday, new school shoes or an unexpected bill often needs paying first. However, keeping your vehicle maintained is a proactive way to prevent unexpected garage bills and can help the funds you do spend go further.


Following your manufacturer’s service schedule is an easy and effective way to get the most from your vehicle. (You’ll find this in your vehicle’s manual or your dash might pop up with a reminder.)

Why should I service my car?
Regular servicing ensures that essential parts (brakes, suspension, etc) are running efficiently and to your needs and requirements. The more miles you drive, the more you should expect parts to deteriorate due to wear and tear. It can also give our technicians the chance to spot and nip potential problems in the bud before they develop into an expensive, lengthy repair that otherwise could have been avoided. Regular servicing also helps the vehicle maintain its value price if you decide to resale.


My car passed its MOT, does it still need a service?
Your MOT is a legal requirement set out by the DVLA that checks the roadworthiness of a vehicle. To pass, it only needs to meet the minimum road safety and environmental standards. Some MOT checks will overlap with a service, however, not everything is checked such as testing the condition of your oil and filters. The main difference is your MOT ensures your car is safe at the time of testing, services are a maintenance measure to help prolong its lifespan, improve efficiency and lower economic costs.


Meaning if you want to save money in the long run, we would always recommend servicing your vehicle. Like we say here in the workshop, prevention is always better than cure. Especially, when it comes to cars!!
To help spread the cost of your service we also offer Payment Assist where you can spread the cost of your bill over 4 monthly payments, fee and interest-free. (Please ask for more details.)


To book a service here at Maitland Motors drop us an email or call our office. We always use OE quality parts on all services such as Millers Oil and Mann Filters. Your vehicle is also given a Free Health Check as standard, breaking down our findings & costs involved.

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#TIPTHURSDAY Do you know your vehicle’s preferred oil?

Did you know that each make and model of vehicle has a preferred oil as per the manufactures specifications?

Due to each make/ model being designed differently with individual stresses and strains to deal with on engine components. Manufacturers have designed the vehicle to work with oil of a certain grade and viscosity to help your engine cope.


It is vitally important that the correct engine oils are used, especially in modern engines to ensure engine longevity, better emissions, and prevent internal carbon build-up. Using the incorrect oil results in poor lubrication, affecting the performance of your engine, and incurring costly repairs.


Here at Maitland Motors, we are proud to work with leading industry expert, Miller Oils. They have a very handy search tool on their website where you can check which oil your vehicle is designed to take. (Click here to check now.) You just pop in your reg and it provides you with which product is best to use.

Otherwise, we are always more than happy to check and supply the correct oil for you and your vehicle.

Please share this post with friends and family or if you have any further questions just get in touch.

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#tipthursday Check your Discs & Pads

It’s essential to keep your brakes well maintained and in good working order to help ensure your vehicle is safe to dive. Discs and Pads are integral parts of your vehicle’s braking system and can last anywhere between 25,000 – 60,000 miles depending on driving style and the vehicle. (More info for your make & model can be found in your owner manual.)

New vs old brake pads, showing just how worn out they can get.

If you hear any noises while braking such as squealing, your vehicle is pulling to one side or any dash warnings come on, it may be time to get your Discs & Pads changed.

The good news is that Maitland Motors are a Pagid/IMI Professionally Accredited Brake Specialist and checking the condition of your brakes is something we do for FREE during our Vehicle Health Checks.

We are proud to work with industry experts, Pagid and only fit their brake Pads and Discs that come with a 25-month/25-thousand-mile guarantee.

If you have any questions about your breaks, call or email the office and we’d be happy to chat you through any solutions.

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#tipthursday What is wheel alignment and should I get it done?

Wheel alignment (also known as tracking) ensures that your wheels are sitting at the correct angles as per the manufacturer’s specifications for your vehicle. Over time, general use and wear & tear of your vehicle mean your wheels can become misaligned and inefficient. Every make & model has a slightly different alignment set up with manufacturers recommending that alignment is carried out every 8000 miles or every other year.


A sign of poor alignment is uneven tyre wear that can impact the handling, maintenance costs and most importantly, vehicle safety. Pulling to one side while driving is also another warning sign to look out for.

We use a handly bit of kit called a Laser Wheel Alignment Gauge which uses lasers to show us how straight your wheels are sitting.

Benefits of having properly aligned wheels are,

  • reduced tyre wear (meaning they’ll be more efficient and need replacing less often)
  • a smoother and safer drive
  • reduced fuel consumption (as the vehicle doesn’t have to work as hard to power forward)

If you would like us to check your wheel alignment please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling the office or sending an email.

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Maitland Motors: DPF Doctor

We have big and exciting news to share with you all, Maitland Motors have joined forces with leading industry experts, The DPF Doctor. This means that we will soon be DPF cleaning and repair specialists (after some training over the coming weeks). This will be especially useful knowledge and product base for customers who drive diesel vehicles fitted with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter).

A DPF helps to lower emissions by capturing and storing exhaust soot that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Legislation passed in 2009 made DPFs on diesel vehicles mandatory to help lower CO2 emissions. If your DPF is causing issues it may need further investigation, which is where the expertise from The DPF Doctor can save you time on the ramp and costly DPF repairs.

The DPF Doctor has more info on their own website about what we will be able to do when it comes to DPFs and have some great reviews from customers who have had issues resolved using their tried and tested specialist knowledge. Well known in the industry, we are very much looking forward to working with them and taking the garage into a more specialists area of vehicle repair and maintenance.

DPF Cleaning Kit

If you have any questions or would like to know more, just leave a comment below, call our office or send us an email.

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July Training for Maitland Motors

Maitland Motors have been back in the classroom gaining essential vehicle maintenance knowledge. We are passionate about training, development and staying up to date with the ever-changing automotive industry. What does this mean for you and your vehicle? Less time spent on the ramp diagnosing faults/ issues, expert knowledge and advice for newer makes and models and fully trained, knowledgable technicians working on your car. 

Pico Scope – Essential Training

Ross and Dale now understand the essential functions of the Picoscope. They can capture, save and analyse waveforms, as well as understand how to use these techniques during diagnosis. Picoscopes are a brilliant bit of kit which can help our technicians to identify small deviations on sensors signals, saved as fault codes. Knowing what these signals mean, helps to pinpoint where the issues are coming from quickly and efficiently.

Pico Scope – Advanced Training

Our technicians know how and when to apply advanced Pico Scope functions. They can use advanced tests and techniques for diagnostic scenarios where failures are intermittent or no fault codes are present. Additionally, the technicians will know how to capture and analyse waveforms using the Pico pressure transducer. Again, the guys now have the essential knowledge to get to the root of more complicated, in-depth issues. 

Ross and Dale with the trainer and other students.

Ross is in his element, learning about in-depth waveforms.

Bosch Introduction to Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

This course gave Ross and Dale a better understanding of the interconnectivity of modern safety systems and driver aids. With an overview of the various ADAS sensors and their application, they also learned about the KTS to carry out a comprehensive vehicle search of ADAS systems. They can use test equipment required for ADAS service tasks alongside the setup and calibration process of a modern ADAS sensor. 

Well done guys, improvements can already be seen in the workshop and getting to the route cause of faults and repairs with your expert knowledge. If you have any questions or would like to know more how our trianing can help you, call our office, DM us or email us.

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June Training for Maitland Motors

Recap of recent training for the Maitland Motors team.

The Maitland Motors team have been back in the classroom, expanding their vehicle inspection and diagnaosic knowledge. Here’s a quick look at what they’ve been learning and how it’ll benefit our customers.

