Stop thieves in their tracks!  By making a simple change to tamper proof screws for your number plate; you can reduce the risk of number plate theft.  What will it cost? Nothing!

Your Safer Neighbourhood Team in conjunction with Russell Automotive Centre & Garage Express will be holding an event where the tamper proof screws will be fitted for FREE.

Motorists can turn up on the day or after and the correct screws will be fitted depending on the make and model of the car. Neighbourhood officers will also be available to offer other crime prevention advice. No appointment is necessary.

Number plate thefts continue to be a problem nationally and have increased in recent years. This is partly due to an increase in the use of speed cameras, rise in petrol costs and charges for use of certain roads. We are really pleased to receive the support of Russell Automotive Centre & Garage Express to help us reduce crime in this area.

If you see any suspicious activity ring 101 or in an emergency 999

Time 11-2pm

Date 13/5/13

Venue Unit 15 Kingsbury Trading Estate, Barningham Way (off Church Lane) NW9 8AU

In conjunction with the local police, Russell Automotive Centre and Garage Express are having an open day to fit anti tamper number plate screws to your car on 13^th May 2013.

If you would like to take advantage of this free offer and pick up some crime prevention advice from the local police just pop down, no appointment necessary.

Stolen number plates are allowing people to get away with several offences, including:

• Driving away from petrol stations without paying (‘bilking’).
• Dodging the London congestion charge.
• Evading speed camera fines.
• “Cloning”
• Cars with stolen number plates are often used as getaway vehicles in more serious crimes.

If the number plates are stolen from your car you should report it straight away – you might start receiving parking fines, speeding fines or worse as number plates are used to disguise the identity of cars used in a wide range of crimes.

Number plate theft is a big problem – rates have more than doubled in the last five years and there were at least 40,000 cases last year. Thefts from cars are significantly under-reported.

According to the DVLA Stolen plates are used by criminals to:

Change the identity of stolen cars so they can be sold

Disguise cars used in activities like ram-raiding or driving from petrol stations without paying

Evade congestion charges, parking and speeding fines

If your plates are stolen

Contact the Police immediately.

It may seem trivial at the time but it’s no fun if you subsequently start receiving fixed penalty notices or are suspected of committing crimes yourself.

The benefits of not having your number plates stolen are,

Fewer motorists facing fines for crimes they didn’t commit

Fewer motorists innocently buying cars that turns out to be stolen

Reduced incidents of fuel theft

Russell Automotive Centre in conjunction with the local police helping to fight crime.

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Carmakers sometimes quote the power outputs of their engines using different units, which can be confusing when you’re trying to compare new cars.

Let us explain the difference between the different terms used by car manufactures to measure the power of an engine.

What is BHP?

Brake horsepower – or BHP – is the most widely used measure of engine power alongside PS (see below), although it’s often not clear which unit manufacturers are using in their brochures.

Unlike ‘horsepower’, which refers to an engine’s total output, brake horsepower only looks at the amount of energy left once other parts like the gearbox, alternator and water pump have all been powered. It’s measured at the road wheels, not at the flywheel. Powerful engines have a higher BHP figure. For example, an entry-level Toyota iQ has a 68bhp engine, while a Bentley Continental Supersports 6.0 has 621 BHP.

PS explained

Though it’s still commonly used by carmakers, PS or Pferdestärke (horse-strength in German) was actually replaced by kW as the EU’s ‘legal’ measurement of engine power in 1992.

One PS is about 98.6% of a single brake horsepower – the two are virtually interchangeable, and PS is sometimes referred to as ‘metric horsepower’.

Measuring power in kilowatts

You may see some carmakers quoting the power of their engines in kilowatts – especially on the Continent – but this measurement is used far less frequently than PS or BHP. A kilowatt (kW) of power equates to around 1.34BHP.

So what is torque?

Torque refers to the amount of pulling power an engine delivers when working at different speeds. The more torque an engine has, the more pull (or acceleration) it offers at lower revs.

Torque is nearly always discussed alongside brake horsepower, as it gives clues to how quickly the engine will be able to shift the car’s weight when overtaking or pulling away from traffic lights.

