Blog
Follow our blog for latest news events and offers.
For more information, please fill in the form below making sure that it's accurate and complete. An accurate email address is required for us to communicate the results of your enquiry.
Sahara Rain...
Bank holiday weekend, forecast Sun, sun and sun….
Plan - with over 60 cars on site spend Friday cleaning ahead of the weekend so we look sharp ready for those that are staying home….
Spend the day in the sunshine cleaning, if honest arriving home pooped and a little pink…
Saturday morning - glorious sunshine - great.
Come out of house, climb into the car so see perfect circles of sand all over the windscreen - Sahara Rain!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!
23/05/2026
Christmas Present regifting…
What did you get for Christmas? Was it a pair of slippers, a getaway or even a pet? Was it a pleasant surprise or one you simply cringed at as you opened the wrapping? Have you thought about regifting it? How feasible is regifting a present? Well why not give a gift you don’t want to someone? Depends what it is I hear you say. Is it wrong to regift? Would you tell the recipient you gave it to that you’re regifting it? Isn’t there a danger the original giver of the gift may see it in a new setting then take offence with you for giving it away? So many questions, well don’t worry if you find you need to give away that Bentley I’m always Happy to receive it and I promise I won’t be offended…
31/12/2025
Dark Nights...
Don’t you just hate it when the clocks go back? Yes I know we benefit from that extra hour on a Sunday morning, well some do - not if you have young children who’s body clock is tuned to the bed time ritual and early morning awakening, which we’ve certainly had our share of. It’s more for me that when you get home from work I just want to climb into my PJ’s and curl up in front of the TV which means that all that time spent in the summer getting and staying fit just goes down the pan! This also means that the essential maintenance program for the car also slides - weekend wash, check the oil and water levels specifically the washer bottle. Did you know if you’re caught with no washer fluid in your bottle this is classed as a motoring offence? Then of course you begin to think about the cold mornings ahead so have you got de-icer or a scraper? What about if the snow comes have you got warm clothes, water and over night essentials? Role on spring I say…
15/11/2025
Cyber Attacks...
Given that it’s September 30th and most car manufacturers will be chasing their final numbers for the month and quarter 3 spare a thought for JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) as they have suffered a cyber attack this month that has not only stopped car production it also stopped most of the network in its tracks too. This attack has left such a mark on the industry that we must ask the government what are they doing to help industry against these attacks? So car production has stopped but so has the ability to register new cars, supply car parts and also with it the supply of parts to JLR has also halted which has threatened the existence of some of the suppliers too. For those of us that are awaiting parts for vehicles off the road this has also had a detrimental effect to our customers who have waited patiently to have vehicles repaired. Who is next to suffer at the hands of these cyber attackers? Let’s hope we get to find out who is responsible so that we can serve justice for the country’s lost revenues…
30/09/2025
Happy New Year...
What’s been the biggest stand out news headlines for you in 2024? Could it be the re-election of Donald Trump, the victory of Kier Starmer and Labour into government, the cyber attacks that have effected lots of us, the world in conflict, record world temperatures once again, Under 16 Social Media controls, AI implementation, the increasing cost of living, the Paris Olympics, the UK’s drive to get us all in electric cars or Jeremy Clarkson buying a pub? What ever is was it’s certainly been a year to remember hasn’t it? Moving to more positive topics I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year. Have you made your NY resolutions yet? It’s time to set those goals, draw up your action plans and focus on making 2025 a truly memorable year. Here’s hoping you have a great time, you only have 364 days left…
01/01/2025
Market Update...
We’re once again in a period of used vehicle stock shortage - why is that I can hear you ask? The simple answer is BEV. BEV? Yes, the Government’s Battery Electric Vehicle target. What is that you may well ask? Here’s the explanation. As part of the Government’s Net Zero initiative, we have set a target of each vehicle manufacturer at 22% of their total registrations for 2024 to be Battery powered vehicles; this increases by 1% each year rising to 28% by 2030. If a manufacturer registers a higher percentage of their year than 78%, in the form of petrol / diesel / hybrid engine variants, this means that they will receive a fine of £15,000 for every vehicle over the threshold. Each car manufacturer has an initiative to achieve this ambitious target but in the main we are seeing them stopping their dealers registering ICE engines for the remainder of this year which means that customers are being forced into keeping their current cars longer - hence they are not finding their way into the used marketplace. The net effect of this initiative is currently driving used prices up again, just when we have stability after the COVID pandemic. I’m sure there will be a new record set in January for new car registrations, but I wonder if the statistics will reflect a further downward trend for electric cars…
09/10/2024
Reliability...
Why is reliability so important, how do you ensure reliability, what is reliable?
Usually we talk about the reliability of a ‘Swiss watch’ but what does that mean? Does it mean that it’ll never break down - no as if left untouched it will stop. What about the quality of manufacturing - no as every watch maker rely’s upon meticulous engineering. Does it mean they keep good time - no not really as each watch operates in a variety of temperature environments which can effect time gain or loss.
We can’t speak for the watch industry but we can speak about vehicle reliability and we can say that if well maintained all vehicles will be reliable. That doesn’t mean they won’t breakdown from time to time as you can’t just change every part because it’s come to an age, however, experience will tell us that in balance of probability once a failed part has been changed a new element of reliability is ensured - especially in the part changed for a period of time.
Some argue that car manufacturers build in natural obsolesce like Apple do with iPhone batteries and that this is designed to encourage you to change when your vehicle gets to a certain age but even that is untrue. Current belief is that EV batteries only have a finite life expectancy and after this the vehicle is scrap but is it? An ICE car battery is only usually guaranteed for two years, we’ve seen original batteries on cars of 10 years +
We would say that as long as you take every precaution to ensure the correct level of maintenance is completed you’re building reliability into your vehicle, that is until it fails, when that happens you’d be forgiven for treating yourself to buy a new one from us…
20/03/2024
Merry Christmas....
Well it is that time of year isn\'t it? From the team here at Staverton Garage, Rebecca, Thomas, Marley (She\'s now 14 months!) and I we wish you compliments of the Season and we hope you have the most enjoyable Christmas. We\'ll see you soon...
22/12/2023
Quote of the Day....
\'You\'re dreams won\'t work unless you do\' I was listening to Kaleb Cooper being interviewed by Alex Jones this morning on the radio and was thinking to my self as I cleaned a car with Rebecca in the workshop, it\'s a refreshing change to listen to someone who is totally genuine in thought and action. If you\'re a Clarkson\'s Farm fan you\'ll know who I\'m talking about as he\'s the chippy young farmer who leads Clarkson through the trials and tribulations of being a farmer. Series 3 has just been finished and is certainly eagerly anticipated in our house, especially as we\'re keen to find out how the farm has developed this year. Kaleb has certainly won over the heart of the nation with his quick whit and honesty but more importantly his sincerity and genuine love for what he does. He was asked about his latest book and asked what he\'d read that inspired him to which he replied that he didn\'t read books just wrote them...
04/11/2023
Supagard...