We were very proud of Dale for passing the Braking Chassis Systems, ESP course with a 100% pass rate. Dale reported that it was a brilliant course, which focused on the inspection and repair of modern vehicle braking systems. Dale now has essential knowledge about the operation, maintenance and testing of electronically controlled braking systems, covering both Bosch and non-Bosch variants. The course includes the hydraulic actuation and electronic control of typical Anti-lock Braking Systems, and an introduction to Electronic Stability Control. Dale can now apply the correct procedures when carrying out service activities and diagnosis on these safety-critical systems. Meaning, a more efficient and effective inspection, then repairs of our customer’s vehicles with brake issues. Well done again, Dale!

Ross can also add Unit Injector System Diagnosis, to his vast list of qualifications. Ross now can carry out diagnostic testing skills on Bosch Unit Injection systems fitted to diesel passenger cars and light vans. The operation of the system sensors and hydraulic components was covered in-depth, along with vital information for the safe testing of components and correct fault diagnosis. Interpretation and analysis of the various system inputs and outputs are integral to a good diagnostic process. A series of tests were conducted using an oscilloscope, along with other Bosch test equipment for a variety of system diagnosis procedures. This knowledge will most defiantly help get to the root of issues for older, Volkswagon PD engines. These injections are unique to these types of engines, so more of a neich area of expertise but vauluable all the same. These engines are also used in some Landrovers and Mercedes.

Well done guys on your hard work which will only be of benifit to the workshop; helping to provide a more efficentient service with vehciles spending less diagnostic time on the ramp. If you have any questions or would like to know how the team’s training can help you and your vehicle, please leave a comment below.

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Top 3 reasons to book an Air Con Service

When was the last time your air conditioning system was serviced?

Restrictions are easing and better weather is on the way (fingers crossed), so road trips are on the cards again. Sitting in a hot, stuffy car is not fun so keep cool by making sure your Air Conditioning System is up for the job by booking in for an Air Con Service. Here are our top 3 reasons why,

  • AC services help to keep your air conditioning system working at its best. Over time the system won’t blow as cold air as it should, getting it serviced will help keep it efficient and maintained. A must for any staycation or travel plans during the warm summer months.
  • Helps to ensure the air in your vehicle is clean. If left, the air conditioning system can build up contaminants, which you can end up breathing in. This can also affect those with allergies.
  • Some of the more modern cars, such as hybrids may rely on the air conditioning system to cool the battery. Making sure the air conditioning is performing to its best will help to ensure the vehicle as a whole is well maintained. As we always say prevention is better than cure when it comes to vehicles and maintenance, such as an air conditioning service, will help prolong life span, limit wear and tear and maximum saleable value in the future.
An air con service in action on this Ford Fiesta.
An aircon service in action on this Ford Fiesta.

The guys are fully qualified and have undertaken the Automotive Air Conditioning System Diagnosis course, so have the essential knowledge to service vehicle air conditioning systems. EU legislation requires all technicians who service, recharge and repair vehicle air conditioning to be certified to carry out this work. So you can be assured your car is in safe hands with us.

We are currently in the process of expanding our air con capabilities by investing in an upgraded AC machine which will allow us to carry out service and repairs on vehicles with R123YF gas. 90% of vehicles from 2016 are fitted with this gas. If you are unsure which gas your vehicle is fitted with we can check before any work is carried out to ensure the correct procedures are carried out.

If you would like to know more about an air conditioning service or would like to book your vehicle in for one, please just get in touch by calling the office, DM us or leave a comment below.

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#tipthursday Book your service

Maitland Motors’ #tipthursday for this week: Book your service.

We recommend serving your car at least once a year depending on mileage, age and driving conditions. After the past few years, most of our vehicles have probably been stuck parked up or on driveways and, understandably, booking in for a service just hasn’t been a priority. With restrictions lifting and life getting “back to normal” a service will prepare your vehicle for the roads again, helping keep you safe, prolong the lifespan of your vehicle, and prevent further more costly repairs that lack of maintenance often cause. Pop on over to a recent post about the importance of servicing your vehicle here for more details. Having a full-service history also makes your vehicle more desirable and sellable if/when it comes to reselling.

If you have any questions or would like to know more, leave a comment below, email or call the office.

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April Training

Its been a busy month for the team with lots of training & learning.

During April, thanks to restrictions easing again, the team have been able to get back into the classroom. Both Ross and Dale have been working hard expanding their vehicle knowledge, and what with the industry rapidly changing all the time, this will only be of benefit to your vehicle. We’re especially keen to learn about new electric and hybrid cars, which is where the industry is headed. Courses have included:

Petrol Direct Injection System: System Diagnosis. The guys now have a good understanding of manifold fuel injection systems, looking at system variants, the components used, the operating modes and system diagnostics.

Advanced Braking . This course focused on more advanced arears of braking systems inc the Antilock Braking System, Electronic Stability Protection and Electronic Parking Brake.

Automotive Air Conditioning System Diagnosis.  The guys now have essential knowledge to service vehicle air conditioning systems. EU legislation requires all technicians who service, recharge and repair vehicle air conditioning to be certified to carry out this work.

Level 2 & 3 Award in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Routine Maintenance Activities & System Repair and Replacement. This course is specifically designed for Electrically propelled/ Hybrid vehicles, giving the guys an understanding of the construction, function and layout of these types of vehicles along with methods to ensure the systems are safe to work.

Dale also undertook Engine Management Diagnosis of Universal Components, giving Dale the skills and knowledge to test and diagnoses engine management systems more confidently.

We are making the most of being able to train again and are signed up for lots more training over the coming months. Well done guys on all your hard work which is already being implemented here in the workshop. Training will have an impact on our opening hours, so thanks to our customers for understanding in advance.

If you have any questions or would like to know more, please leave a comment below or email the office.

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Why book in with Maitland Motors?

Not just any old back street garage.

Here at Maitland Motors we understand why a new customer may be weary about bringing their vehicle to us, the trade has such a poor reputation which is ingrained by bad or unsatisfactory past experiences. We are dedicated to fight against this view of the trade by offering a great service at good prices by technicians you can trust. Here are a few examples of how we are actively putting you and your car first.

Approved by The Good Garage Scheme. The Good Garage Scheme aims to improve the standards of of the automotive industry with garages associated adhering to a 10 point code of conduct. We are very proud to have been in the top 5 of garages of the week three times and of the brilliant feedback our customers leave us through their feedback forms.

Ross proudly showing off out most recent Top 5 Feedback of the Week certificate from The Good Garage Scheme.

Pagid IMI Professionally Accredited Break Specialist. We are recognised by industry leaders in brakes as a specialist. Pagid brakes are OE quality, come with a 25 months/25Thousand mile guarantee and are great value for money. We only use good quality parts for all repairs.

Maitland Motors: Pagid/ IMI Professionally Accredited Brake Specialists.
Proud to fit the best for our customers.

Continual Training and Development. The industry is rapidly changing with new and exciting innovation. Our team is dedicated to keep up to date with these changes and implement them in our workshop and office, so training and development is a big part of this. Ross and Dale have been on a number of courses and are signed up for more. Christine has also been studying part time for her PDA in book-keeping and also has industry course to look forward shortly. Our apprentice, Saun is continuing to work hard towards becoming a fully qualified technician. This is defiantly a team effort that will mean that our customer experience is always improving with our growing knowledge base.

Happy 5th birthday Maitland Motors
Ross and the team here at Maitland Motors.

Brilliant Feedback across different platforms. You can read our feedback across Google, Facebook and The Good Garage Scheme. It always makes our day to hear that our customers have had a good experience with us.

Over 20 years of experience in the trade. Ross has been in the automotive trade since starting his apprenticeship back in 1999 and with that a whole wealth of experience and knowledge with many different makes and models of vehicles. He finished top of his class winning apprentice of the year and from there has worked in all shapes and sizes of garages, using his expertise to go on and open his own garage. Our mechanic Dale also has a vast knowledge of the industry, and like Ross is keen to keep moving with the times.

