Car batteries-Cold weather

Car batteries-Cold weather- and your car: How to keep your battery from dying

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Car batteries-Cold weather

AA is getting a record number of calls for storm-related problems with nearly half being for dead batteries.

Another warning to vehicle users! Have their car batteries checked before the winter and you will reduce the risk of being caught out in a snow storm?

Of course, Car batteries and Cold weather do not mix! It would be like your battery sitting in a fridge. I am sure that it does happen to some people. Remember that when it is cold we use all the electrical appliances in your car. Importantly, if your battery is not up to scratch. Then it will let you down and it could let you down in an isolated place. Frighteningly, or a snow drift if you live on the east coast of America. Of course, with the massive snow falls that they are having at the moment.

Batteries let you down when you least expect it

After years of experience of selling car batteries. I know that it is the last thing on a drivers mind when they set off on a journey. It is like any other battery situation, you only know about it when the battery runs out of power. The best example which happens in most households is the mobile phone. Specifically when the phone  goes flat! It is total panic and the phone must be charged up at all costs.

Fortunately your car battery is a better engineered system. It will probably never let you down in a five year period. However, when it does, you will be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course, in most cases it will not be a simple case of charging it back up again.

Car batteries-Cold weather
Testing a battery with a volt meter, most garages will do this free of charge

Statistically your regular car batteries would fail in the cold winter months. This would always apply when I was first time Lucas battery retailer in the 1970’s. I would stock up in the summer time when the battery companies would always have a quantity deal, all ready for the winter explosion of car battery sales. The first cold spell in November would bring in number of cars with our first rush of flat Cheap Car Batteries, it never failed us.

Since the early days car batteries have changed

There were a couple of marked differences concerning car batteries then compared to modern day cars. First the car manufacturers would make millions of one model of car. Say Vauxhall made millions of Vivas and Cavaliers. Including, Ford made millions of Escorts and Cortina’s. Then of course came the original Minis. They outcome of this was that the size and part number of the batteries were all the same. The 038 battery fitted almost every car other that the Fords. Opting for square bolt on terminals part numbers 037 and 085, later the 065 battery became more popular.

As years went by we started to import many makes of cars from the Far East. Such as Toyota, Nissan at first and then many more cars came into the UK. This had a massive effect on battery sizes and part numbers. Making the car batteries market more specialised.

This is where I made am good business decision! Deciding to make the battery market a key part of my business strategy. Although I did not know it the time this decision gave me contacts that were to last me right up to today.

Car batteries remained much the same

Significantly, the only thing that changed was the different terminals. Including, the physical sizes of the batteries. Of course, battery plates, became a new mix of alloys and lead alloys. So, companies the likes of Lucas batteries became one of the first to introduce practically sealed batteries that were maintenance free. Of course, there were no screw tops on the Car batteries. Consequently, for the driver to check the acid levels.

Also there was the evolution of the cars. Cars were now coming out on more sophisticated electrical systems, which required car batteries with more power. We found that a difference in the old type battery and the new type of battery was that the new types of battery did not give you much time after failure, one morning the battery light would come on in your car and you would need a new battery, there and then; you do not have the time any more.

This is why it is important to check the battery before the winter time and when the car has a service. The Car batteries-Cold weather that I have recently seen in the east coast of the USA makes me cringe at the number of drivers who must have been stuck in their cars with a dead battery. Remember they will let you down when you least expect them to! Car batteries do not give you much time. Subsequently, batteries now fail very rapidly, not giving the driver much time. So, to have a new battery fitted after the failure of the old battery.

Simply, lack of change time is now affected by the large amount of electrics that a modern car has on-board!

Car batteries-Cold weather
This battery is in a bad state and would have been a good contender for failure, before the winter time.

So my 40 year old advice is to check your car batteries before every winter! If the battery is over 5 years old. Then do not risk it and buy a new battery, once again especially before winter?

Please note these are the words and opinion of the author (Eric Roberts) only.

Punctured Tyre-Lady Drove over 20 Miles on a flat TYRE ?