Do you know that rain contains a mild acid which over time can bleach your paintwork? Vehicle paintwork these days is water based and is made from two layers, base coat and a clear coat of lacquer. Light scratches are usually only on the surface of the top coat which means that it’s relatively easy to polish these out to return your paintwork to that lovely new lustre. Over a period of time rain can dull the lacquer and in some cases the sun can bleach the base coat giving an aged look to any vehicle. A good clean and a coat of polish is a must on a regular basis to protect the paintwork from the elements or even a protective coat of Supagard which gives a guarantee to protect against most contaminants including the weather! With the current July being the wettest on record maybe its time to invest…
31/07/2023
Summer Solstice...
You’ve seen it on the silver screen, the first rays of sunlight shining through the stones at Stonehenge at day break, the Druids chanting, worshiping the God of sun in celebration of the Summer solstice. Have you been? The health & Safety Police have stopped centuries of visitors now getting close enough to prevent damage to the giant stones so why go at all? Well there was quite a crowd there this year, and yes they got to be up close and personal. The crowd of circa. 6,000 got to celebrate with Senior Druid King Arthur Pendragon in a service which was permitted for the first time since lockdown so a significant event in the social calendar. Why do people wake and travel to experience such a thing? Is it that they believe that the link between the spirit world and reality is at it’s closest point, is it to refresh a sense of well being and kindred spirit amongst man or is it that they just can’t sleep….
23/06/2023
GCSE\'s...
So here’s a shout out to those currently about to embark on the next wave of GCSE’s, the kids are certainly feeling the pressure as they’ve all just completed the last of their PPE’s (Pre-Public Examinations) and have received the all important pre-exam grades. Some are feeling jubilant that they’re performing as expected or even higher than expected but the majority must be feeling a sense of impending dread. It seems strange that just two years ago the whole academic award scheme was based on course work because sitting together in an invigilated examination room may have added to the spread of COVID-19 so allowances were made but today our kids are going to be subjected to the pressure once again despite missing nearly two years of tutoring, not to mention the current industrial actions which cannot be helping anyone… The kids of course are not the only ones under pressure - what about all the parents dealing with hormonal teenagers who may be pushing back against the tyrannical examination chatter around the dinner table of an evening? Can parents help their kids study? Can they offer an explanation to a difficult Maths Trigonometry question or Historical perspective - well not really as the curriculum changes each year and as we all know our memories of those exams may have been a while ago. So our shout out also goes to the parents picking up the pieces prior to the event and preparing themselves for the post analytic finale and the beginning of the LONG summer break…
28/03/2023
Charging Update...
The SMMT data revealed earlier this week has shown that for every 53 new Electric cars launched 1 charging station has been commissioned - we’re all over the infrastructure issue aren’t we… Sadiq Khan, London’s Mayor has given the option to the M25 inner suburb councils to opt to take the ULEZ charging scheme on and guess what - most have said no! Are we getting the message that no-one actually believes that electrification is the way forward? Are the cracks showing already? Does an electric car suit everyone? Yes I know there are lots of people already in electric cars singing the praises and the amazing savings to fuel bills by adopting the new way of thinking but there are plenty of naysayers looking at the bigger picture and asking some serious questions of the real direction i.e. is this all not just revenue based? If electrification is not the way forward then shouldn’t someone tell the car manufacturers…
17/02/2023
New Recruit...
We are delighted to welcome Thomas Phipps to the Team. Tom joins us as a Sales Executive but he’s an ambitious chap so we’re sure he’ll rise in the ranks quickly. His experience comes from a completely different sector; he’s been recruiting Catering & Customer Care team members for the last few years and before that practised his craft working for a major food chain - we’re sure he’ll tell you which company when you meet him. He’s certainly got his work cut out over the coming months as we guide him in all things automotive but equally we’re keen to learn from his experiences of customer care…
16/01/2023
Happy New Year...
Well what a start to the New Year, an evening of fireworks and a beautiful sunny morning. It’s a perfect day to finish off that New Years Resolution list and take the family out for a walk to blow away the cobwebs of 2022. Just taking a minute to reflect on the last 12 months it’s certainly one that will remain in my memory for some time to come. The events of the year include the on going war between Ukraine and Russia, the resulting massive cost of living crisis, the knock on strike action for increase in salaries, 3 Prime Ministers, the death of Pope Benedict XVI and the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II. There was also record breaking high temperatures during the summer, the World leaders agreed on climate change actions in the COPT27 summit and Argentina took the honours at the World Cup! So what does 2023 have in store for us then… We have the coronation of King Charles III which takes place on May 6th, there will be an additional Bank Holiday on May 8th to mark the occasion. We have a new Pope to look forward to, Disney is 100 Years old so there will be some serious celebrations to be had and of course the Eurovision Song Contest in May…
We hope your 2023 will be a year to remember, we could certainly help with that…
01/01/2023
Cold Weather...
Dear readers it’s been some time since my last blog so I’ll try and make this up to you in the coming weeks…
Have you noticed how cold it is out there? It’s just my conspiracy theory running wild here but I knowing the energy prices are through the roof nature has decided to plung us into zero temperatures, it hasn’t felt this cold since last winter…
So how do we keep those cars in tip top condition in these times where we just want to be under the duvet? Firstly check your coolant levels, if you’re coolant is Pink or Blue make sure the colour is bright, there’s a good chance that if the colour is good you have enough to keep your car from freezing. If you want to check it you can either pop in and we’ll do it for you or you can buy a kit from Halfords to check your levels. Make sure your screen wash is topped up, did you know that it’s a motoring offence to let your reservoir run empty? When filling it remember to add screen wash additive otherwise the water will freeze and you’ll be left with those annoying white streaks across the screen you can’t see through. Whilst you’re under the bonnet just check your oil levels - always a good call.
Tyres are also another good one, we rarely see deep snow, unless of course you’re in in the Cairngorms, so snow chains and Winter Tyres are only needed when the going gets tough. If you do fit a set of winter tyres remember to change them in the Spring as they’ll damage the roads. Make sure all your tyre pressures are good and that your tread depths are over 3mm as this seriously effects your ability to stop as the weather declines. If you can keep those windows cleaned too - always a good idea to see where you’re going. It’s also a good idea to keep a few essentials in your boot, a leather (Chamois) - to wipe the windows, de-icer - well it does what it says on the tin, some warm clothes and a couple of bars of your favourite snack - not necessarily against the cold more as a comforter if you’re stuck in traffic queuing to get into the shops for your Christmas shopping…
10/12/2022
Her Majesty The Queen...
It is with great sadness we mark the passing of Her Majesty The Queen. For 70 years she has been the Head of State and for many of us she has been there our entire lives guiding us through war, pandemic and the good times and for her tireless work we thank her. Rest in peace your Majesty.
09/09/2022
Cleaning Cars without Water...
Isn’t it unusually warm at the moment? So how can we keep our pride and joy clean and protected against the summer sunshine yet avoiding using the hosepipe? Here’s a couple of tips to help. Whilst we’re all tempted to use this evenings washing up water try not to because our favourite washing up liquid contains salt, which is not good for paintwork. If you can harvest some water from a bath or a shower you can wring a leather out and use that to wipe over your windows, number plates and lights which always need to be seen or seen through! There are some excellent spray cleaners on the market which will maintain the bodywork but if you’re going to use them you must avoid dirty or soiled paintwork as you’ll scratch it. Always start from the top and work your way down, liberally spray your cleaner over the panel, you should try to work with one panel at a time. Several good quality micro fibre cloths will be ideal as they’re soft and absorb the dirt instead of spreading it over the surface of the paint. Wipe in one direction as circle motion will create swirl marks. Early morning dew can sometimes be sufficient to allow you to leather the bodywork enough to lift dirt off, that is if you’re an early riser as 5.48 was the sunrise this morning…
14/08/2022
Dolly Dog...