In our previous post, we share a few of the processes we have in place to help make booking in with us as stress and hassle free as possible. Such as a Free Vehicle Health Check and Payment Assist, click here for more details. We would love to welcome you and see for yourself just how dedicated we are to providing a great and trustworthy service.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about how we can help you and your vehicle, call our office, email us or leave a comment below.

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#tipthursday Follow Our Basic Vehicle Maintenance Schedule

Follow our basic vehicle maintenance to help get the best from your car.

Here at Maitland Motors, we believe that maintaining your car is the most effective way to get the most from it. Following our basic maintenance schedule will help keep your car performing at its best and more importantly, safe on the roads.

Your Basic Car Maintenance Schedule by Maitland Motors

Full Service – 6 months prior MOT (This will depend on when you last had a full service, it may just need an interim. We can check beforehand and advise on the appropriate service required.)

Free Vehicle Health Check – 3 months prior to MOT

Pre-MOT 1 month before MOT

MOT (sign up for our reminder text service)

We recommend following this as a minimum depending on your mileage and how you drive. Most car manuals will have details of your make/model’s service schedule as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.

If you have any questions or would like to book in for a Service, Free Vehicle Health Check, Pre-MOT or MOT then call us in the office, email us or leave a comment below.

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#tipthursday Get knocks, bangs and squeaks checked

With restrictions easing, cars that have mostly been stuck on the driveways or parked up will be driven more again. However, being stationary for long periods of time can also cause issues for your car. If you’ve started using your car more and hear any unusual knocks, bangs, grinding or squeaks get booked into before a small issue grows into a much bigger, expensive ones.
Christine has been on furlough most of this year so wasn’t using the car much. Once she was back on school runs and in & out of Burntisland she noticed a banging noise (like a water bottle rolling around in the boot) which after inspection ended up being the rear axle bushes. Leaving that any longer, excessive movement in the bush would cause wayward movement in the axle and potentially losing grip especially when cornering. With 2 young kids in the back every day, its defiantly not worth the risk of ignoring.

If you do hear any unusual noises while driving we offer a Free Vehicle Health Check where we get your car up on the ramp and visually inspect the condition of your car. Once we’ve had a good look we’ll give you a brake down of any issues or causes for the noises including an estimate of the costs involved for repairing. From here you can make an informed decision as to what work you’d like carried out and be fully aware of the current condition of your car.

For more information call our office, email us or leave a comment below.

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Maitland Motors, Here to Help

How we can help making maintaining your car easier

We understand here at Maitland Motors, that looking after your car can be an added hassle and stress. That’s why we’ve put in place a few processes to help make maintaining your car that little bit easier.

Payment Assist. Payment Assist is a easy way to spread the cost for your vehicle repair & maintenance bill. Payment is split over 4 monthly payments interest and fee free making any larger or unexpected repair bills a bit more manageable. For more details we have a recent post here. (T&Cs apply. Please let us know in advance of any works being carried out that you plan to pay via Payment Assist so we can get the process in place in time for collecting your car.)

Payment Assist with Maitland Motors
Spread the cost of your repair and maintenance bills with Payment Assist .

Courtesy Car. Sometimes its just not possible to be without your car what with work or school run commitments, especially if your car is in for a few days on big or unexpected repairs. Hiring our courtesy car can help at just £10 a day. (T&Cs apply, please ask for more details.)

Free Vehicle Health Check. Been a while since your car last saw a mechanic? Book in for a Free Vehicle Health Check where we’ll visually inspect the condition of your car, giving you peace of mind that its safe or making you aware of any repairs or issues.

A Free Vehicle Health Check will give you a no obligation overview of your car.

Pick Up & Drop Off Service. We offer a limited Pick Up and Drop Off Service where we come collect your vehicle from your home or place of work in the morning for repairs or services in the workshop, then drop it back with you the evening works have been completed. Saving you having to arrange getting your car to us and getting home again. (Due to the pandemic we unfortunately don’t have a waiting area for customers.)

Good Quality OE Parts and Oil. We believe prevention is better that cure here at Maitland Motors, and a big part of that is using good quality parts and oil. They will last you longer, perform better and often come with good guarantees, giving you better value for money. After years or experience in the trade, we use trusted brands such as Mann Filters, Pagid brakes, Varta Batteries and Forte engine treatments. Not to forget we are Pagid/IMI Professional Braking Specialist.

Proud to fit Pagid here at Maitland Motors
Pagid brakes come with a 25 months/ 25 thousand mile guarantee which many other manufactures don’t.

MOTs can be easy to forget, especially since the DVLA stopped sending reminders. Sign up to our text reminder service where we’ll remind you to get booked in and avoid missing your due date. We only need your reg and mobile number to set this up.

We hope that your experience here at Maitland Motors is as smooth and hassle free as possible but if there is anything further you feel we could put in place, then please just let us know. Customer feedback is really useful in helping us grow and improve our service. If you’d like to book in and use any of the services above, call our office, email us or leave a message below.

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#tipthursday Check your MOT due date

A year after the MOT lockdown extension be sure to double check if yours is due

Its been a year since MOTs due between 30th March 2020 and 31st July 2020 were given a 6 month extension due to the Covid pandemic. The automatic 6 months extension was put in place to help limit the need to leave your home.

With everything else the last year has thrown at us, forgetting your MOT date can be very easily done however, due to the extension, there could cars on the roads with extremely lapsed MOTs. Be sure double check yours and booking in asap if due. Other than hefty fines and breaches to your insurance policy you could be driving an unsafe, un-road worthy car. Checking is easy by visiting the gov website and entering your reg or we’d be happy to check for you here in the office.

If you have any questions about when your MOT is due or would like to book in, call our office, send us an email or leave a comment below.

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The importance of servicing your vehicle

The benefits of servicing your car regularly from Maitland Motors.

Servicing your car can seem like an unnecessary expense sometimes, it passed its MOT, and it’s fine… However, here at Maitland Motors we always say prevention is better than cure and sticking to your service schedule as much as possible will really benefit you and your car in the long run.

What happens if you don’t service your car?

Over time preventable repairs will sooner or later be needed if the bare minimum you do is MOT your vehicle. Many of which may cost you more than servicing and general maintenance would have in the first place.

Congealed oil in an oil sump.

We recently had a 5-year-old car in the workshop that hadn’t been serviced in a while. Upon inspection, this is the condition we found the oil sump, completely congealed with oil. The repair for this is an expensive one; a whole new engine. At service, the old oil would have been drained out, and replaced with new oil and an engine flush would have removed a lot of contaminants within the oil filtration system. The oil has congealed like this due to dirt, contaminants and carbon build-up.

Benefits of Regular Services

  • Helps your car run effectively and efficiently, saving on fuel and maintenance costs.
  • Prolongs the lifespan of your car.
  • Prevention of parts failing and further, more costly repairs.
  • Helps keep you safe and legal on the roads.
  • Less likely to break down saving on the costs of recovery & repairs.
  • A well maintained and cared for car will hold more of its value if you ever decide to sell.

What’s the difference between an Interim and Full Service?

We mostly carry out 2 types of services; an Interim Service and a Full Service. Depending on mileage/ age/ budget/time since the last service, an Interim Service may be all your car needs to keep it ticking over. If it’s been a while, or your car hits a particular mileage/ age, then it may be time for a Full Service. Your owner’s manual will have a service schedule designed to get the most out of your own particular make/model of car. Also, most modern vehicles will remind you it’s time for a service with a service dashboard warning light.

Interim Service from Maitland Motors
All oil and filters we use at services are OE spec and won’t affect any warranties.
Full Service from Maitland Motors
We also have a limited pickup and drop off service, ask for more details. T&Cs apply.

