Replacement car battery as cost-of-living rises

25th April 2023/0 Comments/in All Battery Information/by Eric Roberts

Replacement car battery

In my humble opinion then most of this article is now out of date. Especially when it comes to modern cars and their batteries. Many of the new model are now start stop cars. Requiring AGM or EFB batteries. These batteries are maintenance free and cannot be examined through the screw tops that were fitted to old model vehicles.

Back in the old days this was an important job. To check the fluid levels in the battery top cells. Access was through a plastic top that you had to screw out. The acid level could then be checked and topped up accordingly. In fact I am sure that many new drivers of the past 5 years wont know that this type of battery exists.

Another myth in the article is the need to charge your battery if the car is not regularly used. I admit that it could shorten the life of the battery but drivers of today do not have the time to take their battery off for charging whether it be by a smart charger or any other type of charger.

Peoples time is valuable in todays super fast world. Car batteries are now hidden away in a plethora of plastic casings and wires. it can take a trained technician nearly an hour to change a battery these days, the public have no chance.

Battery replacement can be stressful at the best of times, however, as the cost of living continues to rise, never has the potential cost of a battery failure loomed so large. It’s widely known that the

Source: How motorists can avoid the expense of a replacement car battery as cost-of-living rises

Flat Tyres on the Motorway-Joining the Breakdown Service is now Imperative !

25th April 2023/2 Comments/in All Tyre Articles/by Eric Roberts

Flat Tyres on the Motorway

So, in the past years. Then I have written many times. Of course, about how to change your punctured wheel. Although not all punctures occur on the motorway system. Importantly, this is what I am going to write about ! British motorways as we all know are always extremely busy. So, as many of my readers know. Hence, then I delivery some of our battery sales to all over the UK. Inclusively, from Devon to Aberdeen. Covering all of the UK . When delivering very large truck batteries or even leisure batteries.

Many times I will set of at 4.30. Of course, depending where I am going to. So, for a short while in mid-summer then it will be light at this time. Happily, and a pleasure to drive, with wonderful sunrises that only the early risers would see. However the particular morning that caused me to write this article was dark. Raining heavily, and extremely windy. In fact a terrible morning to be driving on the motorways !

Two miles on and a loud bang !

So, this particular day then I was heading for the Bristol area with about ten deliveries of different batteries. My usual motorway entry junction is the Barnsley entry/exit just south of the “Woolley Edge” service area on the M1 motorway. As I have said it was a stinking morning with a gale blowing and raining heavily ! No problem I thought it can only get better , However I could not have been more wrong ! So, about two miles on I remember running over something in the dark . Frighteningly, this was followed by a kind of juddering sound .

This was to be my first punctured tyre at any time in my life ! Probably, one of the reasons for this. Is because as the owner of a Tyre Centre then I have always had new tyres on any of my vehicles. Thus protecting me against any imminent tyre problem. My van started to drift about ! So at first I thought it could be the strong winds that were blowing. Even at that time of the morning then the M1 motorway is very busy with trucks and other vehicles alike.

Realizing that I had a flat tyre then I pulled over onto the hard shoulder of the motorway. The wind was howling ! Rain pouring down and I was totally miffed to say the least. Adrenaline was beginning to kick in ! Frightened at the prospect of changing the wheel with trucks whizzing by only four foot away. So, the first thing that came to my mind was “where is the spare wheel” and jack and “wheel brace”. Disappointingly, then I did not practice what I had been preaching for all these years.

Finally found all the tools and spare wheel

Scrambling about in the dark, then I shifted the batteries and finally found the wheel brace and tool kit. Jacking points were no problem and luckily I managed to lower the spare wheel without any problems. So, this is where my 40 years experience came in. As the trucks were hurtling by I managed the job pretty quickly. My only snag was that I had put the spare back into the carrier the wrong way round.

So, it was sort of dangling about a bit. However I was able to limp along to the next services and fit the spare correctly and in safety. As daylight approached then I began to think about my bad experience. Proudly I had applied myself and did the wheel change safely and speedily. So I was back on my way down the M1 just an hour later.

However my experience had made me think what could have been ! Including what if the driver had been a lady driver ! Or even an elderly driver. So much in fact that I have now completely changed my stance. Specially over changing a wheel on the motorway or any other busy road. My new advice from now on would be that drivers should join one of the breakdown services. Recently, I have noticed that the breakdown services have been changing their customers wheels. Admittedly, I did snigger a little ! Of course but not now !