For those of you that have visited the Garage the likelihood of you meeting Dolly was high, she would meet you with a wag of her tail and as you settled in with a drink she’d jump on to your seat and within seconds settle on your lap expecting a fond stroke. It didn’t matter to her if you like dogs or not by the time you left she’d have made such an impact that you liked her anyway. We lost her to an enlarged heart on Friday of last week so it’s with a heavy heart I write today to mark her passing. There have been some lovely messages sent in which we thank you for. We called her the silent assassin because once you settle in looking for a car, if you’ve found the right one she knew and wouldn’t let you leave until you caved in, so for now our family is missing it’s best salesman, we’ll miss you Dolly.
14/06/2022
Bank Holidays...
I guess like most people I look forward to Bank Holidays, not because it’s an additional day off because for us it’s not, no just that there’s a relaxed feeling like a Sunday. Don’t you find the people you come into contact with on a Sunday seem chilled? Spring is definitely in the air, blossom covers most of the trees and bees are happily pollenating. Sorry should I be grounding this with rising energy costs and short supply of just about everything - well I think it’s time we moved on and embraced the forthcoming warmer weather and a more positive outlook, let’s be fair costs are bound to fall soon aren’t they…
26/04/2022
Ukraine Appeal...
Well what a whirl wind fortnight, I would just like to say a big well done to Rebecca for bringing the Ukraine collection, sorting and packing last Friday together and sending our neighbours Ben Nichols & Ben Baughan off to deliver much needed supplies into Poland. Also a big thank you to everyone that donated and came together to help pack last week as without you it would never have happened. Now all I need to do is get over COVID….
23/03/2022
Ukraine...
I thought it important to mark the event in our Blog files as our thoughts and prayers are certainly with the people of Ukraine, we are now some 10 days after the breakout of war from Russia against Ukraine.
05/03/2022
Snow...
Did you know here in the East Midlands January is the month we are most likely to see snow, on waking this morning to a flurry it got me thinking… Did you know that the UK gets an average of 23.7 days of snowfall per year according to the Met Office; admittedly most of that falls in Scotland on higher ground. It was nice to see it this morning especially as the timing was perfect to compliment the opening Ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics where we have a staggering 50 Athletes representing us, we’re tipped to bring some 7 medals home - lets hope we do well and we wish them all the very best, meanwhile back here in Northamptonshire lets hope that’s the last of the snow for this year…
04/02/2022
Her Majesty The Queen - Platinum Jubilee...
During this year, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, seventy years of service, having acceded to the throne on 6th February 1952 when Her Majesty was 25 years old. An extended bank holiday, from Thursday June 2nd to Sunday 5th, will provide an opportunity for communities and people throughout the the UK to come together to celebrate this historic milestone. The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national activities, as well as national moments of reflection on the Queen’s 70 years of service. What will you be doing to join Her Majesty in celebration…
02/01/2022
Omicron...
So with the PM announcement yesterday that England will continue on without imposing further restrictions what does that tell us? There are lots of opinions about what is right or wrong; even within the political system Scotland & Wales have differing views and restrictions in place but is yesterdays announcement a licence for us to party without a care in world? The short answer is no we should be exercising caution in our approach to exposure with the wearing of masks and socially distancing where ever possible. When you look at the statistics you can draw the conclusion that despite record daily increases of Covid-19 reported cases there are much fewer fatalities but is that because the Omicron variant is less dangerous - well we don’t really know but what we do know is that due to the fantastic roll out of vaccinations the vast majority are benefiting from a level of protection afforded by the skill of the medical profession and the current voluntary take up. If you go back to the dubious beginning’s of vaccines there has always been some level of objectivity, however, without these introductions would we have seen the eradication of diseases like Smallpox, Measles and even Polio? The one statistic that sits heavily on my mind is that of the number of hospitalised Covid-19 sufferers who have not been vaccinated sitting at some 80+% - should this not be the topic being debated at top levels…
28/12/2021
Stock...
Trying to find quality stock this year has been particularly troublesome. As we’ve already reported New car supply is challenging with sone manufacturers currently quoting 12 months for delivery! With the new comers to the Used Car Market like Cinch and Carzoo draining stock this has left little garage’s like our humble home in difficulty, that said we have still managed to find some gems for you. Currently we have a Porsche Macan Turbo, Jaguar XJ R-Sport, Jaguar XKR-S and TVR Chimera in stock - what would you choose for Christmas? Long may the search continue as it keeps us busy, different and a real player. In closing this blog it’s only right to turn to you dear reader, what has challenged you this year - Covid-19 will no doubt be at the top of the list with the Omicron strain beginning to take a heavy toll; we’re even thinking we’ll see a New Year lockdown. Have you been made redundancy this year or have you quit your role in the growing trend? Well lets just hope that together we move beyond this bleak outlook and plan for a New Year of hope and change…
18/12/2021
Black Friday...
Have you noticed that everything has gone up - Cars, Holidays, Houses, Meals, Clothes… ? Could Black Friday mark the change of the tides back to some normality? I can understand that Covid has a lot to answer for and retailers have taken a hammering but Black Friday is meant to mark the point in the year that all debts have been paid, all books balanced and from here to the New Year is pure profit - so does that mean everyone is now in profit? If that’s the case can we get back to business as normal please as I’m sure you’ll agree I’m pretty tired of the constant ‘Due to Covid-19’ excuses - no staff, increased costs, delays in answering the phone blah blah blah. I read online that there are record job numbers available and not enough applicants for the opportunities and that some huge salaries are available which is fantastic but is this just to entice people back to work after a period of paid leave? There is no doubt we are in unprecedented times lets just hope that the recovery is just around the corner and Black Friday does in fact mark the turning of the tides…
15/11/2021
Fuel Crisis...
So here we are again, queuing for fuel despite being told that there is plenty to go round. Gas supplies increasing exponentially in price putting companies out of business whist the big conglomerates are left to pickup the pieces to ensure vulnerable customers are not left without supply. I read with interest this week that government have proposed EV taxes to plug the £40Bn shortfall from fuel taxes in addition to the National Insurance tax increases announced earlier this month; I can’t help feeling disappointed really, like many reading this post I guess, that we are here again picking up the cost for expenditure out of our control. There are certainly changes afoot in the car buying public as the ULEZ zones are beginning to take effect on none Euro compliant vehicles so locals are being forced to sell their pride and joy, will most of London’s sub zones soon be unable to park their cars outside their own homes without incurring costs? Is it not time to review the demands placed on the tax paying public as right now its all feeling one way - or is it just me?
26/09/2021
Electric Cars...