Estimated prices for your particular make and model of vehicle are available upon request as each and every car is so different (amount of oil required, parts needed, etc, can all affect price), we don’t advertise fixed prices. If you have any questions about servicing or would like to book your car in, call the office, email us or leave a comment below.

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#tipthursday Book in for a Free Vehicle Health Check

With restrictions easing again, hopefully we’ll all be able to get out and about a bit more soon. Make sure your car is ready for venturing further a field by booking in for a Free Vehicle Health Chick.

Most cars probably haven’t moved much over the past few months/year which can mean seized parts, dead batteries or flat tyres. At a Vehicle Health Check we’ll get your car up on the ramp to visually check all areas of your car, giving you a better of its condition. Areas inc,

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

After checks have been carried out we can advise you of the condition of your car and if there’s anything that is a cause 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 due or more importantly, they cause any safety concerns. We can arrange a quote for any works and take it from there.

Give yourself piece of mind that your car is ready for the roads again. For more information or to book in, call the office, send us an email or leave a comment below.

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Happy 5th Birthday Maitland Motors

We celebrate 5 years after we first we opened our workshop doors.

With lockdowns, a worldwide pandemic and a busy workshop we unfortunately let our 5th birthday pass us by without any celebration, so this post is very much long over due. Maitland Motors has been in business for 5 years! Going from just Ross, his tools and a ramp, to a small team behind him, a bigger premises and still growing all the time.

Happy 5th birthday Maitland Motors
Becoming apart of the Good Garage Scheme, just one of our achievements over the past 5 years.

Ross started the business on a mission to deliver a great service at affordable prices while being an open, honest and reliable mechanic. (Something in an industry with a poor reputation, is already an uphill battle.) After years of working for others, from independent garages to the big dealerships, Ross was able to take what he learnt and focus on what he felt made a good garage. Such as always using good, quality parts and processes which make the time with your car efficient and productive. Likewise, being your own boss means that aspects you don’t like or agree with, you can leave behind.

Maitland Motors’ 1st home and where it all started 5 years ago.

Of course, no business would be a business without its customers, so we would like to say a massive thank you to all our customers and supporters who have helped us grow and get to our 5th birthday. A lot of whom have been bringing their cars to us since the early days and for that we are very grateful. Especially over this past year which has been full of so much uncertainty for all small and independent business we have still been able to keep our doors open and fill our diary thanks to you guys.

Our current 3 ramped premises on Manse Lane, Burntisland.

Maitland Motors has come such a long way over the past 5 years and we have lots of exciting plans in pipeline to help make your experience with us even better.

To book in for all your car care needs and repairs, call the office on 01592 328848, email us at maitlandmotors@gmail.co.uk or leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you asap.

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Maitland Motor’s Top 5 Blog Posts

Our blog is one year old!! To celebrate, we thought it would be fun to look back and see which of our posts you liked the best. Here are our top 5 blog posts from the last year…

  1. #tipthursday – Check you Tyre Pressure Regularly. Why keeping your tyres pumped up to manufactures’ recommended PSI is important.
  2. #tipthursday – Check your Windows and Wipers Regularly. One we can all do at home, why keeping an eye on your windows and wipers will help staying safe on the roads.
  3. When should you visit Maitland Motors? A few scenarios when it would be beneficial to book your car in and get in checked.
  4. My MOT was due during the lockdown extension. What now? Advise on what to do if your MOT was due during lockdown 1 and was extended.
  5. Getting the best from your Suspension. How best to look after your suspension.

We hope you enjoy reading our blog and find it as a source of advice, hints and tips and more importantly an insight to behind the scenes of our garage. Being open and honest with our customers is very important to us and we feel that the more you know about car care and maintenance the better for every car that comes to us. That being said, there is always room for improvement, so is there anything you’d like to see more or less of on the blog? Do you have any car related questions that we could turn into a post? We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas, just leave them in the comments below or send us an email.

Thanks to all our readers and customers who have taken the time to read our blog over the past year.

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Looking after your car in Lockdown

With most car owners working from home or home-schooling at the moment, their car is most probably sitting on the drive the most of the time just now. This is great for saving on fuel costs and environmental factors, however an unused car can cause have some issues when you return to more regular driving.

Here are a few tips to help maintain your car during lockdown and in a safe condition to dive in case of emergencies.

  • Start your car at least once a week and let it run for 10 – 15 mins. This will help keep your battery charged. (Turning the air con on while you do this will help keep air flowing freely.)
  • Keep an eye on tyres going flat; sitting too long in the same position can affect your tyres. If you notice a slow puncture, pump your tyres back to the manufacture’s recommended PSI. (More on this on a previous post here.)
  • Beware of rust! Brakes, valves and cylinders can all become rusty without use which will effect their effectiveness . A quick once around the block every week will help keep parts freed off of rust. Listen out for any knocks, bangs, squeaks or changes in performance. If you hear anything or notice any changes, they could be an indicator that your car may need further TLC from a professional, before it escalates into a bigger, more serious problem for your car.

We also have more info on checks you can do at home yourself here. These checks can help keep your car in a good, driveable condition.

Unlike lockdown 1, there are no MOT extensions, so if yours is due in the coming weeks or months you will still be required by law to have this carried out. Doing so will help keep you safe and legal in your car, and also means that when restrictions are lifted again your car will be ready. If you are driving without an MOT you could face some hefty fines and more worryingly driving an unsafe car.

If you have any questions or concerns about your car during lockdown, then don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can get you booked in for a Free Vehicle Health Check.

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Festive Opening Hours for Maitland Motors

We are taking some much deserved time off over the coming weeks to relax and spend with our families. You can see our opening hours below. We’d also like to wish our fantastic customers and supporters a very Merry Christmas and hope its as festive as possible all things considered. We are already taking bookings for 2021, so if you’d like to make a booking for any of your vehicle needs call the office, leave a comment below or email us – maitlandmotors@gmail.com. Now, to eat, drink and be merry! Merry Christmas!

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December Training for Maitland Motors

Last week Ross travelled down to Newcastle to undertake training with automotive industry expect, Andy Savva, The Garage Inspector. This was a brilliant opportunity for inspiration, support and more importantly, advice on how we can improve our service and the garage.

Ross on training with Addy Savva
Ross getting a selfie with Addy Savva

The two day course was jammed packed with info from a fellow technician who’s been in Ross shoes, starting and running his own successful independent car garage from starch . Ross came back to the workshop buzzing and bursting with ideas that, once implemented, will streamline our service, improve garage efficiency and give you a much more professional experience with Maitland Motors.

Ross’ 3 top take aways from the course were:

  • Communication is key. From initial booking in with us gaining as much information as possible from you, to then relaying it to Dale and Saun in the workshop, to contacting our valued customers with updates, prices and managing expectations.
  • Knowing our strengths and weakness. So that on the rare occasion that a car requires knowledge or tools we don’t process, recommending other trusted members of trade who can get the job done quicker.
  • Customers are the most valuable part of the our business, without there’d be no Maitland Motors and is why we want to better our self and offerings.

Well done Ross on gaining 4 new certificates including, Effective Leadership & Quality Management Essentials, Financial Understanding Essentials for the Garage Business, Marketing Essentials for the Garage Business and Customer Excellence & Reception Management Essentials.

We strive to offer excellent customer service and feel it helps to sets us apart from other small, independent garages. Watch this space for loads improvements coming in time for 2021.

If you have any questions and would like to know more about how Maitland Motors can help you and your vehicle, call the office or leave a comment below.

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When should you visit Maitland Motors?

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times here at Maitland Motors – “Prevention is always better than cure, especially when it comes to cars”. A few ways to ensure your car is running effectively, legally and more importantly safely is by keeping up to date with your car’s service schedule, getting any knocks, bangs or squeaks checked and being MOT ready.

