Services
Services
Mobile servicing & repairs for all makes and models.
Everything below happens where the car is — at home or at work. You don't book a slot at a garage and lose the car for a day; I bring the workshop to you. If you're not sure what the problem is, don't worry about naming the job: call 07989 307649 and tell me what the car's doing.
General servicing
Oil and filter changes, fluid checks and top-ups, plugs, belts and the rest of a proper service — on your driveway. I'll show you what came off the car and why it was due.
Auto electrics
Lights, wiring faults, batteries that keep going flat, warning lights that won't go out. Electrical gremlins are half detective work — finding the fault matters more than fitting the part.
Diagnostics
Proper diagnostic equipment, used properly. Plugging a laptop in is the start of a diagnosis, not the end of one — I test what the fault codes suggest before anything gets replaced, so you're not paying for parts the car didn't need.
That includes tracing knocks and rattles with in-car listening equipment while the car is driven — not guesswork.
DPF cleaning
Diesel particulate filters clog up, especially on cars that mostly do short trips. Cleaning the filter is a fraction of the cost of replacing it — worth a call before anyone quotes you for a new one.
Cambelt & water pumps
The job you don't want to skip — a snapped cambelt usually means a wrecked engine. I replace belts, tensioners and water pumps as a kit, at your home, so you're not without the car for days.
Battery replacement
Tested, supplied and fitted at your door — usually the quickest fix on this list, and one you shouldn't have to push a trolley round a retail park for.
MOTs (by appointment)
Plainly: I'm mobile, so I don't have an MOT bay. What I do is collect your car, take it to a test centre, put it through the MOT and bring it back. If it needs work to pass, that's the kind of work I do anyway — talk to me about it. You hand over the keys; the rest is my problem.
Clutch replacement
Slipping, juddering, or a pedal that's gone heavy or soft — clutches rarely get better on their own. A big job, but one I do regularly, mobile.
Vehicle inspections
A thorough look over a car and an honest report of what I find — in plain words, with the problems shown to you, not just written down. Useful before a long trip, after buying privately, or when a car's been sitting.
Sometimes the honest answer is bad news. Better to see the rot in a chassis rail before it becomes your problem.
Pre-purchase vehicle inspection
Exactly what it sounds like: before you buy a car, I inspect it. I look at the things a test drive won't show you and tell you what it needs now, what it'll need soon, and whether the price makes sense. The cheapest insurance there is against buying someone else's problem.
Also covered
Fault finding · oil changes · pre-MOT checks · brakes · exhausts · tyres and punctures · glow plugs · driveshafts and CV joints · suspension · radiators and intercoolers · steering components. If it's not listed, ask — after 40+ years there isn't much I haven't had apart.
Vehicles I work on
Everyday cars and vans first and foremost — that's most of every week. Alongside them: commercial vans, motorhomes and campervans, 4x4s, classic and older vehicles, and Japanese imports. More on classics and specialist vehicles.
Quick and efficient service. I had a door issue with my Toyota Alphard, a Japanese import, so not many mechanics know about these vehicles. Darren responded to plea of help immediately and called in to have a look. He gave me some options to resolve the issue. Darren experience and ability was key to knowing how to resolve the problem. I will definitely be using Darren’s services again, highly recommended. And excellent value for money.