But what checks does your vehicle undergo during its MOT in Peterborough that ensure it is in a roadworthy condition?

The MOT test, which may be carried out in Peterborough or any other town or city in the UK, checks that your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards.

You can book it up to 28 days in advance so there’s no excuse to let it expire.

These are some of the key elements checked during an MOT in Peterborough.

Firstly, the vehicle identification number should be present on a vehicle first used on or after August 1, 1980. During the MOT taking place at your Peterborough garage mechanics will check for this number which may be displayed in more than one place.

The registration plate will be looked at to ensure it’s in good condition and legible as well as displaying the correct format of letters and numbers.

During the MOT in Peterborough mechanics will also check the condition, colour and aim of lights, plus seats, the exhaust system and the general structure of the vehicle to make sure it’s free from excessive corrosion or damage in specific areas and has no sharp edges.

Other items checked during your MOT in Peterborough include a test for exhaust emissions. These vary according to the age and fuel type of the vehicle.

Then the MOT in Peterborough will also look at steering and suspension, the windscreen, wipers and washers, seatbelts, doors, mirrors, wheels and the condition, security and tread depth of tyres.

Although wheels are not removed during the MOT in Peterborough, an efficiency test is carried out on the brakes to ensure they are safe for the motorist.

Finally the MOT tester checks to make sure that the correct type of horn is in operation on the vehicle and looks at the fuel system to ensure there are no leaks and that the fuel cap fastens and seals correctly.

If all these checks are carried out during your vehicle’s MOT in Peterborough then you can collect your car and look forward to many miles of safe motoring.

A service is made up of two different types of activity:

Routine Maintenance – Tasks that are known to be necessary, like changing the oil and replacing the air filter

Preventative Checks & Maintenance – finding out what else might be faulty or worn out. This includes looking for leaks and checking over your car’s brakes, exhaust system and other key areas to make sure they are in good order.

When we service your car, if we find anything that needs extra work, for example, if your brake pads are worn and replacing, we will contact you to check that it is ok to replace them. You will always be quoted a price before we carry out any work on your car.

Did you know you no longer need to have your car serviced at a main dealer to maintain your warranty. In 2005 the EU changed the law, just follow the manufacturer’s servicing schedule and make sure to have the service record stamped as normal.

Recommended service intervals
All cars need car service peterborough and the manufacturer sets recommended service intervals.

This can be, for example, every 12,000 miles or 1 year, or similar. Different cars have different requirements and there is a difference between the servicing needed on petrol and diesel engines.

You will find details of the recommended service intervals in your car’s service manual. However, we recommend that you should get your car serviced once a year, even if you haven’t done the recommended mileage. A year is a long time to go without any safety checks or even a change of oil.

Winters causes problems
The last few winters have been both long and hard and this bad weather, salt, bad road surfaces all can cause problems for cars over time. This is another good reason to have a car service peterborough.

CRIGHTONS RETURN AS YOUR LOCAL SAAB SPECIALIST.

With over 30 years experience working on Saab’s, with the majority of that period as a franchise dealer, we are now in a position to share our knowledge and expertise with you once again!

Visit our Saab Specialist page for more information on the services we can offer for your Saab.

Preparing your car for winter is not only essential but easier than you think…

One of the most important steps is to check the tyres. Why? Only a small part of each tyre touches the road at one time and these small parts help you  steer, accelerate and stop. This is quite a task even in perfect conditions so imagine the strain it puts on your car in icy, wet weather. Check for splits, tears and that the pressures are correct. Too much or too little air affects braking and stability, and causes premature wear. Furthermore, check the tread depth is adequate as this is all that clears rain water and slush. The legal minimum is 1.6mm across the central 75% of the tyre, and around its entire circumference. For superior performance, change tyres once their tread hits 3mm.

One of the most frequent challenges for winter drivers is poor visibility. So check your windscreen wipers are effective and also clean the windows, mirrors and lights. Check the bulbs too. Furthermore, concentrated screen wash in the vehicle’s reservoir needs to be a strong mix to prevent it freezing. Aim for 50% wash and 50% water if possible. It is also worth protecting your gleaming paintwork with a coat of wax, as salt from gritting lorries makes cars deteriorate quicker in winter.

These steps can be taken with very little mechanical knowledge, but some require a specialist. As such, it is worth popping your car into us for a winter check to look over the battery, anti-freeze, filters, belts, hoses and brakes. A winter check costs £19.99 but that is preferable to breaking down on Christmas day with a car full of excited kids!

It is also wise to carry a ‘supply kit’ in your car through the cold winter months. Windscreen de-icer is essential, as is a decent scraper. Warm clothing, fluorescent jackets and refreshments come in handy too – and it is sensible to have a tyre pump, warning triangle and shovel.

To discuss your winter motoring needs further, please call Nigel or Louis and they will make sure that you are all ready for the festivities!

Your chosen garage should only fit approved Mazda replacement parts, not just any old replacement parts. Why? Are all air filters made equal? All brake pads identical? Every cog just another cog? Who can tell the difference anyway? A Mazda engineer knows the difference, and that makes a difference to the performance of your Mazda. Brakes: 80% is the number of non Mazda approved brake discs that don’t meet Mazda’s stringent standards. Every Mazda approved brake disk is engineered for each Mazda model. When Mazda make a brake disc, they monitor all the metals in each disk. When a non approved brake disc is made of slightly different materials, this can affect the ABS system and increase the stopping distance.

