Servicing-Orphaned servicing posts

Car Servicing in Halifax – Keeping Your Car Safe and Reliable

Here at Pellon Tyre and Autocentre in Halifax, car servicing has been part of our everyday work for many years.

Cars have certainly changed during my time in the motor trade. Engines have become more sophisticated, electronics now control almost everything and modern cars can tell us about faults that we could only have dreamed of diagnosing electronically when I first started out.

But one thing hasn’t changed.

Cars still need looking after.

Regular servicing helps keep a vehicle safe, reliable and economical, and it can often pick up small problems before they develop into expensive ones.

Here in Halifax and Calderdale, our cars don’t exactly have an easy life either!

Halifax Roads Can Be Hard on Cars

Anybody who lives around Halifax knows what our roads are like.

We’re surrounded by hills. Travel around Pellon, Queensbury, Sowerby Bridge, Northowram or out towards the Calder Valley and your car is constantly climbing and descending.

Then we have Yorkshire winters, wet weather, potholes and plenty of stop-start driving.

All these conditions put extra demands on a vehicle.

Brakes work hard on our hills. Suspension components have to deal with uneven road surfaces. Batteries suffer during cold weather and tyres need to provide dependable grip throughout the year.

That’s why I have always regarded servicing as much more than simply changing the engine oil.

What Happens During a Car Service?

Exactly what’s required depends on the vehicle, its age, mileage and the manufacturer’s servicing schedule.

Engine oil and the oil filter are amongst the most important service items.

Modern engines are manufactured to very fine tolerances and the correct specification of oil is essential. Over the years we’ve seen the number of different oils increase enormously.

Years ago, garages could keep a relatively small selection of oils in stock and cover most vehicles.

Today it’s completely different.

Different manufacturers specify different grades and standards, and using the correct oil has become increasingly important, particularly with modern turbocharged engines and emissions-control equipment.

That’s why we always check the specification required for the particular vehicle we’re servicing.

Filters Play an Important Part

Cars contain several filters that can require attention during servicing.

The oil filter removes contaminants from the engine oil.

The air filter helps prevent dirt and debris entering the engine.

Many vehicles also have a cabin or pollen filter, which cleans the air entering the passenger compartment.

Diesel and petrol vehicles may also have fuel filters depending on their design and servicing requirements.

These aren’t particularly glamorous components, but they all contribute towards keeping the vehicle working correctly.

Brakes Are Always Important

Living in Calderdale makes you appreciate good brakes!

During servicing we can inspect the condition of the brake pads, brake discs, pipes and hoses and look for signs of deterioration or unusual wear.

One thing we’ve always believed at Pellon is that we don’t replace parts simply because we’re looking at them.

If brake pads still have plenty of usable material remaining, we’ll say so.

If they’re getting close to requiring replacement, we can advise the customer.

And if something is unsafe, naturally it needs dealing with.

It’s a simple approach that has served us well over the years:

Never do a job unless it needs doing.

Tyres Need Checking Too

Being a tyre company originally, tyres have always been particularly close to my heart.

A service provides another opportunity to inspect tyre condition, tread and pressures.

Uneven tyre wear can sometimes tell us about other problems.

Wear concentrated on one edge may indicate a wheel-alignment issue. Strange wear patterns can point towards suspension problems, while incorrect pressures can affect handling, fuel consumption and tyre life.

The legal minimum tread depth is important, but we also look at the general condition of the tyre.

Cuts, cracking, bulges and other damage can be just as important as the amount of tread remaining.

Suspension and Steering

This is another area that takes a hammering around West Yorkshire.

Potholes and rough roads can eventually take their toll on springs, shock absorbers, bushes, ball joints and other suspension components.

Sometimes the first indication is a strange knocking noise.

Other drivers notice the car doesn’t feel quite right when cornering or that the steering has changed.

Suspension faults can also contribute towards uneven tyre wear.

Checking these components as part of normal maintenance can therefore prevent other problems further down the line.

Batteries Don’t Last Forever

Battery technology has changed enormously, particularly with the introduction of stop-start vehicles, hybrids and electric cars.

But conventional 12-volt batteries still have a finite lifespan.

Cold Yorkshire mornings are particularly good at exposing a battery that’s becoming weak.

A car may start perfectly throughout the summer and then the first really cold morning arrives and suddenly it struggles to turn the engine.

Where appropriate, checking battery condition can give some warning before that happens.

Warning Lights and Modern Diagnostics

One of the biggest changes in the garage trade has been electronic diagnostics.

Modern cars contain numerous computers and sensors.

An illuminated dashboard warning light can relate to anything from emissions equipment to ABS, engine management, tyre-pressure monitoring or another electronic system.

The days of simply opening the bonnet and immediately spotting every fault have long gone.

Diagnostic equipment allows technicians to communicate with the vehicle and retrieve fault information, although experience is still important.

A fault code gives us a clue.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that the component named in the code should automatically be replaced.

Proper diagnosis remains essential.

Servicing Hybrid and Modern Cars

We’re now seeing increasing numbers of hybrid vehicles on the roads around Halifax.

These cars combine traditional mechanical components with electric motors, batteries and sophisticated electronic systems.

Although some aspects are different, hybrids still have many familiar service requirements.

They still have tyres.

They still have suspension.

They still have conventional friction brakes, even though regenerative braking may also help slow the vehicle.

And many hybrids still have petrol engines requiring oil and filters.

The motor trade keeps evolving, and independent garages have to evolve with it.

MOT and Servicing Are Not the Same Thing

This is something motorists sometimes misunderstand.

An MOT test is not a service.

The MOT checks whether particular safety and environmental requirements are satisfied at the time of the test.

It doesn’t replace routine maintenance.

A vehicle can pass an MOT and still be overdue a service.

Likewise, having your vehicle serviced doesn’t remove the requirement for an MOT when one is due.

They perform different jobs, and both play an important part in keeping vehicles on Britain’s roads safe and reliable.

Independent Garages Still Have an Important Role

I’ve spent most of my working life around cars and tyres, and the independent garage trade has changed enormously.

Yet customers still appreciate being able to talk to somebody locally about their vehicle.

At Pellon, we’re not interested in replacing perfectly serviceable parts simply to increase a bill.

Our job is to inspect the vehicle, explain what we find and carry out the work that genuinely needs doing.

Many of our customers have been coming to us for years, and we also look after vehicles belonging to local businesses and families throughout Halifax and Calderdale.

That’s how independent garages build their reputation.

Not through fancy promises.

Through doing the job properly and treating people fairly.

Looking After Your Car in Halifax

Regular servicing won’t guarantee that a car will never develop a fault.

Mechanical parts wear out and unexpected problems happen.

But sensible maintenance gives you a much better chance of identifying wear before it becomes a major problem.

It can also help maintain fuel economy, reliability and the value of the vehicle.

Whether it’s an older family car, a modern diesel, petrol vehicle, hybrid, van or company vehicle, the principle remains much the same.

Look after the car and it generally looks after you.

Here at Pellon Tyre and Autocentre in Halifax, we’ve been looking after local motorists for decades.

Cars may have changed beyond recognition during that time.

Yorkshire hills certainly haven’t!

And we’ll continue adapting as the vehicles coming through our workshop doors continue to change.