Having ! experienced this with all the elements against me ! So I do now know that many people would not have been able to cope with this bad experience. Also if you are capable physically of changing your own wheel, So, you should check out all the tools that you will require.

Also there are now different spare wheel systems.

Many vehicles still carry a standard type of spare wheel. Just the same as the ones that will be on the vehicle. This was the case in the van that I was driving on that torturous rainy night.
Vehicles will also have a spare wheel. However it will be “temporary spare” wheel. The wheel is the same overall diameter as your vehicles tyres. However it will be much thinner and usually a steel wheel. Most vehicles have alloy wheel and this spare will look much thinner that the ones on the vehicle. Subsequently, these wheels do do the job and enable you to carry on with your journey. Importantly, though there is a limit of driving at 50 mph for a distance of 70 Miles with one of these spares fitted.
Many cars are fitted with run-flat tyres. At first I did not agree with these run flat tyres ! Primarily because they were more expensive to replace than a standard tubeless tyre. However I have changed my mind ? Because of the tyres safety aspects. So if I had runflats fitted to my then then I would have been able to limp on. Albeit, at 50 mph. So the cars fitted with the run-flat system will not have a spare wheel, but the system will get most drivers out of trouble.
In my opinion this is the worst system ! car makers lower the weight of their vehicles by not fitting a spare wheel at all. The spare is replaced by a can of repair sealant. This sealant only works if the tyre has a small nail or screw impaled. So, anything larger such as a small cut or large hole can not be sealed. So, leaving you no better off and still stuck at the side of the road. The “no spare system” was to lower the cars overall weight to cut back on the cars emissions ! In my opinion then membership f one of the breakdown services is a must. Incidentally, when this repair sealant is used then the tyre has to be replaced as the cant be repaired.
Flat Tyres on the Motorway

I hope that this article informs drivers enough to check and see what spare wheel system is used on their car. Importantly, because of the high volume of traffic on our roads then we should perhaps join one of the breakdown companies. Ensuring that you wheel will be changed in safety whatever your cars spare wheel system.

Timing Belt Needs Changing Sir? the dreaded words from your mechanic?

24th April 2023/in All Car Repair Articles/by Eric Roberts

Change your Timing Belt it’s imperative?

When our customers are having a service to their car, there are certain things that we will report to them. Thus, when their cars service is complete. What we do which is what most garages do!

So, nowadays, is to take a contact number of the person who’s car it is having a service. Before mobile phones this would have been more difficult to do. But now most of our customers have some sort of mobile phone or other.

The things we report on are such things as tyres or worn steering parts. So, these can be changed later on in the day if the customer is contacted . Of course, and we will have time to carry out the repairs. One important thing though is the Timing or cam belt. The Timing Belt Kits come in two types. The chain type, which as the word say’s is very similar to a motor bike chain. More commonly, the rubber looking belt! Consequently, that looks very similar to a fan belt. Including looking like the belt that drives your washing machine or spin dryer.

This is made out of very strong material similar to the materials that tyres are made from.

The importance of the timing belt cannot be overstressed. If the belt breaks in use then the engine can be damaged beyond repair. When we carry out a service we always check in the Autodata online manual. Naturally, for the exact time for the belt to be changed. Sometimes it will state a Timing Belt Intervals and other times it may state a time period. However, usually it will be between 60000miles and 100000 miles when the new belt should be fitted.

This is also important to know if you buy a second hand car. I have known customers who have had a car for a couple of months and their timing belt has snapped leaving them with a

blown up engine and no redress from the person that they bought the Old Cars from, so if you buy a second hand car you must only buy one with a history record and the knowledge of the timing belt, otherwise you could be caught out with a huge repair bill, always ask about the timing belt?

A simple explanation of what this important part does is as follows; the timing belt is used to turn the camshaft at exactly half the speed of the crankshaft. Your camshaft controls the opening and closing of the valves in time to the pistons going up and down the engines cylinders. The camshaft belt runs on pulleys at the end of each important part and very often also drives the water pump. Should the belt break; then all these other parts simply smash into each, other causing major damage to the car’s engine.

The timing belt is spinning at tremendous speed and generates much heat,

so the belt is subject to many pressures and eventually starts to break up and cracking starts to appear, once again very similar to tyres. Perhaps you can see now why it is so important to change the belt at the correct time. Importantly, we also recommend that you change the water pump at the same time. The water pump runs on a bearing and the bearings tend to wear out at the same time. If the water pump is not changed and goes at a later date then the garage will have all the same work to carry out all over again.