If you feel your car does not have enough BHP, PS, KW or torque, ask us about a Revo upgrade where we can unleash the true potential of your car.

http://rac-london.co.uk/revo-performance/

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New loyalty scheme – available via your phone

In these economic times we know how important getting something for free is.  How many loyalty cards are bulging in your wallets or purses?  Well we have solved the problem of weighty pockets whilst still giving away something for free!

Our loyalty scheme is integrated into our free App available for iphone and Android users.   It couldn’t be more simple.  Download our free App and you will have access to our integrated loyalty scheme.  For each £250  you spend you get one stamp (you scan our QR code which stamps the App) Get 5 stamps and you get a free Mini-Valet ensuring your car is spotlessly clean!

In addition the App provides a free QR scanner, parking marker (iphone only) so you never lose your car in a car park again and access to our Facebook and Twitter pages!!  Be the first to hear our news or special offers – book your car in directly to us.

So don’t miss out.

Download our App for iphone here: http://bit.ly/ZOV2Fc

For Android here: http://bit.ly/ZiRrPj

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We REALLY hope you don’t break down, get stranded or have an accident but if anything not-so-merry does happen, you’ll be as prepared as you can be!

You can tick off most of these checks yourself and your garage can help with the rest.

1. Carry an ice scraper and de-icer spray.
2. Make sure there’s enough antifreeze in your car’s cooling system.
3. Top up your washer bottle with a mix of water and screen-wash solution to prevent it from freezing.
4. Don’t stop at 2 and 3! Check ALL fluid levels in your car: the oil, brake fluid and power steering fluid.
5. Check your wiper blades and replace them if they’re worn – it makes a big difference in heavy rain or snow.
6. Inspect your tyres for signs of uneven wear and deep-enough tread – 1.6mm is the legal limit, 3mm is recommended.
7. Listen for the engine turning over slowly when starting – it’s a sign the battery could need replacing so have it checked.
8. Ensure your car’s servicing is up to date. Don’t risk getting stranded in poor weather conditions because a fault suddenly develops.
9. Make sure all lights are in full working order – it gets dark early these days.
10. And finally, the Just-In-Case list: mobile phone charger, warm waterproof coat, gloves, boots, torch, water, chocolate, shovel, warning triangle, high-visibility vest.

The post RAC London’s Top 10 Tips for Safe Winter Driving appeared first on Russell Automotive Centre.

All our visitors during the month got the chance to hit the sugar high with us, so we didn’t eat that much confectionery alone.  Although someone on the RAC team has admitted to ‘accidentally’ eating nearly a whole cake single-handedly. You know who you are…

With nearly 250 customers in November, all automatically entered into our birthday draw, we had a hefty pool of contenders jostling for those tempting prizes.  So now to the exciting task of announcing the winners – enthusiastic drum roll please!

The lucky person taking home a shiny new iPad Mini is David Hackworthy, driver of an Audi Allroad.  David is delighted to win and generously plans to gift his prize to his daughter (what a Dad!) before hotfooting it off to spend Christmas in Australia.

The winner of the first of our four FREE MOTs is Stephen Pollock whose SEAT Leon we serviced in November.  Believe it or not, he’s now sold it and become a Renault owner! Don’t worry Stephen, you’re very welcome to roll up to our sister business Garage Express to redeem your prize.

Our other MOT winners were,

Ravi Dodia, who drives an  Audi A4

Evelyn Sunshine, who drives a Skoda Yeti

Ben Hughes, who drives a very sporty Volkswagen Golf R32

So congratulations everybody – winners, losers and cake-eaters!  It wouldn’t have been such a fun birthday without your ongoing custom and support.  Now, WHAT are we going to do for our sixth??

The post Have YOU Won Our 5th Birthday Prize Draw? appeared first on Russell Automotive Centre.

And you think, hang on a minute… How did they do that so quickly? And what exactly is tracking anyway?

Good questions! And you know how we love to demystify motor jargon for you, so here are the answers you’re looking for.

What is tracking?

Basically tracking (or Toe) is how much the wheels point inwards or outwards when the car is going in a straight line.

And why did my car tracking check only take 20 minutes?

Probably because they didn’t do it correctly, used second-rate equipment or only checked the front wheels.

If you want your car to drive safely and straight, there’s not much point in just checking the tracking alone. To cure problems like a pull on the steering or premature wearing of tyres, you need to carry out a complete four-wheel alignment check which takes up to two hours.