Yearly Service. Your service schedule can be found in your own car’s manual where it will detail exactly when your make & model should be looked at, this is often age/ mileage dependant. Some times your car will require a full service, but the next visit it may just need an oil and filter change. By following this, it will help keep your car running to manufacture’s spec, prolong the many different parts of your car (meaning less repairs, less often), and nip any potential unknown issues in the bud. We’ve also put together a basic yearly schedule when you ideally should see us.

Your Basic Car Maintenance Schedule
Basic Yearly Maintenance from Maitland Motors

Get Noises Checked as soon as they start. Most of our common repairs that come from noises being checked are drop-links, track rod ends and ball joints. Nipping them in the bud stops the repair developing into far more serious issues, which will be more expensive to repair. Squeals could also mean your brakes are needing checked. If your car is making new and unusual noises, it may be a good chance to book in for a FREE Vehicle Health Check at the same time and get your car as a whole looked over.

Get MOT ready. (Especially if your car was given a Lockdown extension as it could be 18 months since your car last saw a technician.) Booking in prior to your MOT means we can spot and repair any potential MOT fails. Saving you time, money and being without your car for any retests.

To help take some of the stress away from car care and maintenance, we also offer a (limited) Pick Up and Collect Service from your home or place of work and Payment Assist where you can split your bill fee and interest free for any unexpected repairs (very handy at this time of year). Ask for more details when booking.

If you have any questions or would like to book in for a Service, Health Check or Pre-MOT then please email us or call the office. Ross and the team are always happy to help.

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5 reasons to book your car into Maitland Motors

At Maitland Motors, we are commit to proving wrong the poor reputation that the auto repair industry has. Below are reasons why you can trust that your car is in good hands with Ross and our team.

  1. Highly rated and recommended. We have many fantastic customer reviews where you can see for yourself what our customers think of us. Being members of the Good Garage Scheme, we have been awarded feedback of the week twice and are highly rated on both Facebook and Google. Most people come to us after being recommended by friends or family, which to us, is the highest form of good feedback when someone outside the garage gives us their recommendation.
  2. Try before you buy. We offer a, no obligation, Free Vehicle Health Check where you can try before you buy. This is when we get your car up on a ramp and visually inspect it for any obvious maintenance, repairs or issues. This gives you the chance to come meet us, see where the garage is and ask any questions you might have. When it comes to the bill, all our estimates and invoices come broken down so you know exactly what you are paying for. If your car is booked in with us and any additional work is needed or the job is going to cost more than previously advised we will seek out your authority before going ahead, giving you a full breakdown of what’s involved, the benefits and costs. We aim to be open and honest when it comes to pricing and charging our work.
  3. Experience and knowledge. With over 21 years of experience in the trade, Ross is very knowledgeable when it comes to looking after your car. His CV includes working with the big dealers to independent garages giving him in-depth and various experience of the industry. He also qualified at the top of his class winning apprentice of the year with Fife College and is still very aware that educating himself is key to improving our customer service. In an industry that is rapidly changing Ross is still going on training courses to help keep up with the advancing technologies, repair procedures and innovating tools. Alongside Ross, the Maitland Motors team is very hardworking and committed to repairing your car to a high standard with our very talented technician Dale and our up and coming apprentice, Saun. Maitland Motors itself is fast approaching 5 years in business growing from a 1 ramp unit to a much bigger workshop with 3 members of staff in that time. We have lots of exciting plans for the future to help offer our customers an even better, productive, and modern service.
  4. We only fit OE quality parts. We feel very strongly about using good OE quality parts. When it comes to cars prevention is better than cure and by using quality parts over cheaper ones, you’ll find you’re replacing the same parts less often. They often come with better guarantees and are more reliable. We are proud to be a Pagid/IMI Professionally Accredited Brake Specialist (who offer a 25 months/ 25,000 mile guarantee on their pads and discs) and are also proud to use brands such as Mann, Shell and Forte.
  5. We are here to help you. Which is why we offer a limited pick up and drop off service from your home or place of work. Spread the cost of your bill, fee and interest free with payment plans from Payment Assist. We also offer a Maitland Motors courtesy car which you can rent from a few hours to a few days to help you go about your daily life while your car is in with us. Call the office for more details.

If you have any questions about booking in and how we can help look after your car, DM us, leave a comment below or call Christine in the office.

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#tipthursday Fill up with good quality fuel

Not all fuel is created equal.

Where you fill up can have an effect on your car’s fuel consumption, performance and running costs. Branded fuel such as Shell and Esso are more expensive at the pump, however you essentially get what you pay for. These fuels come with additional additives to help your car run smother, increases its fuel economy and even help to reduce exhaust emissions. So, by using better quality fuel you should find you’re visiting the petrol station less often compared to filling up with unbranded fuel.

All fuel sold in the UK has to adhere to legal standards so where ever you chose to fill up, it won’t do any actual damage to your car.

As always, if you have any questions for us here at Maitland Motors, please leave a comment below.

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Why its important to keep your screen wash topped up

This time of year with all the salt and muck on the road, you’ve probably already noticed your windscreen is getting dirtier quicker. Therefore it’s more important than normal to ensure your screen wash levels and dilution are at optimum levels for your make and model of car.

Ensuring this will allow you to clean your windscreen more regularly and with better effect, keeping a clear view of the road ahead. Screen wash and other levels are advised to be checked weekly, but at this time of year with more use, we advise checking/ topping up every couple of days. We also advise keeping a bottle of water in your car in case of emergencies. You’ll find the screen wash by popping your bonnet and looking for a cap with a symbol that looks like the image below. You can also double check in your owners manual which will show you exactly where it’s located.

An example of what to look for when topping up your screen wash.

Normal dilution of screen wash is approximately 50/50 between the screen wash soliton in the bottle and normal water, although with colder months ahead, we recommend a stronger mix of approximately 75/25 screen wash to water. This can help prevention of the screen wash freezing in the bottle, pipes and jets. We strongly discourage the use of boiling water on cold mornings when the windscreen is frozen as the extreme change in temperature can cause the glass to crack.

Here at Maitland Motors we’d recommend using a solution of 75/ 25 screen wash to water in the winter months.

If you have any questions or concerns about using screen wash or topping up your levels, then just leave a comment below or call us in the office.

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#tipthursday Check your Advisories

This week’s tip from Maitland Motors, Check your MOT Advisories.

Your vehicle has been in for a MOT and has passed, happy days! However, be sure to check if any advisory repairs have been noted by the MOT tester. These issues or repairs should be seen to in the near future to ensure the continued safe and sound running of your vehicle. The wear and tear that vehicles are constantly under mean that just because your vehicle has passed its MOT it may still need maintenance work carried out.

The good thing about knowing any advisories is that you can plan ahead, booking in for any works when its convenient time wise and financially.

Any MOTs carried out with us, we’ll let you know of any advisories when you pick your car up. We can also put a no-obligation, quote together to give you an idea of the costs involved. As we always say, prevention is better than cure, especially when it comes to cars. Nipping a repair inn the bud sooner rather than later will save you money in the long run and, more importantly, help keep your car safe on the road until your next MOT.

If you have any questions please leave a comment below, call the office or send us a message.

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Getting the best from your Suspension

Your suspension system works to keep you on the road and ensure your car handles many different driving conditions and surfaces safely. The suspension includes many individual parts of your car, so nipping any potential issues in the bud and keeping up with maintenance will help prolong your suspension and save on very costly repairs.

Parts of your suspension system include – Shock Absorbers, Springs, Wishbones, Antiroll Bar, Mounts & Bushes.

