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The Motorists' Guide

The Motorists Guide

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  1. Specialist motor insurance loss adjuster, Claims Management & Adjusting (CMA), which recently became part of the QuestGates Group, is warning of an increase in the ‘bogus buyer’ vehicle theft method, particularly in the South East of England. The scam sees criminals targeting vehicle owners advertising their car, van or motorbike for sale privately, via local newspapers or online marketplaces. The victim, being a considerate seller, helpfully gathers everything the crook wants – the vehicle, keys and documentation –in one place. The sting commonly comes via a request for a test drive, with the criminal seizing any opportunity to jump into the driver’s seat and speed off. In the worst cases, it can involve threatening behaviour or violence. Philip Swift, a former detective, now Technical Director at CMA, said: “The bogus buyer method is as old as the hills and unfortunately it is on the rise again. It starts with deception, taking advantage of peoples’ good nature, and ends with a brazen theft. It generally follows some haggling, sufficient to keep up the pretence. Once a small price reduction is agreed, the seller’s spirits are up and their guard is down. The unscrupulous perpetrator then casually asks for a test drive, constantly looking to a manoeuvre a situation where there is no one near the car and they have the key. They only need a moment and they’re gone. “With the UK stolen vehicle recovery rate currently at an all-time low of just 23%, down from 80% in 2006, the chances of you ever seeing your car again are not good. And there’s a further potential kick in the teeth in that, while your insurance company may pay out, the process might well be delayed by the need to acquire paperwork related to an ongoing police investigation. “Our best advice is that prevention is better than cure. Be aware that some potential purchasers are less than honest. Did they arrive alone or get a lift? If they got a lift, is their mate still there? They will not want you to see that car as it links to them. It is good practice to always have a friend with you and keep hold of the keys and paperwork until the payment has hit your account. Additionally, please consider the wisdom of offering a test drive when selling privately under any circumstances, whether your buyer is bogus or not. Are they insured to drive your car? Do they even have a licence? If they crash it could well cost you, not only in terms of breaching your insurance policy and losing your no claims bonus, but in breaking the law and getting six points on your licence as well.”
  2. Check out the latest Motorcycle Book offerings on Transporterama https://www.carbooks.store/collections/motorbikes
  3. Have the Pot Holes been repaired in your local area? Let us know...will be nice to see the stats on this one
  4. I'll start then.....Harley Dyna Street Bob 103 and Honda Africa Twin 1000 DCT There, that wasn't painful ! Although the running costs and cleaning are exactly that 🙂
  5. Make sure your lights are in good working order now the winter nights are getting darker eBay link below will take you to the official eBay site for Bulbs and LED lamps Search for Bulbs here
  6. Why tune your engine? What’s the best method to tune your car? What are the overall benefits? Electronic engine tuning is the modern method of obtaining more horsepower from the engine without replacing any parts. Many years ago, tuning a petrol engine was carried out by replacing Carburettors, Exhaust and Inlet Manifolds and tweaking the Distributor in order to liberate more power. This of course led to a variety of problems that maybe you didn’t have previously, including having to ‘tune the engine’ on a regular basis, reliability, poor starting, difficult to drive in traffic and on occasions resulting in destruction of the engine. The problem that existed with tuning an engine with traditional methods was that the engines were very rarely able to generate, and handle much more power beyond standard and generally involved having much more involvement with strengthening the mechanical components within the bottom end and also lightening components to get it rev higher. Additionally, Diesel engines were not able to be tuned apart from maybe adding a larger turbo and water injection. Nowadays, engines are designed to handle more power than they sent out of the factory with. Vehicles in standard form are produced with a specified power output in order to comply with strict production, emissions and tax regulations and also to enhance reliability and durability. There is, however, a potential ‘window of opportunity’ provided by the manufacturers, allowing the owner the potential to squeeze out some additional horsepower with no resulting damage to the engine, and in most cases allowing the improved torque to enhance the overall driving experience. It’s not all about horsepower increase, it’s the torque benefits that allow improved driveability and provide more flexible gear changes. Torque increase can also lead to improved towing capabilities and load carrying without necessarily putting excess strain on the turbocharger. The more torque, the more pulling power! Will you get your money back and how long will it take? Economy is an important factor to consider the decision to spend money in order to save money. With increased torque, more flexible gear changes and