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.

Looking after your car battery

Batteries provide the essential power to a car’s spark plugs in order to start the engine. Whilst a failing battery will not generally result in your car breaking down on the road, it will prevent your vehicle from being started. We’d always advise that you do a quick visual inspection of your battery any time you open the bonnet of your car to check the oil, top up brake fluid or refill the car’s water tank. This way you should be able to anticipate any problems with the battery before they happen, preventing that awkward moment in the morning where your car won’t start.

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Changing Your Car Exhaust

All combustion engines, no matter whether they are diesel, petrol, alcohol or bio-fuel driven, produce emissions. These often dangerous gasses are ejected from the vehicle via the exhaust system. This is connected directly up to the engine head via the manifold, and used to funnel all the waste fumes out of the pistons chambers. The exhaust has many parts – these include:

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Checking your Engine’s Coolant

All engines require coolant to stop them from overheating. This is especially true of the summer months when the bonnet of the car is already hot due to the ambient temperature, but due to the combustion process the engine is also likely to get hot even during the coldest period of the year. To make sure there is sufficient coolant in your engine you should check your levels regularly – as a rule of thumb you should check it at least every 3,000 miles, although you should check your owner’s manual, which should advise on the frequency of your checks.

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How to check and replace your car’s air filter

Even at low speeds, your engine sucks in a huge amount of air necessary for the process of internal combustion that drives the car. This air has to be clean and free from particles such as dust and dirt, or these could clog up the engine over time causing it to lose efficiency or even break down. As a result most engines use special air filters to clean the air that they take in, trapping all the dirt and dust that could cause damage. This part has a limited lifespan before it becomes completely clogged, impeding the flow of air to the engine, and needs to be changed.

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Tyres – Maintaining Your Tyres

Your car tyres should always be well maintained. As these are the shoes of the car, giving you good traction on the road surface, it is essential to make sure that they are always working at an optimal pressure and that their tread is in good condition. If you do notice that the tread has degraded badly, then you should replace your tyres, taking care not to mix types across the car, as this can cause a loss of grip.

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Car Safety Tips for Children

It is an accepted fact that cars are extremely dangerous places for both drivers and passengers. Over the years there have been a number of campaigns to get drivers and passengers to take more responsibility for their safety, including government drives to get people wearing their seat belts. However, most of the safety systems in cars are designed with adult users in mind, even though a large percentage of car owners also drive their children around. What can we do to make our vehicles safer for the younger generations?

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The New Mercedes GLA

According to the Motoring press, Mercedes are ready to set the car world alight once again with their new GLA, which is being touted as a serious SUV styled for the younger generations. Some may claim that this is so called “lite” version of the famous Mercedes GL class SUV transport – a vehicle that’s been a favourite with the market and the critics for a number of years. With its formal release not planned until the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid September, the motoring media are a-buzz with their previews of the car. Some of the bigger magazines and newspapers have already put their opinions on paper and the web, and we’ve picked out enough of the vital stats to give you our own brief look at this much awaited car.

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Personalised Number Plates – “A nice little earner”

Last week I was driving on the M6, when a black Bentley swept by majestically and I noticed its rear number plate, T123. I said to myself “nice car, but those number plates must have cost a packet.”.

As I drove along, I started thinking about personalised number plates and the first time I’d ever seen one of these unique vehicle registrations. My mind was cast back to the time when I was a student in the 1970s, visiting my wife’s uncle. Parking my Continue reading →

Checking and Refilling Your Oil

Keeping your engine’s oil at the correct level is one of the most important things that you need to do in order to ensure that your engine doesn’t suffer from premature part failures. You should look up how regularly your oil needs to be checked in your car’s service manual, although as a rough guide we’d suggest that you change it every 3,000 miles. Do not wait until you see the red oil check light on your dashboard, as by this time

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Replacing Car Headlights and Rear Lights

Possibly the most common type of repair that you may be required to perform on your lights is the replacement of a headlight. Often the bulb will burn out, or you may experience a crack in the part caused by loose shingle that has kicked up and hit the lens, causing cracking and reducing the effectiveness of your headlight. In these cases you’ll need to check with your owners manual to find out what kind of headlights feature on your car – these can be one of three types – sealed beam, sealed halogen or composite, and replace it in accordance with our instructions.

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