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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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#tipthursday The Right to Repair

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

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

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

We are 4!!

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

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

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


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


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


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


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

What is the difference between an Interim and Full Service?

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

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

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

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

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

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

#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.

Behind the scenes at Maitland Motors: Meet the team, Ross.

This week we thought we’d take you behind the scenes of life here at Maitland Motors and introduce to you our garage owner and top mechanic, Ross.

What is your background? I’ve been in the motor trade for over 20 years now and starting off with an apprenticeship back in 1999. I graduated from college top of the class winning apprentice of the year, which I’m still really proud of. From there I’ve worked in all shapes of sizes of garages; from small, independent family ran garages, to large brand name dealerships and everything in-between. This has given me the chance to work on a vast range of vehicles and experience different garage environments. I’ve been able to take all my experience in the motor trade world and build my own garage, ran to my high standards.

What do you do at Maitland Motors? I always strive to give my customers the best service possible by proving honest, reliable advice, use my knowledge to repair and maintain cars to a high standard with quality parts and work in back of house making sure the garage runs smoothly, phoning suppliers and keeping customers updated. Even after all this time in the trade, I’m still very keen to keep learning as much as I can, especially as the industry is constantly changing with new innovations and in-car technology. So, I’m often on courses where I can learn as much as I can to bring back to the garage which has a positive knock-on effect on the service we provide our customers.

Ross and the mini Maitland’s…. Future mechanics in the making?

What drives you? Giving my customers the best I can while fighting the poor reputation the trade has. Yes, there are cowboys out there but not all we mechanics are out to rip our customers off. We want customers to leave with a full understanding of what work has been carried out, why it was done and how it helps them. We are always upfront and honest when it comes to price and always keep our customers posted when additional work/parts are needed. We only go ahead with repairs once we’ve had the green light. I have big plans for Maitland Motors and thanks to our brilliant customers and supports have had a great start to life as a business owner over the past 4 years we’ve been open. From a one ramp unit with just me on my own, we’ve grown to a 3 ramped garage and have been able to take on Dale our mechanic and Chrissie (Mrs Maitland Motors) in the office. It’s also great being able to set a good example of hard work and determination to my young sons. I’d love, if they’d be happy to, to pass it all on to them.

Do you have any questions for Ross? Leave them in the comments below and we’ll get back to you asap. We always love hearing from you. Likewise if you’d like to book your car in with Maitland Motors, call the office or drop us an email.

#tipthursday Book in for a Pre-MOT?

#tipthursday Why you should book a Pre-MOT with Maitland Motors.

This week’s tip is all about why you should book a Pre-Mot and how it can benefit you and your car.

A Pre- Mot gives us the chance to spot any possible MOT fails before it goes the test, by visually checking the areas of your car that an MOT covers. This will give you a heads up on what, if any, repairs your car may need to pass its MOT. If big repairs are needed, we can also give you an idea of the costs/ time scales involved so you can make plans to suit your budget and the time you can expect to be without your car for work to be carried out. (We do offer a courtesy car, T& Cs apply.)

We’d suggest a Pre-MOT a week before your MOT is actually due and don’t forget you can book your test 1 month minus 1 day before your MOT is due. Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to cars and being prepared for MOT day will save time, and money, the worry/stress of your car passing or not, and having to wait on re-tests. Just because it passed last year means nothing in the world of MOTs and a lot of wear and tear can happen over 12 months, esp if your car is due a service. Not to forget, a Pre-MOT with Maitland Motors is free!

If you have any questions about MOTs and your car or would like to book in, then please get in touch by phone, or email. We’re always happy to hear from you.

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.

#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