increase pulling power should all lead to less throttle required and therefore better economy figures. With up to 20% fuel economy increase claimed for the DTUK system, it shouldn’t take too long to reclaim the financial outlay if the annual mileage is quite high. Are there any downsides? With electronic tuning (or fine tuning) of the engine, there are no mechanical parts to wear, drift out of calibration and all of which should contribute to maintaining overall vehicle reliability. What methods are there for achieving more power from your engine? Remapping the ECU – where a computer is connected to the vehicle ECU and a programme is downloaded which overrides the original ‘map’ with a revised one to increase the power/torque. Another method is to install an electronic chip (EPROM) inside the ECU which overrides the original ‘map’ to provide more power/torque. And yet another method is to plug in a Tuning Box which is interfaced with the injector wiring to fine-tune the fuel injection to allow additional fuel into the engine. All of these methods have their benefits and drawbacks with considerations such as cost, transferability of the tuning enhancement to another vehicle and ensuring the validity of any manufacturer warranty. Will it affect my Insurance or Warranty? It is advisable to contact your insurance company to advise them of any modifications, but more than likely with the popularity of performance enhancements to vehicles nowadays, a moderate upgrade would be recognised and quite easily listed on the policy. Failure to inform the insurers could lead to a claim being invalid in the event of an accident. Manufacturer warranty is I suppose down to individual vehicle brands but some do promote their preferred after-market Tuning specialists and accept that it is becoming a more popular trend. However, if a failure occurs with any component and that it could be remotely linked to a modification by the owner, I’m sure that could lead to a claim being declined. Tuning Box DTUK® manufactures a Tuning Box that refines the injection process by altering the injection pulse width modulation to fine tune the fuel quantity to gain more power and torque. Using a new multi-channel with dyno proven software written and developed in-house by DTUK® The system is fully adjustable for both Petrol and Diesel and can deliver up to 40% gains in power, torque and up to 20% improvement in fuel economy. Lower emissions are also promised as the engine is running smoother and more efficient, therefore, lower CO2 output. An improved throttle response should lead to a smoother drive and an improved low rev range torque and provide a smoother drive especially when towing. The system is suitable for vehicles with Automatic Transmissions and those equipped with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter). The DTUK® Tuning Box takes around 10 minutes to fit with minimal tools and is also transferable to another car if required. Installation All DTUK Systems have been designed to be compact and easy to fit they are supplied complete with the correct OEM wiring loom and connectors for the vehicle application and can be installed with the minimal of mechanical ability thus making it an ideal DIY project, most units can be fitted in around 10 minutes and they come complete with full support. Once the engine cover is removed, it is easy to then gain access to the fuel injector electrical connections. It is then necessary to remove the connectors and interface with the Tuning Box wiring loom, ensuring the connections are in sequence and not crossing over. Also, be careful not to position the wiring over the fuel injector pipes or any other wiring loom as electrical interference may occur. Connect the Tuning Box to the wiring loom connection and then connect to the vehicle Battery (ensure positive lead is securely routed away from earth points, unlike in the photo!) Ensure the Tuning Box is secured in a dry area within the engine bay and away from any electrical units that may cause electrical interference. Place inside the waterproof bag supplied with the kit. Review of DTUK Tuning Box How did it perform? Once installed, I never want to remove it! Not that I ever had much of an issue with the performance from the Honda in the standard form, but since driving it with the Tuning Box installed, I would categorically state that I could never go back to how it was in standard form. The increase is from 103Kw (140PS) to 128 Kw (175PS) and torque has changed from 340 Nm to 420 Nm, which is a very noticeable increase. The performance was instantly noticeable from the moment of installation with improved acceleration but also more importantly, the smoothness of torque delivery has dramatically changed the way the car drives. Longer gear changes are a result of the improved torque curve along with the decreased fuel consumption. On average, it has improved in the short term by around 10-12 %. I say in the short term, because the CR-V has a defective clutch that occasionally slips when put under too much load (common fault with Honda diesels). Once the clutch is replaced, then the consumption should decrease even further. On one end of the Tuning Box are some serial jumpers which you can move around to increase or decrease the power output. I have personally left it ‘out of the box’ as the settings appear to be more than adequate for my requirements. However, it does allow you to alter the settings to achieve the desired output to suit both the car and driver.