The whole of the Mazda range, from the Mazda 2, the Mazda 3, the Mazda 6, the MX-5 and up to the RX-8 are built to a build quality that is second to none. This is not to mean that there are no problems. Generally the major problems are simply rattles and squeaks from within the car. Mazda are very good at listening to customer feedback and trying very hard to rectify the problems. There was a problem with the rear brakes making a lot of brake dust, but now, Mazda has redesigned the pads and now supplies them made from a harder compound, reducing the amount of brake dust generated.

And the difference continues: a Mazda catalytic converter takes 100% of emissions, not allowing any to the inside of your car or to pollute the environment. Each Mazda exhaust is tested to a zero tolerance in a hermetically sealed chamber; this ensures that not even 1% will escape. Mazda test their oil filters above the rev limit for more than 100 continuous hours. This ensures they can withstand extreme temperatures and vibrations. They are made with 60% more filter inside than non Mazda approved filters, ensuring your engine is fully protected between services. Mazda also test their charcoal pollen filter to ensure that it lasts longer than the competitor filters.

Mazda demands that their stainless steel exhaust system will last for a minimum of eight years. They had to scour the world to find a manufacturer who would meet their standards, but on the search they found that most of the competitor exhausts would not last that long. This made Mazda start their own exhaust company; you don’t know the difference, but Mazda do. Timing Belts. Mazda ‘heat test’ the belt to 125 degrees for 70 hours. Then it is boiled in oil for another 70 hours and then it is driven the equivalent of twice around the world. Mazda do not want the belt to let you down.

Repeated and regular servicing of your beloved Mazda helps to avoid any unwanted problems and ensures that the resale value stays high when you come to part with it. When you are searching for the garage to maintain your Mazda, you no longer need to pay the high prices charged by your main dealer. A Mazda approved garage can provide the same level of service, repairs and high quality parts at a fraction of the cost. How can they do this, it is all down to overheads. A Mazda Peterborough main dealer can carry enormous overheads, in comparison the prices at a non Mazda approved garage can be up to 60% less than a main dealer.

During a service, just like a Mazda Peterborough main dealer, the chosen garage will reset the service reminder light, give your service book a new stamp, usually a FREE courtesy car and any Mazda warranty will remain intact. Your vehicle will remain problem free; you will save money and have the peace of mind to know that your vehicle is safe.

Your chosen garage should only fit approved Honda replacement parts, not just any old replacement parts. Why? Are all air filters made equal? All brake pads identical? Every cog just another cog? Who can tell the difference anyway? A Honda engineer knows the difference, and that makes a difference to the performance of your Honda. Brakes: 80% is the number of non Honda approved brake discs that don’t meet Honda’s stringent standards. Every Honda approved brake disk is engineered for each Honda model. When Honda make a brake disc, they monitor all the metals in each disk. When a non approved brake disc is made of slightly different materials, this can affect the ABS system and increase the stopping distance.

Differences in specification of parts

And the difference continues: a Honda catalytic converter takes 100% of emissions, not allowing any to the inside of your car or to pollute the environment. Each Honda exhaust is tested to a zero tolerance in a hermetically sealed chamber; this ensures that not even 1% will escape. Honda test their oil filters above the rev limit for more than 100 continuous hours. This ensures they can withstand extreme temperatures and vibrations. They are made with 60% more filter inside than non Honda approved filters, ensuring your engine is fully protected between services. Honda also test their charcoal pollen filter to ensure that it lasts longer than the competitor filters.

Honda demands that their stainless steel exhaust system will last for a minimum of eight years. They had to scour the world to find a manufacturer who would meet their standards, but on the search they found that most of the competitor exhausts would not last that long. This made Honda start their own exhaust company; you don’t know the difference, but Honda do. Timing Belts. Honda ‘heat test’ the belt to 125 degrees for 70 hours. Then it is boiled in oil for another 70 hours and then it is driven the equivalent of twice around the world. Honda do not want the belt to let you down.

The Honda approved air and pollen filters are designed to capture 99.9% of impurities in the air. This is four times more than some other filters, which, when tested, only filtered approximately 75% of particles. The official Honda filters also last up to 10 times longer than some non-Honda parts.

Repeated and regular servicing of your beloved Honda helps to avoid any unwanted problems and ensures that the resale value stays high when you come to part with it. When you are searching for the garage to maintain your Honda, you no longer need to pay the high prices charged by your main dealer. A Honda approved garage can provide the same level of service, repairs and high quality parts at a fraction of the cost. How can they do this, it is all down to overheads. A Honda Peterborough main dealer can carry enormous overheads, in comparison the prices at a non Honda approved garage can be up to 60% less than a main dealer.

During a service, just like a Honda Peterborough main dealer, the chosen garage will reset the service reminder light, give your service book a new stamp, usually a FREE courtesy car and any Honda warranty will remain intact. Your vehicle will remain problem free; you will save money and have the peace of mind to know that your vehicle is safe.