Garage Manchester - Charles Wilson

10 Tips to Save Money and Increase the Value of Your Car

Amanda — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:38:51 +0000

In these lean times of belt tightening and purse-string gripping, every little helps in the quest to save money on the maintenance and running of your vehicle. These tips are designed not only to save money but to actually help increase the value of your car should you come to sell it or part exchange it in the future.

Too good to be true? Its make your mind up time! Read on and be converted…..

10 Tips to Save Money: Fuel Economy

Air in your tyres – properly inflated tyres can increase fuel efficiency by around 3%.
Well tuned engine also increases fuel efficiency
Take your time – increased revs = increased fuel consumption – lighten up the foot!!
Buying a car on finance? Shop around for the best rates. Many independent dealers are happy for you to arrange your own. (this isn’t fuel related but I’m checking your paying attention!)
Motorway driving – don’t go flat out! Find your “sweet spot”. This depends on the size, weight and how aerodynamic your car is, but if you stay around this figure you will definitely get more mpg. The average “sweet spot” is 55 mph.
Stopping for a while? Turn the engine off! Idling wastes fuel.
Turn off the aircon when the car has cooled – anything that requires power needs fuelling.
Change gear at the appropriate moment – learn to feel when the car tells YOU it’s ready to move up or down.
Reduce weight in the car. Weight = drag. Do you really need the kitchen sink in your boot?

10. Close your windows and remove your roof rack – once again, this makes life a drag!

3 Extra Fantastic Maintenance Tips to Save Money and Make Money:

Regular Servicing: This really is the golden ticket to success. Not only does a regular health check notify you of any potential upcoming concerns, but the little and often approach is a winning formula all round. Regular stamps at the recommended interval in your service book increases the value of your car and make it much more appealing to the market.

A Good Waxing is So Relaxing: Apart from making your car look aesthetically pleasing, it protects your exterior from the corrosive elements of water, sun and salt. With the added value of a good work out – just ask the karate kid what he thinks!

Choose Your Vehicle Repairer: The OFT confirm that this really is your choice. Remember insurers are only thinking of their own profits. Consult your trusted local garage and ask if they have an accident management company who will look after your interest and thus minimising diminution of your vehicle value.

Got any more tips of your own? Share them on our website.

New Tyres v Worn Tyres – 8 Things you Need to Know

Amanda — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:25:43 +0000

If I had a £1 for every time I have had this discussion, I would be able to buy a set of diamond encrusted alloys – should there be such decadence!! This issue has caused internal opinion differences within our family business, Charles Wilson Auto Engineers, for years!

So…if we can’t reach a fixed opinion, I thought it only fair to put both sides of the argument forward and let you decide for yourself. The facts that we thrash over are as follows:

Safety – How much do you value yours?

1. New Tyres: You know the history of the tyre. Obviously maximum tread depth is present. Safety standards are adhered to. Good value for money if you pick non branded budget tyres – prices can be from as little as £40 plus vat including fitting, balancing, valves and disposal of the old tyre.

2. Make sure it’s legal The legal minimum for tyre tread depth is 1.6mm but in winter it is recommended that a 3mm minimum tread depth be used. A new tyre will have around 8mm of tread.

3. Part Worn Tyres: No History – even if there is a perfectly good tread, why has this tyre come into circulation? Has the previous vehicle had a nasty accident? Has the tyre ever been repaired? Has it perished inside? Has it ever been run flat therefore potentially weakening the tyre walls? How deep is the tread over all the surface area?

4. Trusted Seller: If you do choose the part worn option, ensure you buy from a trusted seller who makes a living out of this. All tyres must have the original markings for their type and design, including speed ratings and load indexes. All part worn tyres must be permanently marked PART WORN with the wording being at least 4mm high, and not made by cutting or branding.

5.Do the math: If you are keeping your car, have you considered that you might get 4 x more mileage out of a new tyre? If you calculate the price of 4 x part worn tyres to 1 x new tyre, especially budget, you may be pleasantly surprised how the new ones rank.

6. Tyre Pressure: Increase longevity of your tyres and rotate front to rear, presuming the tyres on your vehicle are all the same size. Ensuring correct tyre pressure increases lifespan of tyre as they wear proportionately.

7. Performance Vehicle: If you have a performance vehicle I would strongly advice from my own experience to use the manufacturers recommended brand – they have spent a lot of money researching the optimum tyre for your safety and you would be foolish to economise in this instance.

8. Check for damage: Check your tyres for small stones stuck in the tread and remove. This will help grip the road whilst braking. Check tyres regularly for bulges and lumps as this can mean internal damage.

What are your thoughts? Had a good or bad experience buying worn tyres?

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments

Cambelt Change Cost – 5 Things you need to know

Amanda — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:30:03 +0000

After speaking with the mechanics from Charles Wilson, I have got you insider information on a true cambelt change cost, so next time you go to the garage you wont pay over the odds!

Losing a Cambelt an be a hellish experience for even the most experienced of car owners. Sadly you can’t change the cambelt yourself, as most car models require speclist tools to lock all the cam shafts in place whilst you change the belt. Cambelt break for a number of reasons and not just based on mileage as the material perishes over time hence the reason for lifespan estimate.

But don’t despair…we have spoken Jason our master technician who has provided us the industry knowlege about a the cost of changing a cambelt:

How much does the cambelt cost?

The actual cost of a cambelt can cost only around £9 – £20 (or with a tensioner kit for £40) but the labour costs are the reason for high price. The average hourly rate from a dealership can be around £80+ per hour but your average local garage could cost around £50.

Expert tip: When visiting a independent garage be sure to ask if they offer any discount schemes as many reward loyalty.

Factors that can effect labour costs

Depends on the the make and model
Does it need specialised tools?

How long does it take?

The quickest cambelt can be done in just under an hour… but more complex processes could end up taking +12 hours for something like the range rover that requires almost the body shell to be removed. For example, Audi have very little room at the front, so you will need to remove practically the front end to get access to the cambelt. In a worst case scenario, when the cambelt breaks it could cause the pistons to hit the valves and cause damage to the cylinder head (and generally destroy your engine.)

Expert Tip: Make sure you Garage uses auto-data(or similar) – a software programme that provides output on the amount of man hours required for every model of car. You can ask for a print-out before the work has commenced.

Hopefully you are now equipped with the knowledge to get your cambelt fixed without paying way over the odds at your local garage.

If you have any other questions that you want our experts mechanics to answer, then be sure to leave a comment below.

Charles Wilson Garages New Site Now Live

Amanda — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:03:06 +0000

Here it is!