  7. Different cars require different types of oil Choosing the best oil for your car's engine can be tough, given the large number of options available. Our guide can help you make the right choice Oil is one of those mysterious substances for many car owners. Unless you’re an enthusiast, you may well open your car’s bonnet only when something goes wrong – you’ve run out of washer fluid or there’s an alarming amount of smoke coming from somewhere. But keeping the car well lubricated is one of the most important maintenance jobs, because unwanted friction in a fast-moving engine usually leads to bad, potentially expensive news. Advanced mechanical technology in modern cars means that modern oils are more complex than ever, according to David Wright, director general of the United Kingdom Lubricants Association. He says increased regulations on vehicle emissions and increasing demands from consumers for performance uncompromised by advanced fuel economy have meant that the lubricant industry of oil blenders and marketers has had to keep up with manufacturer demands as they chase better efficiency. “Smaller oil sumps mean we are all using less oil each year but the oil we are using has to work twice as hard,” Wright says. “Car manufacturers today are demanding thinner and lighter engine oil viscosities to achieve enhanced fuel consumption in a smaller, more powerful engine while at the same time reducing emissions.” This means that getting the right oil for your car is more important than ever. Get it wrong and while you won’t see instant disaster as you would if you’d put diesel in a petrol car, you will subject your engine to excess component wear. “You won’t see an issue immediately. It’s not like putting contaminated fuel into your vehicle,” says Wright. “But within 20,000 miles, you could have severe operational issues.” What kind of oil you need depends on the engine. All new cars will come with a recommended grade listed in the manual and usually a recommended manufacturer, too. The grade will be shown in numbers, separated by the letter ‘w’ – for example, 5w40. “Put simply, the viscosity of an oil gives you an indication of its resistance to flow at given temperatures,” Wright explains. “The ‘w’ rating, preceded by a number, gives you an indication of how the oil flows at winter temperatures and the last number indicates flow in summer temperatures.” However, the viscosity alone isn’t enough to indicate how well an oil will protect your engine. There are numerous tests that car manufacturers go through to formulate engine oils and these are ratified by an organisation called the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, known as the ACEA (an acronym of the organisation’s French title). The ACEA determines the exact requirements needed to meet the demands of different types of modern engine. The specifications, known as ACEA Oil Sequences, are renewed every four years but are backwards compatible for older vehicles. “The high costs of investment in engine oil technology run into six or even seven figures for a set of engine tests. Oil blenders, manufacturers and marketers have to be certain that the lubricants they sell are suitable for a given application,” Wright says. Each ACEA specification is denoted by a letter, followed by a number, which identifies the class of oil and a category within that class – for example, ACEA C3. This specification will be indicated on the oil packaging and the car manufacturer's manual will again specify which you should go for. But what if you can’t find the exact recommended oil? Wright says drivers should tread carefully, because using the wrong oil can cause damage to your car’s engine. The problem is that the oil industry is self-certifying. The ACEA defines the specifications, but it’s up to the manufacturers to make sure that the products they put out meet them. A technical organisation called ATIAL spot-checks products of its members every few years, but largely it’s down to the industry to self-police. Some lesser known oil suppliers have been known to label their products as a certain specification but not meet the standards. “Sometimes it distorts the marketplace if you get some less reputable new entrants into a market selling product below the cost price of other, more reputable blenders. That’s when