Do I / Don’t I, that is the question… It’s a hard one to answer right now as the choice isn’t great and the infrastructure wildly short of the future requirements but there is no doubt we are being hustled towards the inevitability by our government. Before you make that decision let’s just ponder the position. Many of our cities, led by London’s example, have introduced the clean air zones which allow you to drive into the city if you have a Euro 5 petrol or a Euro 6 diesel engine otherwise each day will cost upwards of £8 on top of whatever parking you need to pay so a day into the city is becoming expensive. Charging zones are being added by responsible establishments which have recently included McDonalds & KFC’s - not quite sure how to view fast food outlets as suitable charging points in our politically correct society today but the sentiment is a good one. Typically though if you look around charging points are limited to one or two at each point so if you work on the principle of a 30 minute fast charge each one can only manage 48 per day if they are used for 24 hours. Range anxiety is currently the biggest concern with only the latest introductions having a 250+ mile range which include Tesla, Kia, Jaguar and Hyundai all with a £35k+ price tag, used examples are more affordable but with the exception of Tesla most have a range of about 100 miles. Now the lower ranges are perfectly acceptable around town, to and from work providing you are local but what happens if you need to plan a longer journey? The answer is planning, find a route that takes into consideration a charging station for a 30 minute / 80% charge. Day to day living with an electric car is actually surprisingly good as they genuinely do feel spritely and you are blessed with a real feeling of contributing to the planets sustainability and yes of course right now you are a trailblazer setting the standards for others to follow but for now until products become more affordable, ranges extend into the 200+ zone and more charging stations are added it certainly feels like a chore. Let’s not get into the batteries…
24/08/2021
Used Car Prices...
As the Chinese saying goes ‘we are in interesting times’ and strange they are indeed…
Used cars & van prices, it may surprise you to learn, have risen steadily all year long and do not seem to have reached that crescendo point yet - let me explain…
New cars remain in very short supply due to several no-supply parts issues like micro chips which mean that as customers cannot collect their new ones their part exchanges are few and far between. Big corporate dealers have begun to sell their non-franchise part exchanges due to a lack of their own brand - well they can’t sell open spaces can they? This of course means that for us quality stock has become a premium yet we still ensure we remain competitive in the open market but sourcing those cherries is getting tougher as the market place dries up over the summer. You may have even seen prices going up in certain circumstances and whilst this does seem sharp as a practice there’s an old saying ‘what goes up must come down’…
23/06/2021
May 17th Lockdown Restriction Changes...
So what can we expect from today as the Government move to stage 3 and some of the lock down restrictions are lifted?
* Indoor entertainment and attractions can re-open
* 30 person limit outdoors
* Rule of 6 or two households indoors
* Domestic overnights allowed
* Organised adult sport back
* Most significant life events - 30 people can attend
* Cap on the number of funeral mourners lifted
* Remaining outdoor entertainment allowed
* Accommodation can open - (Hotels & Holiday Sector)
* Some large events capacity limits apply -
* Indoor events: 1,000 or 50% of capacity
* Outdoor events 4,000 or 50% of capacity
* Outdoor seated events - 10,000 or 25% of capacity
* International travel to countries on the Green List
There are some caveats but mostly as we’re sure you’ll agree a significant lifting of the restrictions. Of course there is always the cautionary note to be sensible as things may be deemed against the spirit of the lifting…
18/05/2021
HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
In the two weeks of mourning prior to his funeral it seems right for us to pay our respects to a stalwart, not only for his Services to the Country and his wife our Queen but to the many families and nations he has touched
In his life time he will be remembered for his selfless dedication to his Royal duties, his distinguished Military Career, his work as an environmentalist, some of his colourful quotes - which have brought many a smile to the nation, the wonderful Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and of course his 70 + year relationship with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
RIP...
14/04/2021
Parts Supply...
There are several issues at the moment with the supply of Parts for all manner of cars which seems to have caught us all napping, let me explain... whilst Brexit took its time to happen the immediate effect has been the slowing of supply though distribution ports, suppliers have all reported that not only has there been immediate confusion over permit requirements there has also been vat wars which have created confusion, delay and the general increase in prices, now that all sounds like a cop out but there’s no doubt it’s happening as I write. Secondly we know Coronavirus has had an effect on production as manufacturers have furloughed many of their teams so Parts Manufacturing has also taken a hit consequently with a reduction in capacity comes a reduced supply. There are certain companies that have taken advantage of this... there is a market leader in tyre fitting, who shall remain nameless, who have seen the reduction of supply so have purchased in bulk which has created a tyre shortage. Now usually when businesses buy in bulk we see an appetite to sell at a discount but in this particular retailers strategy we’ve seen quite an increase in prices, one might say they have spotted an opportunity to make a Kwik profit...
27/02/2021
The Beard...
National Lockdown will be remembered by us all for various reasons once we return to some form of normality and there’s no doubt that certain things will stick around for a while; for me it’s the beard... I’m not making light of the situation, I mention it only as it’s plagued me through out - should I grow one or should I resist? I’ve had a dalliance with the notion because it’s very much on trend but the obvious ability to cover it with a mask has given me the opportunity to sport one without being caught by those that know me. The reality of the situation has been a revelation and I have realised I actually dislike the beard beyond belief. Yes there are benefits like being able to shower and go without having to shave but the consequences are hours of face stroking and the riffing! Now I’m not saying that some chaps don’t wear them well, there are several I could name that suit the look but I’ve watched as one by one my old pals have fallen foul of this character flaw and sported the grizzled look but in honesty it’s just left me feeling we’re all just getting old, we all look like a Grizzly Adam’s wannabe. The problem now as Boris announced yesterday evening that the over 50’s will now be called for their jabs; this means that I’ll soon be classed as protected and before we know it the humble face mask will go back to being worn for environmental issues which means that our chins will be on display again and so the conundrum now takes a different path – does it stay or does it go...
06/02/2021
Brexit...
It wouldn’t be right to end what has been the most uncertain year without mentioning Brexit… If you voted for or against it there’s no doubt that it’s been in the back of your mind but few believed that whilst our Government battled with the pandemic and keeping us all safe that the time has ebbed away and the deadline set sometime ago has loomed ever closer. The great news is that the deal is done and Christmas Eve 2020 will be an important date to mark future trading for the UK. Well done Boris and the team for striving to complete what others have failed to do with lets face it in some stressful circumstances…
30/12/2020
Emergency Services...
They say that the fourth emergency service is your friendly breakdown recovery service and there’s no doubt that when you need them there’s no one else that takes their place but with few simple tricks you can avoid that call… Check the basics on your car each time you wash it, or weekly if you don’t wash it - oil level, coolant level, washer fluid, power steering level, brake fluid, tyre pressures and start the engine to make sure the battery is ok. It’s quite surprising that these simple checks will help you spot an issue early and prevent that panic setting in as you come out of the house for that unplanned journey. While you’re thinking about your car when is your MOT due as there has been some extensions this year under the lock down but as most garages are now open there is no excuse for driving with no MOT, don’t forget your insurance may be invalid if you are driving whist in need of the annual check… If you do need the emergency services over the Christmas break do remember they are all busy so be patient but most importantly don’t forget to renew your membership, that could be an embarrassing call…
22/12/2020
Christmas...
