Inspecting And Adjusting Your Engine’s Belts

Fan belt on an engine

First Inspection

There are two different types of belt. The first is the serpentine belt, which is constantly tensioned by a spring or hydraulic means, the second is the component tensioned belt, which is usually found on older cars. Both belts will exhibit the same kind of signs of failure. Look for cracks, which can be an indicator the part is failing, or glazing, which means that the belt is too loose and is slipping. Finally if there is any major damage to the belt, such as a tear or split, you will be required to  make an immediate change out of the part.

Continue reading

Dangers Of Using Smart-Phones Whilst Driving

Texting and talking while driving

Banned

According to a survey conducted by the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) in March 2012, using a Smart-Phone whilst driving caused 1,690 accidents between 2006-2010. Of this number 110 were fatal, although police believe these figures are actually higher, as there is often no way to check if a driver was using their phone at the time of an accident. With more and more of the UK population owning one of these high-power pocket computers, surely this number is sadly only set to rise. The same report estimates that drivers who use phones Continue reading

Could You Be A Greener Driver?

Eco-friendly car

In an ideal world we wouldn’t have to use cars. However, in the fast-paced modern world where you have to fulfil a number of responsibilities, such as working commitments and picking up your children from school, life without a vehicle for many people is unthinkable. Given that we live in a society that is now reliant on the auto-mobile, what small changes could you make Continue reading

Land Rover – 65th Anniversary Celebrations

Land RoverLand Rover are without question one of the most iconic car brands. On April the 30th 2013 this well known off-road vehicle manufacturer is celebrating their 65th anniversary. Their cars, well known for their reliability, have become loved and used all over the world and there is no country on earth where you won’t find their legendary vehicles helping run small farms and businesses.

Despite the fact that Land Rover is now owned by Indian super-manufacturer Tata, there will always be something quintessentially British about the engineering excellence of this brand. An association that’s clearly underlined by Continue reading

Why do we drive on the left hand side of the road in the UK?

Would this help drive abroad?
Would this help drive abroad?

We all appreciate that to avoid head on collisions and general motoring mayhem we abide by some basic rules of the road.  This includes keeping to one side of the road.  Today approximately two thirds of the world’s countries drive on the right hand side of the road and a third, including the UK, drive on the left.  Have you ever wondered why in the UK we drive on the left side of the road while the majority of other countries drive on the right?

Delving back into our history to when we commuted by horseback, B.C. (before cars), common sense inferred that we should hold the most favourable position on the road. This position was where the rider was able to hold the reins of the horse and use their sword in defence, when required.

Continue reading

The World’s Rarest Car Parts – James Bond’s Ejector Seat

Remember not to annoy the driver!
Remember not to annoy the driver!

You can pick up some second hand car spares fairly easily on the open market, such as brake discs, bumpers and engines. However, some parts are considerably rarer and some parts don’t exist at all. One such part is the legendary ejector seat in James Bond’s iconic DB5. For many people this is the ultimate gadget used by the MI5 agent, and at one time you could even buy a range of toy cars that used a mechanism that ejected a plastic figure.

Continue reading

The History of Breaker Agencies

BreakerLink Logo

Obviously the web has had a massive effect on all kinds of business, some more than others. In most cases it been great for bringing customers and clients together who would have never previously met. This certainly has been true for the second hand car spares trade where car owners hungry for inexpensive parts can now be united with dealers all over the country.

People have always used second hand goods for all kinds of things. Running a car has always been pretty costly, especially in terms of petrol, tax, insurance and MOTs, and that’s before you consider that you might have a breakdown. Continue reading

The BreakerLink Story

logo_new copy 2BreakerLink is a popular website that’s focussed on the second hand car spare trade. It unites breakers, the people who run scrapyards, with customers looking for inexpensive parts. This type of business is ideally suited to the internet, as it’s all about communication. There’s always someone out there looking for a part, and there’s usually someone out there selling the part to match, the skill is in uniting the two – who may be at different ends of the country. Continue reading