Things to keep in mind to help prolong your suspension:

  • avoiding pot holes and bumping up curbs,
  • taking speedbumps slowly,
  • being aware of the condition of the road,
  • ensuring your tyres are at the correct pressure which will lessen the impact on your suspension,
  • fitting good quality parts helps massively. Outlasting cheaper ones and providing a better handling and a more comfortable drive,
  • ensuring your wheel alignment it set up properly,
  • following your make and model’s maintenance schedule and general care of your car (eg yearly service, pre-mot, getting any knocks or banging noises checked asap.)
Good quality parts will last longer so you’ll get more value for your money.

If your car’s suspension is not operating to its best then you’ll find your car may handle the road poorly, pull to one side, is sitting low, is making noises or your tyres are wearing unevenly. If you have any concerns we’d recommend booking in with a technician asap: ignoring minor repairs can soon turn into large costly ones where you could be without your car for some time, and more worryingly, driving an unsafe car. Issues with your suspension is also a MOT fail.

A very broken spring compared to a new one. Getting nocks & bangs checked will help prevent such damage from occurring.

If you have any concerns about your suspension then leave a comment below or call the office. We offer a Free Vehicle Health Check where we will check all areas of your suspension and give you a full report of the condition of your car.

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#tipthursday Check your oil levels

#tipthursday from Maitland Motors this week is check your oil levels regularly. Your car runs smoothly and effectively thanks to serval different fluids which ensure correct lubrication of eternal parts, the most important being your oil. Oil levels being too low or over-filled can cause issues for your car, and in worst case scenarios, result in costly and timely repairs.

You can check your oil level by popping the botnet and looking for this sign. (It looks like a oil can.)

#tipthursday from Maitland Motors

If you’re still unsure, your owners manual will advise of where to look exactly, how much oil is optimal and the preferred oil. To use the dipstick, wipe it with an old cloth first then replace before checking it to see where your oil levels are sitting. You will see a minimum and maximum line; your levels should be near the maximum. If its low or below the minimum, top it up accordingly asap. A low reading could also indicate a leak or your car is burning oil. Keep an eye on this and if you find you are going through oil quickly, book your car in with a technician for a check.

The Dipstick can be seen with the orange handle. Just pull that out, wipe, replace and you’ll be able to see where your oil level is.

Other levels to ensure are correct are:

  • Coolant
  • Power Steering Fluid
  • Brake Fluid
  • Transmission Fluid

We check all levels as part of our Free Vehicle Health Check if you’re unsure how to do it yourself. Any questions or would like to book in with Maitland Motors, just leave a comment below and we’ll get back to asap.

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Common Dashboard Warning Lights

Automotive technology has rapidly developed over the past few years, with more sensors and computerised elements used now in vehicles than ever before. Essentially, our cars are evolving into computers that we can drive. One way these sensors tell us something is wrong is by triggering a dashboard warning light. Here is a quick look at some of the most common warning lights we see here in the Maitland Motors workshop and what they mean for your car.

Engine Management Light
This light indicates there could be an issue with your engine. These issues could range from simple repairs such as replacing spark plugs to more serious problems which could result in a damaged engine. Ignition coils, Lambda sensors or DPF faults, to name a few, could also be the reason behind your EML being on. If this light is on at the time of an MOT, your car will fail straight away.

Engine Management Light Example

Service Light
This light is mainly designed as a reminder to check your car’s levels and annual maintenance. This could be as simple as an oil and filter change, or a more in-depth service depending on how you drive and how many miles you’ve driven since your last service. Your owners manual will detail age/mileage when certain repairs will be due to ensure your car performs to its best and up to spec. (We have a basic car maintenance secluded here to help keep you right; prevention is always better than cure.)

ABS
This light means there are issues with your Anti-Lock Braking System and its been disabled. The ABS is a safety feature to help stop your brakes from completely locking up if you have to brake suddenly or in an emergency. If this does happen without ABS then you won’t be able to steer your car which can be very dangerous especially when avoiding an accident. Repairs that may affect the ABS include a faulty wheel sensor, wiring issue or a faulty ABS-ring.

ABS warning light example

Tyre Pressure Monitoring
This light means there is an issue with the TPMS system or that at least one tyre has low pressure. To help with this, ensure all your tyres are at the correct pressure. (We have a previous #tipthursday here for more details.) If the light is still present even if your tyres are at the correct pressure, then further investigation is required by technician.

Tyre Pressure Monitoring light example.

Traction Control
Traction control is another safety feature which helps to reduce/ prevent wheel spin, meaning you stay in control of the car in an emergency or wet/slippery driving situations. When this light is on, your traction control won’t work and it’s much more likely you could lose control of your car. This is also an MOT failure, so not one to ignore.

Traction Control light example

Also be mindful of the warning light colour, which indicates the seriousness of the issues. Red lights mean you should not drive your car as there is a serious problem and it may be unsafe to drive. Amber means you need to check your car asap, and green is everything is as it should be.

Dashboard warning lights examples. There are loads more than what we’ve mentioned here.

We’d always recommend booking in with a garage to get any warning lights checked sooner rather than later. Most garages will have specialist equipment they can plug into the car which will tell the technician the fault code and where the issue lies. Sometimes further investigation is needed for more in-depth/ complicated repairs.

If you have any questions about dashboard warning light or would like to book in with Maitland Motors, then just leave a comment below or call our office.

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#tipthursday from Maitland Motors: Check when your MOT is due

Almost every aspect of life has been effected by Covid, including the servicing and maintenance of our cars. Many people were automatically given a MOT extension at the height of lockdown. These extended MOTs are now due or overdue, which is why we’d recommend double checking yours to avoid fines and more importantly, driving a unroadworthy car.

Its really straightforward to check on the Gov website and we also have more info on a recent blog post. All the extra MOTs on top of regular MOTs for this time of year mean that garages are more busy than normal, so be sure to get booked in sooner rather than later.

If you have any questions or would like to book your MOT with Maitland Motors, leave a comment below of call the office.

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Winter Checks You Can Do At Home

The clock changing means we’ll be driving a lot more in the dark, along with winter weather on the way, now is a good time to give your car a check over. We’ve put together a few easy checks you can do at home to help make sure your car is safe and ready for adverse driving conditions.

Lights
Ask someone to check that all your lights are working as you turn each one on and off including your indicators, headlights and brake lights. Replacing bulbs is quick and cheap but essential in keeping you and other drivers safe. We have a #tipthursday with more details.

Brakes
Check your brake fluid levels. If it’s low, top it up asap as this will affect the efficiency and safety of your brakes. Also, check your car’s manual to see when/if a brake fluid change is due. Visually inspect your brake discs. If there is a lot of corrosion, this can be a sign it’s time to replace them. We do advise as good general car maintenance to replace your discs & pads every 2 years. Any noises, judders, or sudden changes while driving may mean your brakes are needing to be checked over and there could be an issue with them.

Tyres
Give your tyres a good look over and inspect for any cracks, tears, bulges and wear. Ensure the tyre pressure is correct for your car, we have more on this here. Tyres that are in poor condition can affect your handling of the car, stopping distance and can make your car unsafe to drive.

Wipers & Windows
Checking your wipers and windows is easy. (You can find out more here.) Check your windows for any cracks and chips, as these can impact the safety of the glass. You can also check your wipers yourself by lifting them away from the window, and inspecting them for any cracks, tears or nicks in the rubber.

If you have checked anything on your car and are concerned about it, then we can investigate further with our Free Vehicle Health Check. From there, we can advise of any repairs or parts needed to ensure your car is winter-ready and safe. We always say prevention is better than cure, so nipping issues in the bud as soon as you can also help to save time and money. Leave a comment below or call the office for more details.

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#tipthursday Check your tyre pressure regularly.

Checking your tyre pressure and ensuring each tyre is set to the correct pressure for your make/model helps tyres last longer and keeps you safer on the roads. Underinflated tyres are more likely to blow out, increases your stopping distance, affect the handling of your vehicle, wear unevenly and impact fuel consumption. Over-inflated tyres will wear out more in the middle, lose traction and increase your stopping distance.