If all we hear on the news is Covid-19 doom & gloom just spare a thought for your loved ones this Christmas. Yes we all want to spend time with them, share great food and drink, give presents and, for most of us, enjoy an afternoon nap in the safe knowledge that we\'ve done our bit, but have we? Should the momentary lapse of the rules give rise to the pandemic taking a greater hold and especially in those we love then we\'re never going to escape the clutches of this horrendous killer. So what do we do? I remember a few years ago the business I was promoted to run was suffering having never made a profit, I gathered the management together and announced that we were going to have a Christmas Bar-b-que in August, August they gasped - what about Christmas now? We agreed we\'d have to earn the right to spend the companies money in such a way to celebrate and we set ourselves targets to achieve with the vision we\'d celebrate at a later date. It turned out that we had two Christmas parties that year and champagne flowed at both occasions so let\'s set our sights on celebrating the wonderful gift of life next summer and in-between all work together to keep our loved ones safe so that we can toast the season together. Meanwhile we wish you a Merry Christmas, a safe and Happy new Year and we look forward to seeing you all very soon, hopefully without a mask...
17/12/2020
Here We Go Again...
At the risk of sounding like a stuck record we are once again having to close our doors as we’re classed as non-essential retail so from Thursday 5th November to December 2nd our doors will be closed… Wait a minute we’re an ‘on-line’ retailer too so if you’re interested in any of our motor cars we can do everything on-line, over the phone and if you ‘click’ you can also ‘collect’ or you can ‘click’ and we’ll deliver! One of the strengths of being small is that we can make life simple in these times of crisis.
Let’s hope that our joint efforts make a difference and this Covid-19 enemy can once again be thwarted and put neatly back in its box where it belongs. I just wish the sun was shining…
31/10/2020
Quality...
Someone once said to me ‘they don’t make a bad car any more’ - do they? Let me tell you they do; they being the car manufacturers. Over the years I have learned that quality is not measured by the sound a door makes when it closes or the feel of a switch but more the measure of variation - let me explain that. The Dictionary defines the word quality as ‘low variation’ so therefore if the item is always the same then it by definition must be high quality right? Japanese cars have always been ultra reliable, everything works but you aren’t left with that sense of solidity associated with its construction. By comparison a German car always feels that it’ll last forever but in truth its failure rate is higher than the Japanese product so which is classed as higher quality? The world perception is the that the heavier the product the better the quality, I guess that relates to the past when good quality craftsmanship was made using robust materials and cheaper reproductions were made from lighter less substantial materials and weren’t expected to last, we’ve all heard the saying ‘buy cheap buy twice’ but this is a misconception in modern times. A great example of this opposite are the Koreans, mostly this recent explosion in popularity has been as a result of lower priced vehicles but wait they have introduced industry leading 7 year Warranties - now they wouldn’t offer such cover would they if the quality was poor would they? I started by saying I believe there are bad cars out there and I do believe that but you must put that into perspective - built in obsolescence - nothing last forever, especially when it’s designed not to...
27/10/2020
Collections...
Yesterday as we cleaned the cars on the forecourt I pondered the collection, I marvelled at some of the truly unique cars we have available and how some truly exceptional people have managed to preserve their pride and joy through the passage of time to present them in such an outstanding condition - Jaguar XJSC, Ferrari 456 GTA, Maserati Gransport, Bentley Continental GT Mulliner, MGB GT, Porsche 911 Carrera 4 to name some of those special cars. I received a letter from the bank this week dropping the interest rate on my savings to 0% and on the same day saw an article on the price of Gold which has increased by £4 per Gram in the last 6 months. The same situation exists in some of the worlds short supply commodities, stamps, guns, wine, art, coins and of course cars so it’s no wonder why classic cars are becoming sort after as over time they are gently appreciating as they cannot be replaced. This does obviously present us with the occasional issue when sourcing parts but on the whole I do wish I could pop the above in the back of the garage and forget them for a while as my pension pot is currently looking quite sad…
27/09/2020
Holidays...
There’s something magical about holidays isn’t there? No work stress, no e-mails, no pressure just you and whatever you decide to do, well at least that’s what they should be… In reality you’re trying to do all of those things you planned you’d do, visit where you’d planned to go and please all those people you normally don’t have time for. There’s the weeks of planning before you go trying to think of what you’ll need whilst you’re away, then making sure you’ve thought of who’ll take care of things whilst you’re away from home, cancelling deliveries and rearranging fixed activities to make the time. You work longer and harder to make sure you’ve done everything before you go and then panic the night before that you’ve forgotten to do some life or death task then when you finally set off you still dread that you’ve missed something. Does everything stop whilst you’re away? Does the phone stop or the emails fall off to allow you time to rest - no of course not so it’s no surprise that it takes you several days to unwind but then as you just think yes this nice it’s time to go home! All that said does it make you think that you’ll soldier on and not bother taking a holiday this year - nah; just plan the next one…
11/08/2020
Masks...
So from July 24th we are all required to wear masks whilst shopping… have you stopped to think this one through I ask myself? Yes this forms some sort of protection, to a certain degree, from the now unacceptable social cough or a sneeze. Its going to make a right mess under the mask if you’ve a cold - yes people are still getting colds… Is it really going to help stop the spread of Coronavirus? If a mask doesn’t stop our breath from seeping through it how will it stop this micro organism? Yes I’ve updated the Risk Assessments, yes I’ve ordered the new station for outside the front door to create a sanitisation point prior to entering the building set up with masks, hand sanitiser and nitrile gloves ready to protect our visitors but who I wonder is going to be wandering through the crowds of city binge drinkers, beach parties and protestors insisting masks are worn at all times…
15/07/2020
Two Weeks Later...
Yes it does sound like the title of a post apocalyptical horror movie and whilst I believe the economic outlook is good there are some horror stories lurking in the back ground…
No I’m not into picking fault with some of the nations actions during lock down and no I’m not commenting on the lifting of the restrictions… no; closer to home the emerging news from the car industry is yielding its own issues…
So with consumer confidence beginning to grow, the need for social distancing and the fear of being on public transport on a crowded bus or train there seems to be lots of people on the lookout for a little gem, well thats good for us but higher up the chain there are problems. As new car manufacturers had stopped producing cars it takes a little time for the process to catch up so whilst customers are ordering new car delivery times have stretched in some cases to 6 months. This means that consumers are having to hold onto their current cars longer than they would have liked - this actually creates 2 problems, firstly the market place is currently starved of used car supply which means that used car prices are increasing and secondly the local network of garages that Service & MOT vehicles cannot cope with the demand for repairs by those that are being forced to keep their cars longer. The problem is being compounded by the Parts manufacturers who have also been closed and are now beginning to produce again so there is a backlog in availability for basic things like Oil Filters and Brakes pads so cars are off the road for much longer than would normally be the case. Consumers quite rightly are depending upon their vehicles for transport and are frustrated by them being off the road especially as they can now go back to work and so it goes on. In this world we live in today ‘Just in time’ is a little delayed at the moment but normal service will resume - eventually (we hope). My mind is obviously now focused on the brewers, will they be ready on time…
26/06/2020
Re-opening...
The Prime Minister announced his next step in allowing Car Showrooms to re-open on June 1st. He encouraged everyone to follow Covid-19 operational standards to keep us safe. So what does that mean for us? Well as from Monday June 1st we’ll reopen the doors of the garage to visitors but will be operating some strict social distancing standards in order we stay safe and protect against this terrible disease. You can expect the following from us:
* Protective nitrile gloves worn at all times and available for you whist you are with us.