you get some questions raised. “If something looks too good to be true, then it probably is,” Wright says. “If you have been offered the latest specification, fully synthetic engine oil in the pub for £1 a litre, then it probably is too good to be true.” Read more: Why engine downsizing doesn't always work To combat such products and to check the quality of products, the UKLA launched the Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS) service. Anyone can suggest a product for it to test, and if it’s found to be wanting, the UKLA will ask the marketer to quarantine or recall the product, and relabel or reformulate it. Wright says that since the VLS was launched in 2013, it has made a positive impact on the quality of lubricants sold in Britain. “I think we’re almost there,” he says. “Some of the newer companies are marketing strange formulation that need investigating but, on the whole, the UK market is quite compliant.” Conversely, some manufacturers produce oils that go beyond the required specifications. “Some manufacturers will blend to the base line and some will look to exceed it, to develop some form of quality positioning around their brand,” Wright explains. “It’s usually the multinationals, the big companies that will make them even better than the specifications. So if an oil specification says it’ll last for 15,000 miles, they’ll make it so it lasts 20,000 miles, for example. They’ll put a richer mix of additives into the formula to make sure that not only does it not produce wear in an engine, but it’ll help protect the engine over time, too.” Quick questions How does oil vary? Oil comes in different viscosities, signified by a grade number, such as 5w40. It’s also blended for different types of engines, signified by an ACEA specification, such as ACEA A1/B1. What oil suits what car? The type of oil recommended by the car manufacturer will be listed in the manual. It may recommend a particular brand, but the grade and ACEA specification are the important things to look for. Does brand matter? As long as the grade and ACEA specification is correct, you should be fine. However, David Wright of the United Kingdom Lubricant Association recommends choosing reputable manufacturers. Some firms will blend more advanced, expensive oils that exceed the specifications on the packaging. What about cheaper brands? Again, as long as the grade and ACEA specifications are correct, then everything should be okay. But oils from some newer, less reputable brands on the market have been found not to meet the claimed specifications. The UKLA’s VLS service investigates complaints and tests products to see if they’re compliant and has an archive of its findings on its website - http://www.ukla-vls.org.uk. What happens if you use the wrong oil? Using the wrong oil will put undue stress on the mechanical components of your engine. Badly lubricated parts will wear faster and so decrease the life of the engine. How often should you check your oil? There’s no set rule. Those who drive more should check more often. David Wright suggests everyone should check their vehicle's oil levels at least once a month. How often should you change the oil in your car? This will vary from car to car and will be mentioned in the car’s manual. Glossary of terms ACEA - European Automobile Manufacturers Association. An organisation that represents European vehicle makers and determines the requirements for modern lubricants. Specifications for different types of oil are denoted by an ACEA figure on packaging, such as ACEA A1/B1. ATIEL – Industry association of European lubricant manufacturers and marketers. The acronym comes from the French “Association Technique de l'Industrie Européenne des Lubrifiants” Grade – the viscosity of your engine oil, signified by two numbers that indicate oil flow in winter and summer temperatures (eg 5w40). The lower the numbers, the thinner the viscosity. SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers. The US-based body that defines how oil viscosities are defined and regulated. UKLA – United Kingdom Lubricants Association. Body representing businesses in the British lubricant industry. VLS – Verification of Lubricant Specifications. A non-profit service launched by the UKLA to investigate complaints of non-compliance with lubricant specifications.
