We have customers all over North East Lincolnshire and into Yorkshire, Greater Lincolnshire and from further affield. If you're happy to come to us - we're more than happy to see you!

The short answer is, 'No'. You are not obliged (since October 2003) to get the car serviced by a franchise dealer during the warranty period. You must though get it serviced according to the manufacturer's recommended schedule and criteria using only manufacturer approved parts; which is where we can help. We are very often cheaper than any branded franchise dealer.

When cars were initially fitted with airbags there was a lack of knowledge and confidence about the long term reliability of the systems. Car manufacturers and manufacturers of airbag systems agreed to validate them for a 10 year life span. Airbags work in way of a sodium azide tablet which produces the gas which inflates the airbag. This tablet, together with an explosive device are sealed. Although some moisture ingress is possible it should not affect performance. There will also be some natural chemical decay, but again this shouldn't stop the airbag from working. More recently manufacturers have increased the validation period to 15 years on later cars without making major changes to design and we are not aware of any airbag failures attributed to ageing.

There's not a standard change interval for cambelts. Depending on the model and the manufacturer, the recommended interval can be anywhere between 30,000 miles and 100,000 miles. There will often be a time-based interval specified too e.g. 60,000 miles or five years, whichever is the sooner. Sometimes the manufacturer will revise the recommended interval during the life of the vehicle so it's best to check with a franchise dealer as they will have the most up-to-date information. They will need to know the make, model, engine number and model year. In most cases cambelt failure results in serious damage to many other components in the engine - a major rebuild or even replacement engine will be required! It does no harm to renew the belt early. If you buy a used car it's wise to get the belt renewed if you are in any doubt that it has been renewed at the appropriate time.

The manufacturer is under no obligation to help you once the warranty has expired, as it's generally accepted that faults caused by manufacturing or material defects will show up during the warranty.

Catalysts often last 10 years, but actual life depends on mileage and engine tune. 50,000 miles is a more reasonable benchmark, and you can generally expect to replace the catalytic converter once during the life of a vehicle. If failure occurs early, it's important to find and fix the cause of the problem before fitting a new CAT otherwise the replacement can be expected to fail prematurely too. There are three main ways they fail: Melt down – unburned fuel enters the catalyst and ignites on contact. The extreme heat literally melts the ceramic matrix. Poor ignition timing, a faulty oxygen sensor, worn or defective spark plugs, incorrect fuel mixture and other ignition/fuel injection related faults could lead to this failure. Carbon deposits – oil or antifreeze entering the combustion chamber/exhaust system can lead to a build up of carbon on the matrix, which increases back pressure leading to overheating and poor performance. Catalyst fracture – the ceramic matrix is fragile and can break-up as a result of excessive vibration or external impact. As the matrix breaks up back-pressure increases and overheating can result.

Regular servicing is important for health and to maintain the system working effectively. Up to 15% of the refrigerant gas will be lost annually. Run your air conditioning at least once a week throughout the year. Have the refrigerant gas checked regularly and topped up to manufacturers' recommended levels. Help improve hygiene and air quality with a regular cabin filter change, as it can become blocked with pollen. A regular air duct clean helps remove the bacteria and fungi that can cause unpleasant odours. Service air-conditioning units every 30,000 miles or two years to avoid costly repairs.

Synthetics and semi-synthetics give improved performance at high temperatures and support extended standard drain intervals. They are the preferred choice for high performance cars or for drivers who value long life/durability. Your vehicle handbook will specify the grade/type of oil to be used based on durability/extreme environment testing by the manufacturer. If synthetic oils are recommended then that is what you should use. Mixing mineral and synthetics is not recommended, nor is switching to synthetic oils unless the vehicle handbook specifies that you may do so. If the manufacturer has confirmed that synthetic oil is suitable for your vehicle and you intend to switch then you must make sure that the engine is drained fully of mineral oil first.