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Punctured Tyre

Punctured Tyre
Complete side wall ripped off ?

Female Customer Drove over 20 mile on this Punctured Tyre ?

This is one of the strangest stories I have heard in the past two years. A lady customer called in to claim that she had a service done 

Punctured Tyre
This Continental tyre although shredded to bits was driven on by a lady customer for twenty miles?wow

to her Audi estate about a month ago, and the car was now acting very strangely. She said that when the car was going round the bend she could feel it swaying slightly, but it was steering perfectly normal on the straight roads. We asked her how long the car had been doing this and she said that for a couple of days or about twenty miles. We went to put the Audi on the ramp, but noticed the car was sloping to one side ?.

When we checked ,she had a tyre that was completely ripped off on one of the side walls.

This Punctured Tyre had in fact been driving with the same characters as Continental Run Flat Tyres, for more than twenty miles. The lady customer had not suspected anything because the car had not swerved violently or even veered from side to side, as you might expect from a big car such as the Audi estate.

The Punctured Tyre is the one shown in this blog and the ripped off side-wall can be easily seen. Credit should also be given to the Continental Sports Contact that took the battering, although not a run-flat it did remarkably well.

So to follow up on this ! Have you noticed all the old tyre treads and pieces of rubber tyre treads ! That are present on the side of the roads and motorways. Especially car tyre treads.

 

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles. We are members of Unipart Car Care centres. Giving a nationwide guarantee for all our work and parts. Of course ,we also sell run-flat tyres online such as the Bridgestone safeguard tyres. Of course, from our website www.pellonautocentre.com by using the tyre selector and choosing your tyre size. We offer courtesy cars to local motorists who need to go to work and leave their car with us for work doing. We are also an official MOT testing station and are members of Motor-codes, who carry out checks for high standard of equipment and workmanship.

Bridgestone Run Flat-Original Equipment run-flats now on par with conventional tyres –

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Bridgestone Run Flat

Bridgestone OE run-flats now on par with conventional tyres – test – Tyrepress.com Tyrepress.com Run-flat tyres have often been blasted for the inferior comfort they deliver, however a recent European test gives hope that puncture avoidance may no…

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

Of course, as many of you motorists know ! Who happen to own a car with run-flat tyres. So these tyres can be very noisy.

Naturally, this is mainly due to the very hard and rigid side-wall. Consequently, that helps the car tyres act as a semi solid structure. Enabling the run-flats to stay in a straight line when the tyre is de-flated.

Bridgestone tyres have managed to minimise this hard ride by using different compounds in crucial areas of the tyres. Thus enabling them to work at a much lower tone and also give the driver a more comfortable ride.

Can run-flats be repaired ?

One of the grey areas with Bridgestone Run Flat. Of course,  is whether or not they can be repaired ? Simple answer is they can in fact be repaired. So as long as it is within the parameters of a normal road tyre. As long as the repair is withing the legal tread area. So, the Bridgestone Run Flat Technology tyres may be repaired. But only in certain conditions (Depending on the distance and at what speed the car was driven after the puncture occurred).

Significantly, if the tyre has been driven on whilst run-flat ! Then we will not repair the Bridgestone Run Flat. So if the customer just notices a nail or screw in the tyre, then we will repair the tyre. By using conventional tyre repair methods. If in doubt ! You should consult your nearest run-flat authorized dealer to have your tyres inspected. Of course, Pellon Tyres in the Halifax area of the UK.

Before attempting a Bridgestone Run Flat repair, consult the vehicle owner’s manual for restrictions. The vehicle manufacturer may restrict the use of repaired tires on its vehicles. For more info click here

 

Eric Roberts…

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles. Members of Unipart Car Care centres and give a nationwide guarantee for all our work and parts. Also sell Bridgestone car tyres online from our website www.pellontyres.co.uk . So, by using the tyre selector and choosing your tyre size. Offering courtesy cars to local motorists who need to go to work and leave their car with us for work doing. We are also an official MOT testing station and are members of Motor-codes. Finally, who carry out checks for high standard of equipment and workmanship.