  8. As the UK government has instructed the nation to stay at home and only venture out for specific, essential reasons in light of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) situation, many of us are being encouraged to park our cars if we can. Some owners of Toyota hybrids might be wondering what will happen to their car during long periods without use, particularly when it comes to the level of charge in the batteries. The reassuring news is that no difficult car maintenance is necessary. However, there are some tips that, if followed, can help ensure your Toyota remains in tip-top condition during an extended layoff. To recap, Toyota hybrids generally contain two batteries: a 12-volt battery (which powers systems such as the headlamps and audio) and a high-voltage hybrid system battery (which supplies the power to start the combustion engine and drive the electric motors). The simplest way to maintain charge in both of these batteries is to simply go through the normal start procedure: press the ‘Start’ button with your foot on the brake and ensure the ‘Ready’ light is illuminated on the dashboard. We recommend you put the car in ‘Ready’ mode for about 60 minutes before switching it off again and repeat the process at least once a week, providing you can carry out this procedure while adhering to the government’s advice regarding social distancing and Coronavirus (Covid-19). Please do not leave your car unattended when it is in ‘Ready’ mode. During the time that that car is in ‘Ready’ mode, you may hear and feel the internal combustion engine kick in; this is a normal part of the self-charging process. You might be tempted to switch on the radio to pass the time, or turn on other systems, but bear in mind these will consume small amounts of electrical power so it is preferable to leave them off. Ensure the handbrake is on; there’s no need to go for a drive, although we must stress that this procedure should take place in a well-ventilated area – something to consider if you park your vehicle in a garage. What if my Toyota isn’t a hybrid? Our petrol and diesel cars only have a 12-volt battery, which provides the power to start the engine in addition to the other systems mentioned above. Regular start-up of the vehicle on conventional petrol and diesel engines needs approximately 20 minutes of running to put back into the battery what you remove on start up, so to maintain this battery we would suggest 60 minutes of running at least once a week. Is there anything else I need to do? Whether you own a hybrid or a Toyota equipped solely with an internal combustion engine, there are a few other easy car maintenance points that can ensure your Toyota hybrid remains healthy and happy during an enforced hibernation. Again, please adhere to the latest government advice regarding social distancing. Check the tyre pressures are fully inflated to the recommended level and top-up if necessary. It can be a good idea to repeat this process when you first drive your car after a long period of inactivity. Clean the car thoroughly inside and out. If you are storing your car in a garage, make sure the vehicle is completely dry before you put it away. If you do plan to store your car in a garage, ensure the chosen storage area offers plenty of ventilation. If the space is secure, you could consider opening one of the car’s windows a small way to ventilate the interior. If you do this, you might have to change your car alarm’s setting to prevent it setting off the intrusion sensor – please consult your car’s manual for more information. It can be beneficial to leave the vehicle with the parking brake disengaged to prevent the brakes from binding, but only do this if you are certain the car is on level terrain and isn’t going to move. Ensure the transmission is set to ‘P’ for park and place wedges or chocks, if you have them, under the wheels. If you have a 12V battery trickle charger, or a solar panel charger, and are confident using them, then these are a good option to keep the battery fully charged while the vehicle is stationary for a period of time. If your vehicle is equipped with smart entry and start but the system isn’t operated for a long time, a battery-saving function will automatically be activated to prevent the electronic key battery and the 12-volt battery from being discharged. Battery depletion in the key is minimised by stopping the electronic key from receiving radio waves. On many models equipped with this system, it is possible to manually put the key into battery-saving mode, so please consult your car’s handbook for more information. If you aren’t planning to drive your car for a long time, consider putting the smart key in a safe place and not carrying it around with you in your pocket. This will prevent the car from ‘waking up’ unnecessarily should you happen to walk near it in your garage or driveway. If the vehicle will be kept on private property (such as inside a garage) for the duration of its storage, you could consider applying for a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). This informs the DVLA that the car is off the road and you will receive a refund of any remaining full months of tax. However, you won’t be able to drive your car legally until you tax it again, so it is only advisable if you are positive you won’t use your car for a long time. You can read more information about how to SORN your car here.
