As a driver, it is your responsibility to make sure that your vehicle is roadworthy and safe to drive at all times. An important part of this is taking your car to your local garage regularly to ensure it’s checked over by qualified and experienced mechanics. From putting your car in for regular servicing to passing your annual MOT test, it’s essential to make sure you have a trusted car garage in your phonebook for whatever may arise.
However, as technology evolves and vehicles develop, it’s important to make sure you find a car garage that can keep up with changing demands. After all, while it’s necessary for garages to continue offering traditional car services, such as tyre replacement services and oil checks, there are particular services that are now required by many modern vehicle owners.
Here, we discuss some of the services you may require as the owner of a newer vehicle model, including what they entail and why they’re necessary. Read on for more information.
As the owner of a car with modern capabilities, you’ll know the importance of finding a garage that can provide the services you need. After all, your car is likely to be one of your most valuable possessions, so you’ll want to make sure there are services available to keep it running smoothly for years to come.
Some of the modern-day car services you may expect to find include:
In the majority of modern cars and vans, you’ll find an Engine Control Unit, otherwise known as an ECU. Engine Control Units are built into modern vehicles in order to optimise performance and make the driving experience as smooth as possible, which is a quality that many drivers look for when deciding which car to buy. After all, if it’s a choice between a car that offers a seamless driving experience and one that struggles along, the majority of people are going to opt for the former!
So, how does an ECU work? Effectively, a car’s ECU ensures that the components of the vehicle designed to inject and ignite fuel are activated at the right time. The Engine Control Unit uses a sophisticated system which relies on sensor readings to make sure that the ratio of fuel and air is correct. These sensors can identify whether the car is using too much or too little fuel or air, and correct this delicate balance to make sure the vehicle drives smoothly and efficiently.
If your vehicle has an Engine Control Unit, you may benefit from ECU remapping. During car production, manufacturers programme the model’s ECU with a particular type of software, which over time, can become outdated. So, even if your car is just a couple of years old, you may notice that newer models are offering a much smoother driving experience. However, this doesn’t mean you need to buy a whole new car to enjoy the same experience – you can simply have your ECU remapped.
During the ECU remapping process, the software programmed by the vehicle’s manufacturer is simply overwritten. The existing software is replaced with one that has been tweaked and enhanced in order to improve the car’s performance, most noticeably by increasing its speed and power. It’ll become easier to drive, more responsive and, as a result, much more fuel-efficient.
The process shouldn’t take longer than an hour, meaning it’s a great investment for those who want to improve their driving experience without forking out for a new set of wheels!
As we’ve previously mentioned, vehicle retuning is a service offered by many garages in order to increase the overall efficiency and performance of a vehicle. Before ECU remapping methods were developed, chipping was the most popular way of achieving this. However, as many car garages now offer specialist ECU remapping services, chipping is no longer offered as widely as before.
Although the process of chipping is similar to remapping, there are a few subtle differences that you should be aware of. The main difference is the way in which the processes are carried out. Whereas ECU remapping simply requires a software update, chipping requires the mechanic assigned to the task to actually remove the unit’s chip. The chip is then overwritten and inserted back into the Engine Control Unit.
Unfortunately, the process of removing and inserting the unit’s chip carries its own set of risks, which is why many garages prefer to offer remapping. However, it’s still worth having an understanding of chipping so you know what to look out for when having your car tuned.
If your vehicle has a combustion engine, then booking a TerraClean service is something you may need to do from time to time. This is because many of the vehicle’s internal components will begin to collect dirt and debris as a result of the combustion process, which can lead to a large number of problems and complications. For instance, without regular cleaning, your car is likely to become less fuel-efficient and much more likely to sustain wear and tear.
However, many of the areas and components affected by the combustion process are difficult to reach without the right technology. Carbon and tar can cling to a vehicle’s combustion chambers, inlet valves, fuel injectors and exhaust ports, and will, therefore, need to be cleared away with specialist equipment and processes.
TerraClean is the leading technology in this field, and is used by many car garages in order to clean the inside of vehicle fuel systems without causing any further problems to arise. During the cleaning process, trained professionals remove build-ups of carbon and tar from fuel injectors, EGR valves, combustion chambers, Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) and more to keep your vehicle operating as efficiently as it should be.
Following a TerraClean session, you should notice that your vehicle drives significantly smoother than before. In addition to improved car performance, carbon engine cleaning should also reduce your vehicle’s running costs, as you’ll be relying on less fuel to get you from A to B. Removing build-ups of carbon and tar will also minimise the risk of wear and tear from occurring, so you can rest assured that your vehicle will remain in a roadworthy condition for years to come.
As vehicle technology evolves, so should the engine diagnostics services offered by car garages. After all, today there are many car makes and models produced with extra features, including electrical and computer-controlled additions, so it’s important for mechanics to keep up-to-date with the potential faults that may occur – as well as how to resolve them.
As many modern vehicles are now fitted with Engine Control Units, the process of diagnosing faults has become much more straightforward, allowing mechanics to offer a much more accurate service. Drivers no longer have to wait until their car starts making loud noises or no longer turns on in order to realise there’s a problem – there are now internal computerised systems which alert you to issues as soon as they develop.
While these updates in car technology mean you can nip problems in the bud before they exacerbate, it’s still important to book your vehicle in for regular diagnostic tests. This is one of the most effective ways to make sure any problems are identified and taken care of as soon as possible, and is something you should aim to do at least once a year.
If you’re in need of a car garage in the St Albans area, then you needn’t look further than St Albans Car Clinic. We specialise in a range of auto services, from car MOT testing to fault diagnosis, in addition to offering a selection of more modern services, such as ECU remapping and TerraClean. No matter what your requirements, our team of professional mechanics are on hand to keep your vehicle running smoothly at all times.
We understand that your vehicle is likely to be one of your most valuable investments, whether you rely on your car to commute to work every day or you love to take long road trips on the weekend. That’s why we go above and beyond to offer only the highest quality service at all times, with highly competitive rates that set us apart from other car garages in the local area.
Whether you’re hoping to book your car in for a full car service or you’re looking for trusted TerraClean solutions, look no further than St Albans Car Clinic. For more information about our range of services or for a free pricing quote, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of mechanics today.