Many different companies makes of timing belt but we prefer to use leading brand belts. Because, our customers are covered under a warranty should anything go wrong with the part or the fitting of your new belt. You will be covered across the whole of the mainland UK, under the terms of the warranty a great protection to have.

So to finalise if your garage warns you that the timing belt is due for a change well get it done as soon as you can afford to, before the thing breaks and causes much more damage to the car and to your wallet or purse.

Solar Energy Batteries- May Vie With U.S. Oil Boom as Energy Changer

24th April 2023/1 Comment/in All Battery Information/by Eric Roberts

Solar Energy Batteries

The rapid development of rooftop solar and

Solar Energy Batteries storage technology

could be as trans formative to the economy and modern life as the U.S. oil and gas boom, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said. (Batteries May Vie With U.S.

Eric Roberts’ insight: Solar batteries

The USA Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz has come out with a statement that I have been talking about for a couple of years now. In this article, he says that the USA could start to be getting independent of the national energy providers if the growth in solar Renewable Energy and other renewable resources can keep growing at the present rate.

In my opinion, the public in America. Of course, and other continents such as here in the UK. Have really grasped the nettle as far as going it alone with solar energy. The solar panels in this picture are situated in a small town in West Yorkshire UK.

Starting producing energy from the Sun as early as February. The electricity that is produced by these solar panels is sent straight to the electricity grid. Through a reverse meter and the electric company pays the house owner for the electricity that is provided.

In America there is a growing trend to store the electricity. Hence, that is collected from the panels. Into banks of Solar Energy Batteries. This is also useful in rural and more isolated areas. Where the batteries can store the electricity. As a result, for use at night by the house owners.

The most effective type of Solar Energy Batteries to use is AGM batteries.

These AGM batteries will cost more in the first instance. But will give better service due to the ability to have much greater charge and discharge cycles. Than say a normal lead-acid Car Batteries.

There are many DIY videos available. Showing, householders how to set up a Solar Energy Batteries system. One of them is Trojan AGM Battery. Subsequently, these batteries are very suited for the use with solar energy. So, anyone thinking of doing this should look at the Trojan AGM product.

Like the USA energy secretary Ernest Moriz. I too wonder how long off are we before we are producing more electricity. Say than the national providers and what happens then?.

See on www.bloomberg.com

Pellon tyre online tyres and car repairing servicing

Car Service Tips For the First Time Drivers

23rd April 2023/in All Car Servicing/by Eric Roberts

car service advice for the young drivers

Having a Car service has always been seen as a big expense to the average motorist and certainly is for the young first time motorists. Most cars will need an annual major service, and in my opinion for the driver on average mileage should have one or even two smaller engine services.

This (the smaller engine service) usually means the oil and filter changed and the rest of the cars fluid levels topped up. It is also a great idea (if you can afford) for cars over three years old told to have the main service carried out at the same time as the cars MOT test. Your garage will probably advice you to have the MOT test carried out before the service, this is always best practice and is recommended by the Ministry of Transport as the correct procedure to follow.

It also gives you control of your spending budget. Indeed what you should do is instruct the Car Garage to inform you of any failures that the test may throw up. You must also ask your garage to give you an estimate of the cost of repairs to your car to get it through the test.

Many customers of garages do this! Because if the cost of your repairs are high, you may not be able to afford to have the car serviced, indeed you can then cancel the service for a later date, when you can afford to have the service carried. The best practice though is to have the test and the car service carried out in the same day. This will ensure that your car will be in the best condition for your summer holidays or the possible harsh winter ahead.

Most good garages and auto centres carry out a car service to a high standard.

hey will carry out menu services according to the manufactures advice. Indeed many garages and auto centres use a service menu specific to your car. Thus, by typing your registration number in to an automotive computer such as “Autodata”. Complete with software that will print out the exact Car service menu. of course which is for your make and model of your car.

Another good piece of advice

The usual way to find a good garage is by word of mouth by friends or relations.

Annual MOT Testing-Two Old Timers-Call Into Pellon Auto Centre For their Annual MOT Test

23rd April 2023/in mot testing Halifax/by Eric Roberts

Two Old Timers Call In For

Annual MOT Testing.

Happily, I have said before, that this is a great time to be involved in the auto trade. Of course, as the owner of a successful auto centre. Then we take every day as it comes. Consequently, apart from the work that we have booked in for that day. So, we had a run of cars that were all affected by “pothole” damage.

