When do you need repairs to your car’s clutch, and when does it need replacing?

Your clutch should release smoothly in both directions, however it may feel harder to press down, or does not release as easily as normal. When you release the clutch and shift gears you may hear a grinding sound. This indicates it is time to get the clutch looked over by a professional.

At TNT Service Centre we offer a wheel alignment (tracking) service

Our wheel alignment service is the process of making sure your vehicle’s wheels are correctly set to your car manufacturer’s specifications, by checking the direction and angle that your wheels are set to. Hitting a curb or even just wear and tear can cause the wheels to become unaligned causing uneven and rapid tyre wear. Worn suspension units can also ultimately effect the handling and safety of your vehicle.

Our vehicle’s suspension system (i.e., shocks or struts) is something we often take for granted. However, after supporting several tons of metal year after year, eventually something will wear out and suspension repair will be necessary. Some people mistakenly believe the suspension is mainly about having a smooth ride, and therefore these repairs aren’t as important as other maintenance issues like oil changes or brakes. However, having a bad suspension can greatly affect your ability to control the vehicle, especially when stopping or turning, so it’s in your best interest not to ignore this part of your vehicle maintenance.

Here are some signs to look for:

1. Car rides roughly

Most people can tell their shocks or struts are wearing out when thry brginr to feel every bump in the road, or when every bump causes the vehicle body to ‘bounce’. A rough ride is an obvious sign that your vehicles suspension needs work.

2. Drifting or pulling

With a failing suspension system, you’ll often feel the vehicle “drift” or “pull” when you’re turning. This basically means the shocks are no longer keeping the vehicle body stable against the centrifugal force of a turn, increasing your risk of a rollover.

3. Dips or “nose dives” when stopping

When the shocks are worn out, you’re likely to feel the vehicle body lurching forward and downward nose-first when you apply the brakes firmly. This can actually affect your ability to stop the car quickly (a bad suspension can increase stop time by up to 20 percent).

4. Uneven tire treads

Take a look at your tyres. If you notice the tread is wearing down unevenly on your tyres, or if you notice balding spots, this is often a symptom that the suspension isn’t holding the car evenly, and therefore putting uneven amounts of pressure on the tires.

5. Damaged, “oily” shocks

If you can look under the vehicle, take a look directly at the shocks or struts. If they look greasy or oily, there’s a good chance that they are leaking fluid and therefore aren’t working properly. It’s probably time to get those shocks replaced.

6. Try the “bounce test”

If you suspect your suspension is going bad (perhaps due to one or more of the symptoms we mentioned above), try this simple test. With the car stationary press down on the front of the vehicle with all your weight, “bounce” it a few times, then release. Do it again on the rear of the vehicle. If the car continues to rock or bounce more than 2-3 times after you release it, the suspension is wearing out.

For free advice and quotes on all suspension work give us a call on 01623 427 070.

It’s no surprise that the braking system on your vehicle is one of the most important features to maintain – after all, it ensures that you stop safely!

We offer a totally free brake check to any vehicle, so if you’re in or around Mansfield there’s really no reason not to pop down to our garage for a check up. It is important you know what to look and listen for if you ever have any issues with your brakes.

Common symptoms and signs of brake faults:

• A grinding noise or squealing noise – Brake pads wearing very low.
• Brake pedal juddering – Possible warped front discs.
• Brake pedal crunching – This could be an ABS Fault.
• Hard brake pedal – Brake servo assistance problems.
• Brake pedal dropping to the floor – Possible brake fluid leak.
• Car pulls when braking – Sticking brake or hydraulic issue.

With fantastic prices on all break repairs, TNT is the local expert to help maintain your vehicle’s braking system.

At TNT Service Centre we stock a large variety of tyres.

We work closely with numerous tyre distributers which not only means we can offer fantastic prices but also means we can source nearly any tyre available on the market today. All our tyre prices include fitting, replacement valve and balance. We also offer a puncture repair service while you wait.

 

Tyre Maintenance – what you need to know!

