Author Archives: Justin Smith

About Justin Smith

As the man at the helm of BreakerLink, it is no surprise that its Director, Justin Smith, has always had a keen interest in cars, bikes and most things wheeled. Having spent over two decades in the car parts industry, Justin combines his passion that since 2002, has successfully united those looking for new and used car parts with the breaker that supplies them. Follow Justin on LinkedIn.

Learn These 16 Ways You Can Avoid Getting Ripped Off by a Car Mechanic

Car mechanic holding spanners

Believe it or not garages are now overcharging men, blondes and older people according to a recent survey. With cars getting increasingly technical thanks to computer control systems and non-serviceable parts, it can be tough to understand what’s going on under the bonnet, giving your mechanic a knowledge advantage if they are looking to overcharge on parts or labour.

So what can be done about it? Obviously changing your gender, hair colour or dress style is out of the question, but there are certain ways of approaching a car mechanic that greatly reduces the chance of you paying over the odds. In this article we explore some of the easiest action points you can employ to avoid unscrupulous mechanics.

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A Guide to Driving Abroad

car key travel documents and map for driving abroad

Whether you are thinking of driving your own car on a holiday or hiring a car for a business trip, there are a number of factors you have to take into account when on foreign roads. Everyone knows that each separate nation has varying laws and this is no different on their highways.

Whilst the principles of driving still remain the same, it pays to acclimatise yourself with the specific laws and even the driving culture of your driving destination.

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Replacing a Seat Belt

toy cat in a seat belt

Over time seat belts can become frayed or even ruined completely. They rely on an inertial system that locks the belt in place when your vehicle experiences a sudden or violent movement. Sometimes this mechanism can degrade over time and stop working. If this is the case, you need to replace the belt immediately as your vehicle will be unsafe without adequate seat belts. It is illegal to drive a car without the proper driver and passenger protection.

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Fitting a Car Spoiler

car spoiler

Your car’s spoiler is designed to create drag and push the rear wheels of the car into the road. This improves traction and helps your vehicle hug the tarmac as you move up to higher speeds on the dual carriageway or motorway.

If you’re a fan of taking a car round a test track to see how fast you can go – then a spoiler is an essential piece of kit. However, at the limited speeds on UK roads this part is more about decoration than function.

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Replacing a Car Boot Lid

car boot lid

It is all too easy for your boot lid to become dented. From an accidental shunt or prang on the road through to an overzealous piece of reversing near a wall, there are plenty of opportunities for it to become damaged both on the road and when parked. Over time rust will eat away at the edges, the seals will go and wires and locks can become damaged. Often a simple visual inspect will confirm whether or not it needs changing.
Purchasing a good replacement boot lid should be no problem. However lids vary across models and makes and some have lights and wiring built into their construction, whilst others are simple covers for the rear of your car. Most have hydraulic systems that can be dealt with by even a novice mechanic, however due to the weight of the part it is always good to have an assistant.

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How to Replace Roof Rails on your Car

roof rails

Everyone knows there’s only limited space in your car’s boot. You can only fit so much on the back seat. So when the car is completely stacked and there’s not an inch of room for packing, or alternatively for those large items like surfboards you’ll need a roof rack. In order to fit a roof rack you’ll need roof rails – but what to do if these are cracked or broken?

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What does Brexit Mean for Motorists?

brexit

So many people all over the place are spouting different opinions, it’s hard to tell what Brexit means for the country, let alone the motoring crowd. With popular commentators such as Clarkson, who you’d probably have put money on to have thrown in his lot with the out crowd, saying we must stay, no-one seems quite sure what we should be doing, let alone how we should vote.

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Fitting a Tow Bar to Your Car

Towbar

It’s a great idea to fit a towbar to your car. You know whether you need one or not with a simple question. Are you looking to tow a trailer or a caravan? The tow bar gives the back of your vehicle the strength and support to handle towing an object behind it, and the electrics to support essential systems including the brake lights and indicators.

So how do you go about fitting a tow bar to your car? Is this an easy job? Well in our experience you will need to set aside roughly 4 hours of your time to complete this task and it’s a little too difficult for the amateur mechanic. So we would only recommend going ahead with this job if you have a considerable level of mechanical skill and you know your way around your toolbox.

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Replacing Your ABS Pump

ABS pump

The ABS pump is responsible for pressurising the ABS system, ensuring that your vehicle is able to decrease and increase speed as needed. It is a vital part of the whole ABS system, which works to remove the possibility of your brakes locking and taking your car into a skid, particularly under emergency braking conditions.

What are the signs that your ABS pump could be faulty? The first and most obvious is when the dashboard light shows a failure in your car’s ABS system. Following this it may be necessary to examine the engine’s error codes, which should indicate which part of the ABS system is causing you problems and needs changing.

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