So, the first car was a Ford Fiesta ! Suffering from a broken coil spring . Caused by running into a pothole ! Incredibly, the second was a Vauxhall Corsa, with yet another a broken coil spring . Unluckily, the spring had also penetrated the front tyre ! Once again caused by hitting a pothole !

Thirdly the damaged car was a VW Sirocco that hit a pothole and bent his steering arm. Urgently, we managed to fit these cars in between our car services. Consequently, that were already booked in . Happily for the customers we managed to carry out the repairs and we all had a good day !

After lunch, we had another bit of excitement for me.

Unbeknownst to me, we had two vintage cars booked in for their Annual MOT Tests. Significantly, the first car was a regular one for us. So, it was a Rolls Royce tourer. With a 5.6-litre engine and built in 1936. Of course, the car easily passed the test. Apart from a Brake switch light, which we repaired on site. The company who own the vehicle always give their car a pre-mot test. Of course before it is brought into us for the MOT test. But the brake light switch must have been overlooked.

The second car that turned up was a black A35 Austin saloon. Manufactured in 1958 (I was ten years old then). Respectfully, the car was owned by the great, great Aunt of the woman who now owns the car ?

So, the Aunt passed the car onto her niece who later died. Subsequently, the car was then passed onto her niece, who is the current owner. Incredibly, the car was last serviced in 1990. Having only done 2000 miles, (it was then used to tootle around town in). The car has a 948 cc engine

with drums on the front brakes. Including an old fashioned rod braking system at the rear.

The car was then mothballed for the last ten in a barn

So the latest in a line of nieces decided to bring it out and restore the car. She asked for the service of a local mechanic, who looked at the car to assess its condition. Incredibly, the car only required a new battery and started up the first time. Urgently, the brakes needed some work doing on them! Then he handed the car over to us for its mot test. Lastly, the brakes were sorted using parts from an old MG Midget. Pleasantly, the engine was in immaculate condition and had only done 6000 miles.

Passed mot test with flying colours

The old Austin had a new 063 ApolloPower battery fitted and passed the mot test in tip top condition apart from some very slight corrosion and will see driving up and down the street of Halifax here in West Yorkshire UK this summer. I just love these cars with a bit of history and a story behind them. The A35 was also fitted with cross ply tyres to the front and radials to the back.

Popular Run Flat Tyres-Definitely an Improvement to road safety- KULR-TV

22nd April 2023/in All Tyre Articles/by Eric Roberts

Popular Run Flat Tyres

Popular Run Flat Tyres
Many new models are now equipped with inflator and sealant kits or run flat tires which are designed to go at slower speeds for 50 miles or more after a tire has been punctured.

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

Run Flat tyres are an interesting subject.

Of course, the problem was that that cars were getting bigger and faster. Consequently, at the same time the car makers were being pressured. By governments to make their cars more fuel efficient and therefore greener.

Car makers were forced to comply with certain regulations ! This meant shedding weight and creating engines. Subsequently, that were controlled by computers . Therefore to really hammer down the emissions. Caused by burning fossil fuels (gasoline or petrol in the

UK). Subsequently, the car companies looked at all sorts of ways. So, to reduce the overall weight of vehicles including tyres. Importantly, even the tyre companies looked for ways of making tyres lighter in weight. Importantly, and indeed they succeeded.

BMW come up with the Mini Run Flat Tyres

Positively, tyre manufacturers came up with the run-flat tyre ! .Of course, this would mean that cars would no longer have a spare wheel and tyre. Thus reducing the overall weight of the vehicle and reducing emissions. Importantly, if a tyre on a car had a sudden drop in pressure (puncture). Importantly, then the car could have the capabilities to drive on.

Albeit at a slower speed (50 mph) until the tyre was eventually changed. Safety wise, the positives are that the car would not deviate. Therefore, carrying on driving in the normal way. Therefore not causing an accident. So, much safer than a standard radial tyre. Also you would not have to get out of the car ? Say on a rainy night having to change the wheel when you had a puncture.

Cost was an early problem ?

Early drawbacks are the cost of replacing these tyres is much higher than a standard tyre. A new Run Flat Tyres is required after each incident. Puncture repairs in these tyres are not recommended ?

Incidentally, on long journeys should you have the need to want a new tyre ! Then you only have fifty miles to have the Run Flat Tyres fixed.

In the States the gap between some towns and cities can be hundreds of miles. So you pays your money and takes your choice ?