A lot of garages subcontract this service. But here at RAC London we have up-to-date Beissbarth wheel alignment equipment that we use in-house, the preferred choice of many Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda and Bentley dealers.

And to make sure we carry out the wheel alignment procedure correctly, we always complete a Before/During/After check sheet to confirm every point is covered.

So what’s in a four-wheel alignment check?

Not to get too technical about it, we always use the latest target data, which tells us what your wheels should be doing.  Then we carefully set up the equipment and check or adjust all the relevant steering and suspension angles. These include:

• Wheel run out – how much each wheel moves as it rotates, from side-to-side and up-and-down
• Tracking – how much the wheels point inwards/outwards
• Camber – the tilt of the wheels from the vertical, as seen from the front of the car
• Caster – the tilt of the steering axis, as it controls the car
• KPI (King Pin Inclination) – as the name suggests, the king pin is the main pivot in the car’s steering mechanism
• Set-back – if one front wheel is set further back than the other one

I did say I wasn’t going to get too technical but the above should give you an idea how thorough the check is.

With all this and more being tested on all four wheels (hence the name) you can appreciate why the whole process takes a lot longer than 20 minutes.  So don’t be fooled next time around.  Or bring your wheels to us.

The post Understanding Your Car: The Wheel Alignment Check appeared first on Russell Automotive Centre.

It’s well and truly autumn now and that suits me fine.  It’s a beautiful scenic time of year and a personal favourite of mine.

Love nature, live lightly, so the proverb goes.  But when we’re frolicking in crunchy leaves on a weekend tramp through the woods, I bet the last thing on most of our minds is what a hidden nuisance those gorgeously colourful leaves can be to car owners!

So here’s a couple of tips to bear in mind.

If you park outdoors, try not to park under trees to avoid falling leaves landing on your car.  If they do, clear them away regularly so they don’t turn to mulch, paying particular attention to the gulley where the bottom of the windscreen meets the bonnet.

We’ve mentioned this before, but people often come to see us with water leaking into their car. This happens when the drain holes in the plenim chamber – the area under the windscreen – get blocked by an accumulation of old leaves and dirt. Then rainwater can only drain into the car’s interior, leading to soggy carpets and damaged electronic units.

This can be fixed by removing the carpet to dry, sucking out the surplus water and checking all floor-level electronic units for damage.  Much more hassle than simply clearing a few leaves off the windscreen, I’m sure you’ll agree!  But if you think your drainage holes might be blocked, come on in and we can check the plenim chamber for you.

Also bear in mind that those lovely russet leaves can conceal road markings, block drains and cover potholes.  And the more they pile up, the slippier they become, especially in damp autumnal conditions. So take care not to skid when turning or braking.

If you use a little caution when you hit the road, you’ll get to enjoy safe driving and the pleasures of the season in happy harmony.

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Just about everyone who’s popped in to see us in the past week has waddled back out after their visit. Why? Because we’re celebrating five years in business and that means cake for everybody!  All November! And it also means it’s time for a spot of reminiscing…

Are we really five already? It feels like the years have zoomed past since we first opened for business on 5 November 2007 with a staff of just two – myself and my other half Jane.

We’ve had our share of highs and lows during our short but action-packed time here in Kingsbury.  One date that stands out is 21 December 2009.  In heavy snow, with a skeleton staff and our sister company Garage Express launching on the same day, we opened the doors to Unit 15 (below) where RAC London lives today. Stressed??!!

Unit 15, The building work is just about to start.

But we love what we do. We’re always keen to change perceptions of the independent motor sector by proving you don’t need a huge chrome and glass dealer building to offer great service.

Often people expect to have to kill time in a grubby cube at an independent garage.  That’s why we get a kick out of watching client’s faces when they walk into our welcoming space to be greeted by snacks, Wi-Fi and fun stuff for their kids.

I know modesty is a virtue but business awards are welcome proof we’re giving customers what they need, so please allow a tiny bit of trumpet blowing. A real high point for us was winning the 2008 Audi Driver – Best Independent Service Provider within 10 months of opening, and when we won it for the fifth time in a row last month many corks were popped!! We’re genuinely touched people continue to show their appreciation by taking the time to vote for us.