* Sanitised vehicles returned to you after Service & MOT
* Sanitised vehicles delivered or when being collected upon sale
* 2m Social distancing at all times
* Home delivery within a distance of 50 miles free of charge. (We’ll discuss charges should you live further than this)
* A free collection & delivery service for Service & MOT
* If you are looking to sell your vehicle we can visit you to avoid you leaving home
* Personalised vehicle sourcing
If you have a specific need we’re all ears. It’s certainly going to be an interesting few months ahead of us isn’t it…
26/05/2020
V-E Day...
This years Bank Holiday was moved from the first Monday in May to today, May 8th to recognise the 75th Anniversary of V-E Day - the day that marks the victory in Europe which marked the ending of the 2nd World War. How did you celebrate it? Well we held a Street Party, in line with the Government restrictions which brought a real level of surreal to the fun of the day. Even though we adhered to the 2m social distancing rules it was still a great day. The most amazing thing about today was recognising the similarity to those days of lock down during the War, even some of the rationing seems similar to the bare shelves in the Super Markets we experienced early in April. It was great to spend time with friends and neighbours again, just catching up making sure everyone was safe and well. Just the isolation seemed to be the worst thing some people were dealing with - better that though than the other option wouldn’t you agree? So we now await tomorrows news from Downing Street - we are mostly hoping for a lifting of the restrictions so that we can begin living the new normal…
08/05/2020
Batteries...
If you don’t start your car for a while you must expect the inevitable. Why does this happen? Most will attribute it to bad luck and yes you could say that once the beating heart of your car has stopped it certainly isn’t going anywhere but seriously a simple replacement will do the trick… The only issue is that replacing your battery isn’t simple as car manufacturers like to make life difficult for you and so there are a multitude of different types; size, amperage, output, standard or maintenance free, different terminal types even switching terminal ends! The reason for this is that your car is different to that of your neighbour so your cars’ needs are different. You could anticipate this by starting your car weekly to ensure there is life in your battery and 10 - 15 minutes of running will top your battery up nicely, or you could buy a battery charger to ensure it’s topped up precisely. We’re now into another myriad of choice - do you go for a full charge pack or a trickle charger? The choice is made simple by just looking at your needs, its better to stay on top than be caught out by the shock of your car not starting especially when you need it…
20/04/2020
Day 23...
So Day 23 and potentially, according to yesterday’s announcement, another 21 days before we find out if we can come out of our houses again. Has it really been 3 weeks of lock down? It seems just like yesterday for me as there has been so much to do… I don’t think in all the years I have lived in Daventry that I’ve ever caught up with all my jobs and yesterday I panicked as 3 weeks have gone so quickly, what if in the next 3 I still haven’t caught up, I’ll never catch myself again or at least have the time to attempt to… so yesterday I made myself a list, a ‘To Do’ list, well at least thats a start isn’t it? I think today I’ll prioritise it…
Stay safe.
14/04/2020
Morale...
Did you stand on your door step and clap to show appreciation for the NHS this Thursday? Yes we did too, what an amazing feeling as the sound of the applause echoed around the streets across the country. I found this feeling of hope and togetherness encouraging in that we’ll all emerge from this stronger and with a sense of camaraderie similar to our forefathers who fought for the country in the two World Wars. I cannot help feeling a similarity to H G Well’s War of the Worlds but completely opposite in that the virus that killed the visitors is killing the inhabitants! Across the Country there have been amazing groups set up who have volunteered to help friends and neighbours who are self isolating by shopping for them and keeping daily chores completed to make sure each and every one of us survive to tell the story to our grandchildren. To all those who think this is just an extended holiday take a moment to consider London’s Excel Centre and Birmingham’s NEC which are currently being turned into makeshift Hospitals and Morgues - lets hope they remain empty as we all follow the guidelines and stay safe. Finally for today I thought it important to recognise the efforts of our Prime Minister who is gallantly leading our Country through this crisis and who is currently fighting the virus personally, swift recovery sir as we all appreciate your prompt and decisive actions so far but we do need you fit and well…
28/03/2020
Coronavirus...
I thought it important to let you know what we’re doing about keeping you safe whilst visiting us. We’ve made a couple of changes to our policy and added some daily tasks to ensure we are following the government best advice.
1. We have introduced a ‘no-hand shake policy, we’ve chosen to bump elbows with you as a greeting.
2. We clean down the showroom and offices as we finish each customer visit with an antibacterial cleaning agent.
3. We’re wearing protective gloves.
4. Customers cars are cleared with anti-bacterial wipes before handed over.
5. Hand Gel is displayed should you wish to use it to ensure you’re protected whilst with us.
To make life really easy you don’t even need to visit us, all of our cars are advertised with many photographs on stavertongarage.com, you can reserve your chosen vehicle on line so make sure you don’t miss it. We have worked with our Finance partner MotoNovo Finance so that you can complete an on-line proposal through our website then if accepted we can have your documentation sent directly to you to complete at home and finally we’ll even deliver your car to your door to minimise any contact - you don’t even need to leave your house to buy from us.
As always if you need us ask!
18/03/2020
Time...
When we started to renovate the garage, a year ago now, we faced the issue of the clock and what to do with it. Well it was right twice a day wasn’t it so that was ok… The renovations went on around it and business commenced so we just left it on the ‘To Do’ list but as those jobs all began to get ticked off finally we said ok let’s do it. Now we have a superb electrician, Mark Garrett, who took it down and very carefully opened it up to take a look… On my what a beauty, it’s a 1931 - 1936 Smiths Electric Clock but didn’t look like it has worked for quite some time. Mark then started to research replacing the electric motor which proved almost impossible, I say almost because he did find a motor and successfully installed it. Next was the face as it’s actually made of glass, yes opaque glass and the reason is that it can be illuminated when installed correctly. The hands were also damaged and the whole thing out of shape so with due care and attention Mark painfully reassembled and tested it and then when keeping great time reinstalled it in it’s rightful place! Yay so we now have a working, illuminated, correct clock in pride of place over the entrance to the garage - our sincere thanks to Mark for the time and patience needed to restore and preserve the old girl. Now how do we adjust it…
16/03/2020
March Madness...
As yesterday was March 1st my thoughts are with all of my old colleagues who across the country will be frantically delivering new cars. Not many people know the pressure dealers become exposed to in the ‘peak’ months but there is no doubt the pressure is on; let me explain... Cars depreciate, they’re the second most expensive thing most people ever buy, behind a property for those that do today that is, there are three times in the year which help stem some of that depreciation, January (the year change), March and September. Why is that you may ask, well when your vehicle is valued the markers are usually mileage, the year and number plate. If your vehicle was registered in February 2016 it will be worth less than if it had been registered in March 2016 by several hundreds of pounds even though in some cases that may only be a day or so! Car manufacturers set dealers annual targets but part of that strategy is to achieve 25% of the annual target in the first 3 months of the year, usually in most cases January is a struggle, February doesn’t even measure so March becomes the pressure month. A good dealer will work towards having 50% of their target done by the 1st day of the month and try to deliver all of them so that the rest of the month can be focused on selling. If that were not enough pressure then the manufacturer issues begin as usually whist there may just be enough stock across the country to hit these targets but it’s always in the wrong place so dealers begin to trade stock and send trucks all over the country to collect sold cars. Management in dealerships begin to micro manage daily sales and trends to ensure the teams remain on target and so holidays are cancelled and tempers run high. If that weren’t enough the market place goes into seasonal change, customers normally see the new number plates arriving on the roads so begin to come to take a look but the savvy buyer always waits until the last moment, why? - to get the best deal! Then as the end of the month approaches if the numbers don’t look as good as expected stock begins to be corralled just in case it needs to be self registered to hit that magical quarter target... as I say that pressure is immense. Now comes the irony... as the month closes and the tired teams look forward to a few days off and calm bestows the dealership once again everyone realises that April has started, there’s a target to hit but hang on Easter is just around the corner which means that it’s actually the shortest month of the selling year as most people take their first holiday after Christmas.... Do I miss the pressure... yes of course I do... Not
02/03/2020
Customers...