Since I wrote this article ? Then the run flat tyres have been well accepted by most motorists. Older drivers who prefer a genuine spare wheel can now buy a new tyre and wheel unit for the spare wheel.

Car Brakes-Entering the FRICTION ZONE — Older vehicle PARC sees increase in Car brakes sales

22nd April 2023/1 Comment/in Brake Servicing Halifax/by Eric Roberts

Entering the FRICTION ZONE — Aging vehicle parc ripe for car brakes sales Car Brakes-Entering the FRICTION ZONE
Tire Business
“Where before when a vehicle reached 10 years or 11 years, consumers were thinking of selling it, now they’re thinking of, ‘How can I keep my car going?

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

This is a very in depth articles about car brakes

Un-reasonably, car brakes are very often taken for granted. So, in other words car owners will just pull into your garage and leave their car. Because there is a banging or rattling noise coming from the front of the car.

This is usually a good indication that the brakes have failed, or are failing ! But brake jobs do follow a pattern.

The spring time is usually the time for our customers car brakes to start going wrong . So, and needing repairing. Of course, in my opinion I think that it is because that drivers use their brakes. Of course, much more in the winter months and therefore the brake pads and discs .

Drivers almost always wait until the last minute to have them repaired and consequently cause more damage to the brakes.

For example a simple job like a set of brake pads replacing may turn out to be more complicated and end up the car needing new discs, or a seized up brake caliper.

This will result in a larger garage invoice for the customer. The secret is to get a free brake check at your local garage. most garages here in the UK will give a car a free brake check and give the customer a quote for the required work. We are members of the Independent Car Care Centres who also offer a nationwide guarantee throughout the UK and a free brake check on all makes and models of cars.

All this culminates as a good time of year for doing brake work, especially the many older cars that our customers are now hanging on to longer and having them repaired instead of replaced.

See on www.tirebusiness.com

MOT Garages that are removed from MOT testing scheme to be made public

21st April 2023/1 Comment/in mot testing/by Eric Roberts

DVSA have agreed with Ministers to make the information publicly available following the announcement by Justine Greening MP in 2012, of the Governments’ commitment to the Garage Customer Experience.

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

MOT Garages testing station, owners opinion

So, as the owner of an MOT centre then I am not quit sure what this will achieve. Consequently, I know that there are thousands of normal garages. Strangely, who claim that they do MOT testing. Incredibly, but in fact do not. What they do is to take their customers car to an approved MOT testing station. Consequently, having what we call “a trade test” carried out.

Of course, I am not saying that the car will not be tested correctly? But the test is not carried out by the garage and the car is not in their control. Subsequently, if the driver has an issue then he can not take it up directly with the testing station.

Customers should look out for the official MOT testing sign,

Concerned car owners should look out for an official MOT sign ! Usually outside the garage premises at the roadside. So looking the same as the one in my above image. Some garages have sort of look alike signs, but are not official testing stations.

I can only think that garages who have lost their license to test cars because of a bad disciplinary record, still carry on taking cars in for testing, but have a trade test done at another official testing station, under the pretense that they still have a testing license, or simply do not remove their MOT Garages signs as if their still testing.

A list of banned testing sites will be published but i wonder who will read them?.

Hi I would like to introduce myself. Working in the Garage and tyre and Battery business now for 40 years. So. Working for a couple of national tyre companies before starting my first business. Of course, I now own a company here in the UK called Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre. Blogging about anything to do with cars and their related products. Naturally, that will help my business.

BMW MINI TYRES- 3 Millionth Engine built in the UK.

21st April 2023/in All Car Servicing/by Eric Roberts

BMW MINI TYRES

BMW MINI TYRES; Three million BMW Mini engines built in Hams Hall Birmingham UK

Of course, the success story for the BMW Mini just goes on and on. Hence, you have only to look on our roads. Thus, to see how many of these excellent cars are on our roads. Consequently, the factory

where the BMW Mini is made. Is the first plant to be built outside of Germany. Of course, and is a compliment to all the people in Birmingham. Hence, with its great tradition of building good quality cars. Naturally, by a good quality workforce.

The factory that builds the BMW Mini is about 800 strong. Of course, and is expected to increase in size in the near future.

Last year (2011) . The British factory produced around 1.3 million new cars. This is expected to rise in 2012. This is a fantastic result. Therefore, it is anticipated that the UK car market. Thanks to the BMW Mini Coupe, will be a net exporter of cars for the first time since 1976 a great achievement for the British car market and their workers.