Customers Satisfaction Ratings-Blowing our own Trumpet! Pellon Auto Centre Halifax UK

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Customers Satisfaction Ratings

Customers Satisfaction Ratings

Customers Satisfaction Ratings

I must admit that in most of my years as a garage owner then customer satisfaction ratings were never known. Of course up to the advent of the modern computers then there was no such things as ratings fro your customers. So its become a thing of the future! And why not. Importantly, it is one of the best indicators that your business is doing well. Whatever type of product or service that you are selling.

Another happy positive is that when you have high ratings then its no coincidence that your business will be thriving. Anyhow thats my experience! Consequences, also set out other parameters, that give will the thriving business the best results. In my opinion number one factor is having the right staff. Especially when in the garage situation.

Garage owners just dont get it !

Of course the  garages of today have got a lot to thank for the starting of the “Kwik-Fit” era. Coming out of an American idea from the infamous Tommy Farmer, then fast fits brought the garage industry into the 21st century. Incidentally we do still have the dirty back street type of garages and scruffy second hand tyre shops for all to see. However the garages that prosper will have all the right mixtures of ideas and cleanliness that the modern driver s are looking for. This also reflects on the particular garage businesses ratings of customer satisfaction.

These days of consumerism mean that we all have to try harder, be more polite and generally “bend over backwards”. So to keep our ratings high. Consumers are very savvy  and will freely give a business a good review. Strangely enough there does not seam to be a middle of the road review! At least not with us at Pellon Autocentre. Most reviews are in fact 5 stars which is excellent for us. However, we get the odd customer who will give us just a 1 star rating.

I must confess that I used to hate this. Although very rare then it is all part of system. We will never please everybody! Now I take the time to look into this. So, when we receive a low rating then I now investigate the poor result. Then first thing that hits me is that my excellent staff always know about the circumstances. I truly believe that there is a certain type of person who is never going to be happy.

Whatever and wherever they go, these people are trouble.

So, I know before I say anything that my staff know exactly what has happened. Believe me or not it is always the customer that has caused the problem leading to them giving us a 1 star rating. Importantly, we do make mistakes! After all we are only human. But a good garage will handle any problem in the correct manner. Always changing a possible bad situation into a good outcome. This includes all our garage services and products. Including tyres and associated services. and MOT testing.

Finally we do have good reviews on Google and Facebook. But in my opinion our online tyre portal www.pellontyres.co.uk is the most accurate and is not open to any low score abuse from “keyboard warriors”. Subsequently, trying to knock your reputation by giving a false low score. Bellow I have published our excellent results and would like to thank our great customers. So, for taking the time and energy to give us the results that all businesses dream about.

Net Promoter Score Results

Your NPS score is:

93.33%

What does your NPS score mean?

Your NPS score tracks customers on how they represent your company to their family, friends and colleagues.

  • A negative score means you have more Detractors than Promoters and your organization is unlikely to grow.
  • A NPS score of above 0 is considered to be good.
  • A NPS score above 50 is considered to be exceptional. This also indicates that awareness of your organization will grow through word-of-mouth marketing.

The NPS score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of Detractors (those who scored your fitting centre as a 0-6) from Promoters (those that scored your fitting centre as 9-10). This generates your Net Promoter Score.

Many Thanks from me and all my excellent staff for their contribution to having great Customers Satisfaction Ratings.

Eric Roberts

eric roberts

How Eco Tyres Achieve Eco

Pirelli Cinturato Tyres-about the new Rover 3500 fitting Pirelli Tyres

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pirelli cinturato tyres, advert

The Pirelli Cinturato tyres from The great Italian tyre company

Hi i love to show off my old tyre adverts this Pirelli Cinturato advert is no exception.