Over the years I’ve been faced by Customer’s who say the strangest things but nothing prepared me for what I got yesterday; from no where came “I’ll not be returning once I’ve bought it” I burst out laughing as she said it, what else could I do? It wasn’t an upset statement from an angry Customer, well at least I don’t think so. You might say it was but I think you had to be there to know. No she simply meant she’d travelled a distance to buy the car so wouldn’t need to return for regular Service work. I say she as her name shall be protected for obvious reasons but you know who you are! We agreed a deal and shook hands and I bought her lunch, why I hear you ask? Well it was a lovely day, the sun was shining and she and hubby had travelled a long way to buy from us so it only seemed fair and she’d made my day, after all it’s not everyday your Customers insult you is it…
13/02/2020
January Blues...
What is it about January that gives you that feeling you’d rather be home in the warm watching daytime TV than out and about? As I sit here this afternoon pondering life I can see the Pub Carpark is full but on close inspection not everyone is inside enjoying a Sunday roast… Nope I’ve watched a few cross the road, bobble hat on, rucksack slung over the shoulder and walking boots on followed by a faithful friend or two braving the elements for a Sunday stroll. Are they mad I hear you ask? No they are doing exactly the right thing to fend off the January Blues. They’re braving the Daventry rainy Sunday to embrace a long walk across the most beautiful countryside. Unless you’ve tried it don’t knock it as this is the most enjoyable experience as it gives you chance to walk and talk, or partake in the January Bird Watch report and take some much needed exercise. The walk from Staverton takes you across Catesby and down into Hellidon which is about 2 miles, according to my OS Map, and beyond for the more adventurous of you. Slightly easier on the way down as the land slopes gently as you walk towards Hellidon, the goal when you get there is the fab newly reopened Red Lion or after the walk back up hill perhaps the Carpark of the Countryman was actually a wise place to park after all as they’re open all day on Sunday and I know the fire will be lit just in case you need to warm up. I do love Sundays and a walk with a goal at the end…
26/01/2020
New Year...
As I puzzle the question of New Year’s resolutions I am quite smug in the fact that I normally make about ten, yes ten - why do you do that you may ask? Well truth be known I know that I’ll keep most of them as at least half are the same each year which gives me some feelings of positivity in those dark days when all seems doom and gloom around me but my attentions this year turn to the bigger picture. The economy and the car business. In pondering the subject my thoughts start off very positive as I know we’ll be exiting Europe on schedule, yes very topical I know. Some may argue that we should have remained but let’s face it we’ve all complained about something the politicians have decided upon that effect us in some small way. No what I mean is that in exiting Europe lots of clever people will be thinking about how to fill the gaps created by the loss of something we used to take for granted and do something about it so I believe there will be some jobs created from the break. On a less positive note I know the car industry is really going through a tough time though and there’s lots of chatter about the things to come. There’s also lots of things causing concern for the buying public in the form of electric / diesel / petrol / hybrid... There is no easy answer to the question as there are so many factors. The Government will have us believe that electric is good and diesel is bad but as in the George Orwell story Animal Farm the truth is one of ‘perspective’. In order to make sense of it you need to consider your own needs. Answering some simple questions will make it easier, how many miles do you do each year? What are your every day journeys like? How many times each year do you travel a distance? How much do you budget for fuel, insurance and road fund licence? It really doesn’t mean you’ll come up with the right answer but it does mean you’ll get perspective before you set off shopping for a new car. There’s no doubt when the majority goes electric and the infrastructure is finally in place to be able to charge each vehicle we’ll have power cuts so we’ll all be stranded anyway! So back to my list of resolutions.... Happy New Year!
29/12/2019
Christmas & New Year...
Well the season of goodwill and festive cheer is upon us; it crept up on me all of a sudden and certainly caught me by surprise - why you ask? Well it’s been a whirl wind of a year for Rob and I. Whilst starting a business was certainly on my New Year’s Resolutions list, where it’s been for the last 3 years or so, but I genuinely didn’t think Staverton Garage would be the result. Yes, I’ve watched the Garage for many years with envious eyes from the windows of the Countryman whilst enjoying a pint of Church End. Yes I’d pondered what I would do if it were mine and yes I’ve carefully plotted the strategy but when the opportunity arrived I sat firmly on the edge, splinters pressing into my rear end whilst I played the chance down. Rob called to say let’s do something together and I casually looked at a few things with him but honestly I dismissed all as nothing more than a pipe dream. Corporate life is hard, unrelenting but there is a regular income and despite the pressure I actually liked it - sad I know! Nope when the chance arose I resisted so what made me take the plunge and scratch the itch I had fantasised about - my wife is the answer. Yes I can hear the cliches now, behind every good man... nope I think the real answer is being given permission to take the chance. “What if it doesn’t work?” I asked her, “What if it does?” she answered; well she certainly had her eyes on the prize. So from the evening of April 5th until now there hasn’t been a day with nothing to do so yes it’s all crept up on me. The Garage is full of decorations, the tree full of twinkly lights and we’re all really looking forward to the Turkey this year so with that in mind I just wanted to say thank you - to you our valued customers and now firm friends (And hopefully some more in the years to come), to our colleagues that support us in our Workshop, to Rob for sharing the load but mostly to my family for having my back and believing in the dream. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
16/12/2019
Travelling...
I never considered myself a traveller, I’m not being derogatory about the travelling community I’m talking about the pure enjoyment of travelling. Let me explain... last week we’d sold a lovely Mazda to a fantastic customer down in Somerset but when the question was asked ‘How do I get to see it?’ Without hesitation I suggested I took it down. You’re mad I hear you muttering under your breath, well yes and no, the Mazda was just beautiful so I wasn’t worried it would be a wasted journey and the customer just lovely so unless something bad happened it was worth the trip. But that’s what happened, an early morning start and as I watched the sun come up the world seemed alright with me. In my Corporate days I’d spend 2 - 3 hours each day driving back and forth to work but strangely never saw it as a chore. The drive down, the fab Customer and journey back was truly enjoyable and it totally made my week, so reflecting upon it I’ve decided I’m a traveller so if you thought ‘I’d like that car’ don’t worry I’m sure it’ll be a pleasure to see you and another day out for me!
28/11/2019
Clocks...