  9. Steve has a detailed look at vehicle service books and how they're not only for getting stamped. For the most part vehicle service books are often a forgotten item buried at the bottom of a glovebox on a day to day basis, and which only sees daylight at service time or car buying/selling time. Vehicle Data A genuine manufacturer service book is used with the vehicle from the point of manufacture. within the book on the inside front cover of adjacent pages you should find the vehicles key data which includes: Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Model designation Engine code Gearbox code Paint Code Delivery Date Delivery dealers stamp Servicing Now without stating the obvious, the service book is to log any services the vehicle has carried out a garage. Once the work has been carried out the garage should stamp the book to confirm the work was completed. There is usually an array of tick boxes which the garage should tick depending on what work has been carried out or what has been inspected. some of the key boxes are: Oil filter air filter cambelt/waterpump pollen filter A line to note when the next service is due Occasionally a comments box if your service book does not have these boxes you might find it will have a tick boxes for minor, major, interim or long life services. Under the service section in your service book you should find what each of these services include. for example a minor service is an oil and oil filter change, whereas a major service includes oil, oil filter, air filter and pollen filter change. In the servicing chapter you will also find your servicing interval for your specific vehicle. For example the intervals could be 12,000 miles/1 year or 20,000 miles/1 year. There will also be information on when key components such as cambelts should be changed. For example it could be 5 years/120,000 miles which ever is soonest. The service section will also include other servicing items not related to the engine which include brake fluid changes (usualy recommended every 2 years) or gearbox oil changes. it goes without saying it is imperative to adhere to the recommended servicing schedule set out by the manufacturer so in order t keep your warranty valid, keeping the vehicle reliable and lastly for a higher resale value. Warranty It goes without saying that you need to keep a car serviced to keep the manufactures warranty valid but it goes further than that. Besides the mechanical warranty, the service book also includes a service record for bodywork which is usually found at the back part of the booklet. so in order to keep your anti perforation/paint warranty valid the dealership should carry out checks on it and sign it off similar to a normal service record. this is proof that the car bodywork is in good condition or if issues are found they are rectified accordingly. this service varies from manufacturer, but some do the checks free of charge whereas other manufacturers charge for this bodywork inspection. It is worth doing as it will help you if you find there is a manufacturing defect within the bodywork fit/finish or paint. Buying/selling When you are buying or selling a vehicle the service book is one of the most important documents as it proves whether or not the car has been maintained. However, it only offers a glimpse and should be backed up with the matching invoices from the garage which corollate with the stamp in the service book. If the service book is incomplete this can put off potential buyers or cost you money as buyers feel they are taking a great risk with a car that's not been serviced as per manufacturer recommendations.
  10. Steve takes a look at a small, yet vital component that every modern car has abd is crucial to smooth running of your engine. What is a Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor? A Mass Air Flow Sensor measures the flow of air entering the engine so inorder for the engine ECU to provide the correct amount of fuel when both the air and fuel mix within the cylinders. The MAF Sensor takes into account the quantity, quality abd temperature of the air to help with the correct amount of fuel. Thus, allowing the engine to run as smoothly as possible. Where can I find the MAF Sensor? The MAF sensor is located on your air intake system, often not far from your airbox and before the throttle body. There are two different types of MAF sensor as per the pictures, but they do the same job. Does it go Wrong? The short answer is yes, but when a MAF sensor starts to fail it will cause the vehicle's engine to run rough or have an erratic idle because the ECU cannot correctly determine how much fuel the engine needs to make the vehicle run correctly. It can also cause the engine to cut out when driving. Can it be cleaned? Yes it can be cleaned, but I would only recommend using MAF sensor cleaner as other cleaning products could damage the sensor. Be careful when you handle the MAF sensor as it is a delicate piece of kit. Is it easy to replace? Usually very easy to replace as the MAF sensor is screwed into the air intake system. Depending on the type of MAF fitted to your vehicle you may need to dismantle the air intake system, such as removing the airbox for example. This is a part that can be changed by someone with very little or no mechanical experience with a selection of conventional tools such as a screwdriver.
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