The easiest way to check your tyre pressure is by using the pressure pumps at your local petrol station. Before you start you should always check your own car’s PSI (pounds per square inch), which you’ll find in your owner’s manual. Sometimes it’ll be on a sticker on the driver/passenger door edge or the inside fuel flap. Set the machine to your PSI and it’ll do the rest for you, beeping once you’re done.

#tipthursday from Maitland Motors - Check your tyre pressure regularly.
Example of a sticker on the inside edge of a car door.

Ideally, you should check every week and put air in if needs be. Tyres should also be cold as heat generated from driving can affect them. We’d definitely recommend checking before a long car journey, in spells of bad weather, and if you think your tires are looking low.

If you have any questions about tyre pressure or would like us to check your tyres, call the office or leave us a comment below.

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Why we don’t fit parts supplied by customers

Sometimes after a quick look on online, it may be tempting to buy car parts yourself: they seem a lot cheaper compared to your local car garage. We understand that when there are other bills, priorities, etc to pay for the “savings” you are seemingly making may seem like a good idea. However, more often than not, this isn’t the case and is in actual fact false economy for you and your car.

As a garage we have a duty of care towards you and your car, and with parts supplied from online or elsewhere, we can’t guarantee the safety, integrity or any warranties that come with these parts. Often “cheap” parts are cheap for a reason; you get what you pay for. We feel that it isn’t worth the risk.

When we order OE quality parts from our known and trustworthy suppliers, we have confidence that it will be of a high standard that keeps you and your car safe. We know the guarantees that come with each part and if are faulty or malfunction, then we can get it replace quickly and efficiently at no extra cost to you. For example, the brake pads and discs we use from Pagid, come with a 25 month/ 25,o00 mile guarantee. If parts supplied by customers are faulty and fail, then unfortunately if there is no warranty, then it means paying for the part again.

With all our years of experience in the trade, we know which brands give you the best value for money meaning that you won’t need to replace more often than needs be. Cheaper parts often wear through sooner and you’ll find it’ll need replace again and again. This all adds up, and what did save you money to start with is now costing you extra.

There are times when sourcing second hand, or refurbished parts is the right thing to do to for your car (older, discontinued make/model), if you know what you are looking for. Our technicians ensure that the parts sourced are correct and up to the job to keep you on the road. We would never put our name to any part substandard.

We really do strive to give our customers the best service which is why we believe fitting parts we know, trust and that gives you good value for money, while keeping your car safe is so important to us.

If you have any questions or would like to know more, then just leave a comment below or call the office. We’re always happy to hear from you.

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#tipthursday Why we recommend using fuel additives

Here at Maitland Motors, we believe in helping you get the most from your car, which is why we recommend using a fuel additive. Over time, a car’s fuel system builds up with contamination which can affect its efficiency, fuel consumption and performance.

Fuel additives work with your car to help optimise engine performance, maximise fuel economy and help to maintain car parts. It’s like a spring clean for your car’s internals. Cleaning and lubricating the fuel system means you get more value for money when filling your car up and lower emissions.

We’d recommend a treatment every 6 months to help your car run smoothly and for its general upkeep & maintenance. We are proud to work with Forte, who has over 40 years of experience in the industry, supplying all our engine treatments and additives.

Leave a comment below or message us to find out more.

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What to expect when you book your car into Maitland Motors – Covid Update

If you’re new to Maitland Motors or haven’t been into us for while, this updated post will give you an idea as to what to expect when you book in with us. Especially as we’ve had to make some changes in the workshop due to Covid restrictions.

When you drop your car off, we now have a Key Drop Off Box where you can leave your keys securely at a safe space that adheres to social distancing. Its just at the office door on your right. We’ll then give them a quick wipe with antibac, label them, and store them in the office while not in use. (We’d really appreciate any large or bulky keyrings being removed as its one less thing to touch.) After you drop your car off, we’ll pop it up on the ramp to or if needs be, take it on a test drive. Our team will be wearing face masks, using seat covers, matts & gloves and wiping down any areas we’ve touched when we’re in your car. From here, we can start the work your car is booked in for, 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.

Key Drop Off Box to safety leave your keys with us.
The Key Drop Off Box is located at the office entrance to your right.

Next, if your car needs new parts to fix or repair the fault, we’ll only use quality and trusted parts, such as Pagid Brakes and Mann Filters. We find that using trusted manufactures helps to keep your car running as best it can. ( For safety and warranty reasons, we don not fit parts supplied by customers.)
If any unforeseen repairs are picked up that means the car is dangerous, such as bald tyres, we will contact you to discuss and advise of any further costs involved. We would only go ahead with additional repairs with your full permission, ensuring that you are fully aware of the work we are carrying out and the costs. You are under no obligation to go through with any works for what ever reason. We can only advise you on repairs, ultimately its your choice if you go ahead with any work.

Once given the go ahead, we will 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 repair time 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 (£10 per day) to help minimise the stress of being without a car can cause.

Ross under the bonnet.

Finally, we’ll take your car on one last test run before calling you when your car is ready collect. When you come in for your car, your invoice and any additional paperwork (new MOT certificate etc.) will be ready for you. Full payment is due at time of collection. Ways you can pay:

  • over the phone before you collect the car
  • cash or card in our office
  • Payment Assist (please let us know before hand if you are planning on paying via Payment Assist so we can get it in place in time for collection. Its a great way to spread the cost of your repairs, find out more here)
  • via bank transfer before you collect the car. Details are available on request.

You’ll be back on the road again fully aware of the condition of your car, the works carried out and any advisories we’d recommend. We can also keep the old parts to show you exactly why we’ve replaced them.

Additional Covid precautions: When in the office, you aren’t required to wear a facemask but if you have one we’d appreciate you wearing it. Our team will also be wearing them. We have loads on hand sanitiser available, you are more than welcome to use it. Please don’t come into the workshop. If the office is empty, just holler from the front door, we won’t be far. Unfortunately, customers are no longer able to wait for works being carried out in our office, but we do recommend the local cafes on Burntisland High Street. Thanks in advance for your understanding in helping us to keep you and our staff safe.

Points 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

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#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.

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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.

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#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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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#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.

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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.

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My MOT was due during the lockdown extension. What now?

Lockdown put a stop to almost everything this year including MOT testing. If your car was normally due its MOT between 3oth March and the 31st July, it was automatically extended by 6 months. Now that restrictions are easing and the government have ended the MOT extension, the 1st of these extended MOTs will be due soon.

Check when your extended MOT is due.

If your car MOT was due during the lockdown, we’d recommend checking when it is due now and planning ahead to get booked in. If because of lockdown, you car has mostly been sitting in the driveway or parked up it might be a good time to take advantage of our free Pre- MOT check. This will give us a chance to look at the car before test day and help spot any potential fails or issues; giving you the heads up on any further costs involved getting your car ready for its MOT and ensuring its of a safe standard. Just because you were given an extension, this doesn’t mean your car is automatically safe to be driving so might be worth getting in to see us, just from a safety point of view alone. Any lockdown MOTs do not have to wait to the new extended date, they can be carried out now for peace of mind. 18 months is a long time and a car can go through a lot of ware and tare.

As all garage MOT dairies are going to be even more busy than normal over the next few months with extended MOTs on top of regular MOTs, call and book yours sooner rather than later. Our diary is open all the way to December to help accommodate this. You can double check when your MOT is due by visiting the governments website, here.

Any MOTs due after the 31st July will need to be carried out as normal. These MOTs can be carried out up to a month , minus a day, before the due date to keep the same renewal date. So you don’t have to wait till the exact date it runs out to get it done.