So as we move into the Autumnal equinox, which occurs on Sept 23rd this year, and some say marks the start of Autumn we celebrate that rare moment when our clocks ‘fall’ backwards and for those of you without children you gain the extra hour in bed on Sunday morning. This does actually mean you’ll get an extra hour before the Wales vs. South Africa game starts at 9am! For us motorists out there it marks a couple of things that we have to do... Well firstly check that your lights are working as you’re going to need them, yes it may not be just yet but still it’s worth ensuring all four corners have one and that they all work. It’s better to see and be seen as I was always taught. Secondly check you’re anti-freeze levels, you can get a simple dropper test from Halfords or pop in to your local friendly dealer. While you’re messing around with your cooling system, feel the radiator hoses, too. They’re the big hoses that go into the top and come out of the bottom of the radiator. If they’re leaking, cracked, bulgy, or squishy, they should be replaced. And thirdly change your clock for the winter time mode. Now there will no doubt be some of you whose cars do this automatically, lucky you, but for the rest of us this now either becomes an easy task or, in the case of the Renault Fuego owner, becomes impossible; so much so that some will say ‘I’ll put up with it until Spring’. How hard can it be I hear you ask... Trust me as you drive past on Sunday morning if you fancy a giggle come and see. One of us will be sat manual in hand scratching our heads trying to figure out how to change all of the buggers on the pitch...
23/10/2019
Grass...
It’s now been almost 8 months since I lost it… running a large Main Dealer you deal with the idiosyncratic issues the team throw at you indiscriminately. “I’m running late as there are leaves on the line…” (Yes I’ve unceremoniously stolen that one from the Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin but you get the point.) It’s always the same people with a new excuse isn’t it? So I cannot understand why when my Business Partner parked, as usual, some of our unusual vehicles on the grass outside the Garage (Strangely you do notice this diverse activity) I flipped! properly flipped I mean lost it… When I sit back and think about it I can only rationalise it as pride. Pride you’re asking; what does he mean? Well as part of the beautiful village of Staverton I see the garage as part of the community, my wife is the floral expert and we’ve posted pictures of Honey Bees etc. feeding from the hanging baskets and tubs we tend on the site so when I saw the twin tyres tracks running off the grass of mud lines I flipped. Having tenderly mowed the grass and taken care of our frontage my overwhelming thought was the injustice of it, ruining the look of the grass but stop and give this a moments thought… we all spend time looking after our gardens, the foliage and the way we look to others so it’s not unusual to spend time making sure we’re looking sharp is it? So… I find myself asking for advice of how I restore the grass and encourage growth over the coming Autumn months to restore that look of well maintained grass… or as my Business Partner asked ‘It’s just your OCD again Phipps! Oh well back to cleaning cars then.
04/10/2019
Tyres...
“Why bother checking your tyres” I hear you ask? “My garage always does it for me…” that’s what we hear every time someone winces when we say those treads are low or a tyre is damaged. So how can you become an expert today sitting at home in Daventry, Woodford Halse or wherever you are… well lets give you some tips.
Tyres wear out, pot holes in poorly maintained roads (Especially in the Northamptonshire area…) can cause major damage to tyre walls, kerb damage can creates bulges and tyres actually degrade as they age - did you know this?
Lets start with the obvious stuff - minimum tyre depths. The law in the UK states that a tyre will be deemed illegal if the tyre depth is below a minimum depth of 1.6mm (One 16th of an inch in old money) across 3/4 of the overall width of any tyre. This means that if at any point on a tyre the tread is less than 1.6mm then it will deemed illegal. The law then states you may be fined up to £1,000.00 per tyre and if that isn’t enough you gain 3 points per tyre… You could therefore lose your licence over night for being the driver of a car with 4 illegal tyres. Oh yes you can, no point arguing with me I’m just letting you know where you stand. If you let your tyres go to the minimums you also risk much longer stopping distances and as the great British weather turns wet (Yes even in the micro climate of Flecknoe) you stand a great chance of collision due to not changing those tyres. Bulges in the side walls from kerb collision are also a major problem as you risk a blowout at motorway speeds, this can be catastrophic especially if you do not have Roadside Assistance with a fifth Emergency Service as you face many hours waiting for help. Age damage is the silent assassin here as if your tyres begin to crack and lose pressure you may find your vehicle doing some strange things whilst under inflated. So what can you do?
Check them! I don’t know what I’m looking for I hear you shout…
Try this… the rim around a 2p coin is 1.6mm so by presenting one against your tyre tread depth will give you a great guide. There are raised ares within the tyre grooves called ‘wear bars’ cleverly set at 1.6mm so if you can draw a biro line across a tyre without the ball dipping at the tread separation the chances are its an illegal tyre. Run your hands around the outside and inside tyre walls to look for bulges, inner ones are less likely but sometimes do happen. The last one is the age of a tyre… so being the owner of a caravan and having served within the motor trade for over 35 years I learned a valuable lesson only last year… When my poorly caravan was set to be collected by a bodyshop the driver announced that he could not tow our pride and joy away due to the tyres being ‘out of a date’. “What rubbish?” I exclaimed, the poor driver was actually correct, the Caravan Club advise that a tyre will be unsafe over 7 years of age. How can you check this? - well there will be a box with 4 numbers stamped on the side wall of each tyre - the first 2 numbers relate to a week in the year and yes you’ve guessed it the last two numbers relate to the year so for example if you see 3812 then they are now out of date as that states Week 38 in 2012. Whilst there is no mandated change date for a motor vehicle its a great one to watch as rubber does perish over a period of time. Don’t get caught out waiting for the garage to tell you, take a minute to check your tyres yourself then at least you can tell your partner you saved time and an important life today - yours! Be safe.
25/09/2019
Seasonal Changes...
If like me you enjoy your Summer sun you will have noticed a move in recent years back towards more defined seasons. The Winter months have been dreary, the Spring very bright and full of promise and Summers warm. So what does the impending Autumn have in store for us? Well if the last few years are anything to go by then we'll see a cooler but sunny start and as we break into October the Wind will catch us by surprise as it strips those beautifully coloured trees and sets us up for dark mornings and early evenings. Make the most of planning your days out and last minute holidays as I feel this year will give us some glorious Indian Summer days, hopefully our Cricket scores will improve with the mood... So what should we expect for our cars? Make sure you have any bodywork needs attended to early as the changing conditions will speed up rust escalation and do have your suspension items attended to as the road conditions deteriorate and you notice the handling changes as the roads do; this helps keep you safe. Finally check those tyres, typically we lose a huge percentage of our grip with worn tyres and by the time the inclement conditions set in you'll be less likely to want to be under your car checking!
08/09/2019
Looking after you car in the rainy Season...
As I look out of my office this morning I'm minded as cyclist that I'm glad I'm indoors then I look at the cars that should have been cleaned this morning and begin to feel guilty, cleaning has been a routine three times a week, as well as our Sales Manager on a Saturday morning, so it begs the question why do we do it? Well there's nothing like a well cleaned car is there? - the thought that the person that owned it before you has taken the time to wax it and treat those lovely seats does make you feel that you're buying a treasured possession but then so does a Service History; to care about the workings of our cars is just as important on how it looks... Now I'm getting annoyed because I know how much money you spend over the years in Service and maintenance bills and when Dealers forget to stamp that very important book you have nothing to show for your hard earned. Where is this going I ask myself - well here it is, we always try to present our cars in the way we expect to buy them and we pay more to know we are buying properly looked after carriages. If you get the chance to protect your paintwork against the inclement weather we now seem to get in the rainy season (our Summer) then do it because its just as important in getting your Service Book stamped!
14/08/2019
Lawn Mowers
Why is it your lawn mower aways blows up when you've done half the job and leaves you looking like you've packed up early as the sun's shining and gone to the pub....
22/06/2019
Our Partners