 

Tyre Pressure

You need to check your tyre pressures regularly to ensure they meet the required recommendations, If you are unsure of your pressures visit one of our branches and we will check and top up your tyre pressures free of charge. Tyre pressure depends on the load of the vehicle, the weather conditions and the length of your journeys. If your tyre pressures are incorrect it can cause the car to pull to one side, excessive tyre wear and lower your fuel economy.

 

Tyre Conditions

Tyres should be frequently checked for bulges, cracks and cuts, any of these can result in a blow-out which can be very dangerous at high speed. Don’t leave a tyre check until your MOT or next service. If you are unsure please visit one of our branches for a free tyre check. Faulty tyres, old tyres, bumping up and down kerbs, tracking, over inflation or under inflation can all cause any of these problems, so get them checked out!

 

Tread Depth

The legal limit for minimum depth of the tread on your tyres is 1.6 millimetres, across the central ¾ of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre. Your tyres are the only contact you have with the road. Anything less than 1.6mill can put you and any passengers at serious risk. Illegal tyres will also earn you 3 points per tyre on your driving license and a hefty fine.

We take great care to find the best car diagnostic solution to your problem.

This means that we can have your car running smoothly again without delay. No matter what part of the vehicle you’re struggling with, we have the knowledge and expertise to thoroughly deal with it.

We will be only too happy to talk to you about your vehicle and use our specialist knowledge to get to the route of the problem. Many modern vehicles are equipped with on-board computers that are designed to provide the driver with the knowledge of a problem as soon as it occurs. Being able to see the problem as soon as it appears is reassuring and enables the driver to get the problem sorted before it causes damage to the vehicle.

This system or vehicle diagnostic tools are known as on-board diagnostics (OBD) and are an extremely useful way to efficiently diagnose any difficulties within your vehicle. We have extensive experience and training to be able to understand the causes of the problems so that they we are better able to fix them in the shortest amount of time.

At TNT Service Centre we can test your battery and alternator on your while you wait.

Our expert technicians can identify problems quickly and make sure your problem is sorted and you are back on the road as soon as possible. We can supply and fit batteries for all makes and models at great prices. Don’t delay drop by or give us a call 01623 427 070

The timing belt on your vehicle has a recommended replacement interval based around time and mileage.

This is set by the manufacturer of your vehicle and it is important this is followed as failure to do so can result in extensive damage to your engine at considerable cost.

Typical causes of timing belt failure vary from old age to contamination by an adjacent oil or water leak. The timing belt tends to operate other components such as tensioner, idlers and sometimes even water pumps, the condition of these has an effect on the belts life. Over time, their bearings may dry out, causing a squeak that should be heeded. In some cases, idlers and tensioner can seize, throwing the timing belt from its pulleys and causing extensive damage to the engine, with bent valves and even holed pistons.

All our quotes for timing belts include replacement of the belt, tensioner and idlers unless specified otherwise. We will always advise that the water pump is replaced if it is driven by the timing belt but this is optional.

All work is fully guaranteed with a 12 months warranty. We will also beat any like for like quote on all work.

A healthy exhaust system is a very important component of your vehicle.

If there are any faults with your exhaust system it can effect the vehicle, environment and yourself. Our free, no obligation exhaust check will identify any faults with the system. As we operate a totally transparent service, you will be invited into the workshop with our trained technicians who will explain what the problem is, what the effect is and how to rectify it.

At TNT, we offer a full range of exhausts and emission system parts for cars, vans and 4×4 vehicles across all makes and models

Servicing is absolutely crucial to the upkeep and general maintenance of your vehicle.

Here at TNT we strive to ensure that we are looking after you vehicle to the highest possible standard and are making sure you have many years of trouble free motoring.

We only use high quality filters and oils that come certified to be an equivalent replacement to the original ones. We can also service you new car whilst maintaining its new car warranty at a fraction of the cost of main dealer prices.

We offer two types of service.

1. A Full Industry Service
2. An Intermediate Service

When comparing service prices it is important to establish exactly what the garage is offering and what they will be replacing. Our full service means that we will replace every changeable service filter on your vehicle, spark plugs if necessary and obviously oil. Our services are carried out to the most comprehensive service checklist available in the industry which is presented to the customer upon collection of their vehicle for them to keep. This checklist is a fantastic record and allows you to see what exactly has been done.