For more info on MOTs you can also visit the gov’s “Getting an MOT” page, call us here in the office with your questions or leave a message below. We’re always happy to hear from you.

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#tipthursday from Maitland Motors: Keep an emergency kit in your boot

You never know when the worst might happen, and you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, hungry, thirsty and cold waiting on recovery in a broken-down car. That’s why we here at Maitland Motors we recommend having an emergency kit made up to keep in the boot just in case. It could make an unbearable situation that little bit more comfortable.

  • A big bottle of drinking water
  • Snacks (cereal bars are always handy)
  • Torch
  • First Aid Kit
  • Blankets
  • Old hoddie or jackets, gloves and socks to help keep warm.
  • Emergency cash change
  • Jump Cables
  • Tyre Puncture Repair Kit or better still make sure your spare is in good working order. (We can check this for you.)
  • Spare Oil
  • Jerry Can
  • Antifreeze
  • Washer fluid
  • Tow Strap

Keep your kit in a large bag or storage box in your boot and forget about it. Do you already have an emergency kit? Have you ever had to use it and did it help?

If you have any questions or need advice on putting a kit together, then just leave a message below.

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Payment Assist with Maitland Motors

Here at Maitland Motors we understand that keeping your car safe and roadworthy can be expensive. Sometimes big jobs come at the worst times (is there ever a good time?) which is why we are proud to offer Payment Assist. Payment Assist is a brilliant way to spread the cost of your garage bill over 3 monthly instalments fee and interest free, with 25% of the invoice being paid at the time of work. You can find out more on their website here.

Spread the cost of your Maitland Motors bill with Payment Assist.

If you’d like to pay using Payment Assist all you have to do is let us know when booking your car in or when work, after diagnosis and inspection, is agreed on. This way we can get the process started for work commencing on your car; any delays in this can result in us having your car longer than needed. Once we input your details at our end (name, address, email), you’ll then be sent an agreement form via email and a text reminder, detailing the costs involved and T&C’s etc, which you need to accept to finalise set up of the process. This email is only valid for 24 hours and if for what ever reason it lapse, the process needs to start from the beginning again. Until this email has been accepted by you, we can not release the car back to you regardless of work being finished or not, so keep an eye on your emails/phone. This helps with the arrangement running as smoothly as possible, which we know is important to our customers. We really do appreciate your corporation with this.

To pay via payment assist, just let us know before work is carried out and accept your agreement form via email.

Once the form has been accepted you’ll pay 25% of the invoice at this point via card payment. The rest of the invoice will be paid automatically over the next 3 months using the same card details, so you don’t need to do anything further.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about Payment Assist with Maitland Motors, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or leave a comment below.

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#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.

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#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.

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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.

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#tipthursday from Maitland Motors – Check your lights regularly.

With the weather creating poor diving conditions recently, carrying out your basic car checks is more vital than normal to help keep you safe on the road. Lights are especially important, not just so you can see the road ahead but so that other drivers can see you too.

Get a friend or family member to watch from behind and in front of your car as you turn on the lights. Include your fog lights, indicators, and pressing on the brakes. This way you’ll know for sure if any need replacing as it can be difficult to tell properly from sitting in the driver’s seat. Lights being out are also an MOT fail and can result in stops from the police, so it’s well worth taking a few minutes a few times a month just to check all your lights are working.

If this is something you’re unsure of or would like a professional 2nd opinion pop down to the garage and we’ll check for you. Or you can book in for a Free Vehicle Health Check where we check your lights alongside other safety components of your car.

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Maitland Motors: Proud to Fit Pagid Garage.

Over the past 20 years, we’ve been in the trade, we’ve worked with many part brands; some good….some not so good. And when it comes to brakes, we take the parts we fit and supply very, very seriously. This is why we only use and are proud to fit Pagid brakes on your car.

So, what make Pagid Brakes so good?

Pagid brake pads and discs.
  • Pagid brakes are OE quality. (Meaning their parts match or exceed the quality of original parts fitted to a car when new.)
  • Pagid brake pads and discs are guaranteed for 25 months.
  • 60 years of knowledge in brake development, innovation and manufacturing.
  • Excellent value for money, being a very reliable and durable product. You’ll get better brake efficiency and they should lass longer compared to cheaper products on the market.
  • Pagid is used throughout the supercars and motorsports worlds. Only the best for our customers.
Brake disc change work in progress here at Maitland Motors.

If you have any questions or would like to know more, then please just get in touch by using the comments box below, phone the office or drop us an email. We always love hearing from you. Likewise, if you’re worried about your brakes, then why not book in for a Free Vehicle Health Check where we can inspect them for you and advise accordingly.

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#tipthursday Take advantage of Payment Assist with Maitland Motors

Payment Assist is a great way to spread the cost of your bill, helps you budget for larger bills and is fee & interest free. Win, win!

Did you know we offer Payment Assist here at Maitland Motors? This is a great way to split the cost of large/ unexpected bills over 4 payments with no fees or interest. You pay a 25% deposit of your total bill when you pick your car up after the works have been carried out, then the remaining balance in 3 payments over the next three months. It’s a great way to budget your garage bill and makes looking after your car a lot less stressful without the worry of being able to afford it or not. So, if you’ve been putting off work such as a service, due to affordability, then this is something we can arrange for you meaning your car is maintained and as safe as it can be.

Find out more from Payment Assist, call our office on 01592 328848 or send us an email to maitlandmotors@gmail.com

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Another reason to use Maitland Motors; Proud to be a Pagid/ IMI Professionally Accredited Brake Specialists

We take brakes very seriously here at Maitland Motors. Along with your tyres, your brakes are what keeps you safe on the road, so when Ross got the chance to become a Pagid/ IMI Professionally Accredited Brake Specialists, he couldn’t say no. Its not worth thinking about how badly things can go wrong if your brakes are in poor condition and not working properly.

On his course, Ross learnt a few new things that he’s been able to bring back to the workshop to give you an even better service. It just shows that even after 20 years in the motor trade, you never stop learning. A few interesting points he’s passed on the rest of the team were; the boiling point of Dot 4 brake fluid is 155 degrees. Important to know when checking for moisture, which could, in worst-case scenarios, means a loss of brake action. How to get more out of a tool we use for measuring pads and discs, making adjustments more accurate. The maximum run out for a disc is just 0.07mm, after this, you’ll start to feel judders. A hub is .03mm before you’ll start to feel vibrations. Depending on how many miles you do, this could happen sooner than you think.

Things to look out for that’ll mean its time to get your brakes checked include:

  • Your car is juddering when braking
  • There is a squealing noise when braking
  • Uneven brake pad wear
  • Surface looks discoloured
A nice, new shiny brake disc compared to an old one.
New vs Old Brake Discs. On the right, you can see just how worn they can get, which will affect their efficiency.

If you have any doubts or concerns about your brakes then why not pop in for a Free Vehicle Health Check, where we can visually inspect your brakes. You can find out more about our FVH here. To book in, call us on 01592 328848 or email maitlandmotors@gmail.com, we’d only be too happy to help.

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#tipthursday Get the most out of your Engine Coolant

Engine coolant helps to stop your engine from overheating while in use. It also ensures the water in your radiator system doesn’t freeze in winter, especially important this time of year.

Even if there is a slight leak from the coolant system, it can end in costly repairs or the engine overheating. So, we recommend checking your manufacturer’s guidelines (found in your handy car manual, usually in the glovebox) to find out when/ how often your car needs a coolant change. In some cases, this can be every 30,000 miles so well worth a wee check and keeping on top of.

If you have any doubts or concerns about your coolant levels, we’d only be too happy to check and test it here in the workshop and make sure it’s doing its job properly. Call the office or send us an email to get booked in or if you have any questions leave them in the comments below.

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#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.