RAC London has developed in all sorts of interesting ways. Since March 2010 we’ve been offering in-house MOTs and earlier this year we were very pleased to welcome Bentley to the family of cars we service.

And we’ve had some great people on the team too, but only one four-legged member: our fluffy mascot Poppy, who bounced in as an eight-week-old puppy last November. See photo below (not actual size). Say ‘Awww’.

Finally we’d like to say a huge thank you to all our staff, business supporters, professional comrades and great customers for keeping us on the road so far. Five years old is barely out of toddlerhood so we hope to keep rolling till we’re old and grey and that you all come along for the ride.

Now come and see us soon or there won’t be any cake left!

The post We are five! Birthday cake, happy memories and a giant puppy appeared first on Russell Automotive Centre.

When you get to traffic lights and the light is red, you usually stop, right? Except perhaps in a major emergency, say if someone is giving birth in your car and it’s the middle of the night and the road is quiet. (Okay so you should still stop, but these things do happen.)

If the light is amber (a.k.a. orange) you might take your chances and nip through before it turns to red.

And we all know green means GO!

Well, you should think about the warning lights in your car in the same way. Okay, there’s no green on the dashboard but let’s just assume no light = green and you can drive on.

But if an amber warning light appears, it’s a sign all is not well.  You might not need to screech to a halt immediately, but don’t ignore it. Check the car’s manual or phone your garage for advice.  They’ll probably advise you to bring the car in to be checked using a diagnosis machine to identify any problems.

Here at Russell Automotive Centre we use the same diagnostic equipment as the main VAG dealers do. If you also hear unusual mechanical noises or spot any strange symptoms, try to get to your garage as soon as you can.

And red DOES mean stop! Just like you do at a red traffic light! Don’t keep driving! (I hope these exclamation marks are getting the point across!) You need to pull over as soon as possible to keep yourself and other road users safe.

Put on the hazard warning lights and call your recovery service (i.e. RAC, AA). If you’re not a member, you can even join up on the spot over the phone.  Otherwise try calling your garage to arrange for the car to be collected.

If you’re near your destination, it’s tempting to chance it and keep driving, but that’s really NOT a good idea. A red warning light is serious – it means an element of the engine needs repair.  So continuing to drive is foolish. You could destroy the engine and possibly even write off the value of the car.

Pay attention to what your car is telling you. Who wants to end up stranded in the middle of nowhere with a smoking bonnet and not a loo in sight?

The post Red means stop! Why you shouldn’t ignore car warning lights appeared first on Russell Automotive Centre.

First things first, what is it? The diesel particulate filter (DPF) is part of the exhaust system in a Audi, VW, Seat and Skoda car.  Since 2008, to comply with the latest European regulations, most diesel engines have had DPFs fitted.

In simple terms, the DPF captures and stores the harmful soot that’s a by-product of diesel engine exhaust emissions produced when the engine is running.

For cars that regularly travel on motorways at constant high speed, ‘passive regeneration’ takes place automatically.  This process burns away the soot in the DPF and is initiated by the engine control unit without the driver needing to do anything about it.

However, in cars that drive mainly around town, this process doesn’t get the chance to happen routinely.  So when the DPF gets to about 40% blocked, the engine’s control unit will try ‘active regeneration’.  This is when it adjusts fuelling to allow the exhaust system to burn hotter to try and dispose of the soot by burning it away.

By now the DPF warning light should be appearing on the dashboard. At this point the best thing to do is go for a motorway drive, following the instructions in the owner’s handbook. And if the process is successful, the warning light will go out.

But if this warning is ignored or the diesel particulate filter is not allowed to complete its burn cycle, it may become up to 75% blocked. More warning lights appear and there will be a lack of power from the engine.

Unfortunately by now there’s nothing a driver can do except come and see us so we can carry out a ‘forced regeneration’ of the DPF using our Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda and Bentley specific diagnosis machine. Russell Automotive Centre

However, if the driver has ignored the final warning signs, it’s possible the DPF will be blocked to the point where even a forced regeneration won’t work.  Then they could be looking at buying a new DPF at a cost of  over £1000.

The diesel particulate filter is an effective and eco-friendly engine feature. Look after it and it’ll keep you green for years to come.

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