Of course, the Pirelli Cinturato Tyre range have  been in use since I was a tyre fitter. Unfortunately, way back in the in the early 1970 s. Consequently, this type of tyre was a popular choice. Especially on the MGB sport cars and Alfa Romeos. Significantly,  the most popular size was 165×14 radial tyre. But the tyres were used on many Italian imported cars in those days such as Fiats which were fitted with the Cinturato tyres. It all kicked off, when Rover brought out a car with a 3.5 litre engine under the bonnet. To balance the car out with a new type of suspension, the knew that they would have to use radial tyres.

The Rover 3500 was to come out with Pirelli Cinturato Tyres fitted as one of the original equipment tyres. The Pirelli Cinturato Tyres came out with a twin steel belt and a further belt that was made out of Nylon. Nylon was a fairly new material back then and was renowned for its strength and elasticity. The Pirelli Cinturato Tyres, was known to us as the CN 36 and was remembered for its strange looking tread pattern. The pattern was almost like a winter tyre pattern.

Because it had a steel belt it was always going to give the driver a good mileage on his car.

In my opinion the block like tread pattern would have been very noisy on certain roads, as i say it looks more like a winter tyre. In fact i can remember some of our customers complaining about the  Pirelli P4 Tyres. So,being on the noisy side.  

The Rover 3500, also cam out on Dunlop tyres, and these were said to have a quieter ride. The Dunlops had a rib pattern around the tyre circumference and so drove much quieter.        

Pirelli have these days been famous for their involvement in the F1 motor racing scene. Of course, also keeping up with the tyres for modern vehicles including the run-flat tyre range.                                        

Caravan Tyre Pressures-Why making sure caravan tyres are inflated is very important

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caravan tyre pressures

Caravan Tyre Pressures

 

It advises vehicle owners to check the Caravan Tyre Pressures with an accurate pressure gauge before every journey and if possible with cold tyres.

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

This rig is a good example for caravan owners to check their Caravan Tyre Pressures at regular times.

Importantly, you should increase and decrease your caravan tyre pressures before and after every trip. Significantly, it is very important to do this before say your holidays. Of course, when the caravan may be fully loaded. So, then you must lower the caravan tyre pressures. Consequently, when you return and unload the weight.

So, we have all seen many caravan rigs travelling down the motorway swaying from side to side. Because the main reason is the tyres are under inflated. Often causes accidents ! So please check and correct your caravan tyre pressures and fit a TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system) if possible and be safer on the roads. A brilliant web site to visit for advice is...www.tyresafe.org

Continental tyres are releasing a Tyre Pressure Check system which will help to sustain the length of  a tyre’s life-cycle. At the moment it is being tested at the port logistics and other goods handling locations, but is expected to be used in applications such as caravans where slow and continuous loss of pressures are one of the most common causes of tyre punctures.

“Regular maintenance checks on the caravan tyre pressures are time-consuming and cost-intensive, and therefore often neglected – with

caravan tyre pressures
Scenes like this are all too familiar and many are caused by tyres problems

serious consequences,” said Dr Michael Maertens, managing director.

The new TPMS system can be fitted on almost all types of  vehicles that are fitted with pneumatic tyres from all of the manufacturers.

In contrast to comparable systems, Conti-Pressure-Check system is located inside the tyre, where the  pressure and  temperature are monitored all the time by a sensor.

All the data that is received via the sensor is sent by blue -tooth to a mounted central receiver. This receiver will processes the information and then sends it  directly to the display in the driver’s cab. In my opinion this would be a perfect system for a towing vehicle.

Such as a caravan or a trailer. Significantly the tyre pressures that may fluctuate between the actual caravan tyre pressures. Of course, will show the driver immediately when to inflate the tyres correct pressure. Consequently, this type of  monitoring means the risks of blowout accidents are reduced. reducing the site of a crashed caravan torn to pieces. Hence turned on its back on the side of the highway. Ruining the peoples holidays.

A Continental CST spokesman says

So, that making sure of the  right caravan tyre pressures not only extends the tyre’s life and makes it safer, it also ensures that the vehicle has  lower energy consumption ,but this will mean a better thing for the environment, since CO2 emissions will be cut.

See on www.etyres.co.uk

Car Servicing Tips

Neglect car servicing-at your own peril – Daily Nation-Pellonautocentre

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Neglect car servicing

Neglect car servicing

Daily Nation Neglect car servicing at your own peril Daily Nation If you simply asked a garage for a major car servicing, and handed the car over with a flat spare, one rear wheel five psi below pressure, feathering wear on one front tyre tread, a screw…

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

 Neglect car servicing advice from Africa

I know that I keep going on about how important car servicing is. But its good advice when I see other countries preaching the same thing. So this article comes from Africa! Giving the  motorist some good points that affect all car drivers. Importantly to have your car serviced. Of course, there may be some serious underlying problem with your car.

Especially, about hidden problems that you do not know about. Significantly, that a service should pick up. The main neglect that we come across is Car Brakes problems, for example leaking brake cylinders that are undetected could lead to a sudden brake loss, and heaven knows what that could cause, so please have your car servicing done at regular intervals. Please do not Neglect car servicing?

If you would like some advice  about your cars servicing intervals then here you are .

From my advice I would like to stress that the newer your car is then the fewer services the car will need. Most of today’s modern cars that our customers drive are supposed to be serviced every 12000 Miles Per Year. Or at least once a year. Some of the older models require more Servicing a Car, but we tend to check out the service booklets and service the cars accordingly.

After three years, your car should have averaged say 12000 miles every year, but many drivers do not do that amount of miles, so in that case i would advise you once again to stick to the mileage regime and not the time scale. In my opinion it is best practice to stick to the cars service manual. If you do Neglect car servicing and exceed the miles, say if you use your car for work purposes then you should have the 12000 mile service once a year, or at least make sure that the car has a major service.

But most importantly please make sure that the car has the oil and filter changed, as oil contamination can always run into other more major problems. Also check the time or mileage that your timing belt needs changing, this can be the major problem if you Neglect car servicing , if your car requires it, most do and have a brake check. if you have a 12000 mile yearly service, then all this will be taken care of.

Neglect car servicing
Timing belt change intervals can be checked out, Neglect car servicing could result in your engine blowing up.

Check Your Tyres – do not wait until 1.6 mm is left before changing your tyres ?

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Check Your Tyres
Check Your Tyres? before the police do

check your tyres

Pistonheads.comhi ! newbie here on PH, my first post of many – so here goes – after reading the thread on ‘do you wait till 1.6mm before changing your tyres’ i decided to check my treads on my 2010 997.2 turbo cab, they are…

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

This is always good advice” check your tyres”

 

Of course, here in the UK and most of Europe. Hence, it is Bank Holiday season coming up ! Time to Check Your Caravan Tyres . So, the legal limit is 1.6 mm across 3/4 of the tread from the centre outwards, if you are above that then

Check Your Tyres
The new Michelin premier Sx showing tyre sipes

legally you are OK.

So, the important thing to remember is ! Consequently, that most cars today have cars fitted with tyres.  That do not have any sipes, once you get down to 3 mm of remaining rubber on the tread area.

Of course, the sipes are the very small slits that you can see all over the tyres. These sipes help get rid of the water. Importantly, between the tread area and the road surface . Significantly, they are are one of the most important thing in tyres safety design ! So Check Your Tyres .

Without them you are running on “slick tyres“. Subsequently, the type of rubbers that you see on F1 racing cars that are “bald”. This gives the cars excellent grip in very dry weather. But render them useless in wet weather. So the moral of this story is to remove your tyres at 3 mm ! For safeties sake alone.

Sipes are the tiny splits that are purposely designed.

So to help dissipate the water. Hence, between the tyre and the road surface in wet or snowy weather. Of course, their are thousands of them in any typical tyre design. But they only operate down to the 3 mm limit on most modern tyres. Especially on the new type of SUV and High Performance Car Tyres.

There are many differing types of sipes used in the design when making tyres. Some designed to lock with each other when the tread block moves. This locking together of the sipes enables  the tread block to remain solid  (helping to improve the road holding capabilities of the tyre) whilst still helping the tyre retain its grip in wet conditions. Other types of sipe are known as  keyhole sipes. This type of sipe, is shaped so that the bottom of the sipe is wider than the top. As a result, similar to a keyhole design. This comes from the fact that as the tyre wears. So, and the depth of the grooves and sipes are reduced. Then the sipe width is increased. So, retaining the overall volume.

Tyre safety Check Your Tyres  information can be found at…www.tyresafe.org

See on www.pistonheads.com

Yokohama Tyres 19545×16-One of my Favourite cars- Citroen DS3- calls in for two new Yokohama Tyres

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Yokohama Tyres 19545×16 have proved to be a good seller to the younger tyre market and that’s where we missed out in the past.

We started to sell Yokohama  about ten years ago but we found it a difficult product to sell. Yokohama as now were very big sellers of wheel and tyre packages, and it was a

Yokohama Tyres 19545x16
Big on the car racing scene Yokohama Tyres 19545×16

thing that we found hard to sell here in Halifax, at the time we did not know that this particular product was one of the first things to be sold on the internet and the market for wheel units were bought by the younger drivers online from a company in Macclesfield selling cheap Yokohama Tyres 19545×16 and wheels online.

We then fell out with Yokohama tyres and concentrated on other tyre companies. This was before we joined Point-S. Point-S are an independent tyre dealer group here in the UK. And gave us the chance to buy directly from the tyre manufacturers for the first time in a few years.

This opened the door for Yokohama tyres again

Yokohama Tyres 19545x16
Citroen DS3 calls in for new Yokohama Tyres 19545×16

And we started to deal with them for a second term. This time we were aware of the internet and could price up our tyres competitively. With special price structures we were able to sell this excellent product at very competitive prices and we are now able to offer our customers a good deal for an excellent product. Yokohama Tyres 19545×16 have proved to be a good seller to the younger tyre market and that’s where we missed out in the past.

This driver of this White Citroen DS3 specifically asked for Yokohama Tyres 19545×16 for his car and were definitely the tyre choice for the younger driver. I would also like to take this chance to thank Yokohama for the very professional manner that they showed when fitting my tyre depot with brand new signage and display materials.

Bridgestone Jaguar Tyres-celebrates finishing new Jaguar XJ220 tyres with a documentary film

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Bridgestone Jaguar Tyres

Bridgestone Jaguar Tyres

Consequently, One of the greatest cars ever made is the Jaguar XJ 220. Unfortunately, many of the car experts, did not like the car and were very disappointed when the car fist came out. The new Jaguar came out fitted with a V12 engine. As a result, the engine was mounted at the rear . making the car suitable for racing use. Indeed a version of the XJ 220 the XJR 9 . Went on to win the prestigious Le mans 24 hr race .

This has been a special project for Bridgestone tyres . Although Bridgestone Jaguar tyres are available for all Jaguars tyre needs. Then the development of tyres for the XJ 220 was to become a special project. In fact it was stated that no profit was to be made on the sale of these tyres.

The XJ’s  tyres

Consequently, were originally the sizes of 255/45zr17 and 345/35zr18 and could cope with the cars top speeds of over 200 mph. Consequently, owners of these cars could not buy new tyres, as they were not made and unavailable.
As a result of the tyres being unavailable then Bridgestone have now started to make the tyres available again. Including the Potenza RE031. Of course, Incorporating sports performance with ride comfort, the Potenza RE031 is original equipment (OE) on selected vehicles. Original equipment (OE) on Lexus RX330.
 

After months of development, Bridgestone has finished creating new tyres for Jaguar’s iconic 1990s supercar, the XJ220. The tyre manufacturer partnered up with Jaguar specialist Don Law Racing to create new rubber for the turbocharged supercar, the British firm also supplied the original pre-production car that Jaguar originally used for testing.

Source: Bridgestone celebrates finishing new Jaguar XJ220 tyres with a documentary film | Evo