Welcome to Seafield Services, Edinburgh's premier service centre. Whether you are looking for tyres for a Peugeot or an oil change on a Porsche- we can help. We offer a full range of services for all makes and models. We are proud to let our previous work speak for itself and are members of the Good Garage Scheme. Please give us a call to find out how we can help you.

Brakes

Different driving patterns have a dramatic effect on how often your brakes need servicing. For example, a set of brake pads could last up to 60,000 miles or more on a car driven mostly on the motorway, may last only 25,000 or 30,000 miles or less on the same vehicle driven in busy city traffic.

Front brakes normally wear out before rear brakes because they handle a higher percentage of the braking load, especially on front-wheel drive cars.

For safety reasons we recommended that brake pads should be replaced if the pad material has worn down to a thickness of 3 millimeters or less. Brake discs should also be inspected and their thickness should be measured. The discs should be replaced if they measure at or below the manufacturer's safe minimum thickness specification or show any other signs of excessive wear.

Seafield Services also recommends that brake discs or drums are replaced in axle sets. Replacing just one brake disc could cause an imbalance in braking performance that could lead to premature disc and tyre wear.

When new parts are fitted, it's important to drive gently and carefully until they 'bed in', this can take up to 200 miles. Excessive braking action on new parts will potentially damage them and lead to a loss of braking efficiency and performance.

How to Tell if Your Brakes Need Attention

There are a number of tell-tale signs to look out for when using your brakes. They include a grinding noise when you apply the brakes or a pull to the left or right. The grinding normally means that brake pads are excessively worn and need to be replaced along with the damaged brake discs. A pull to the left or right can be indicative of a sticking or seized mechanical or hydraulic component.

You may also feel a continuous "pulsating" from the pedal or a "spongy" feeling. This spongy feeling indicates that there is air in the hydraulic system due to a brake fluid leak. The "pulsating" feel is normally associated with a distorted brake disc or drum.

More obviously, you may notice an illuminated brake warning light on the instrument panel or that your handbrake is pulling up higher than it normally does - in modern cars, more than 6 to 8 clicks.

For safety's sake, it's important to have your vehicle inspected as quickly as possible when you notice any of the above symptoms.

Air Conditioning Service

You may not be aware that, on average, over 10% of air-con gas permeates from the air-con system every year. This means that it may not work as well as it should. This is why car manufacturers recommend your Air-Con system is recharged with gas and lubricant every 2 years. This service is not part of routine vehicle servicing, so if your vehicle is more than 2 years old it's probably due a recharge. Air-Con systems not fully recharged will be less effective and have to work harder putting more strain on the engine and using more fuel. If your Air-Con system has not been recharged in 2 years it will dramatically reduce efficiency.

Seafield Services offer a complete air conditioning recharge service. The process can also include a system de-bug to clear bacterial build up from within the system, which will remove any unpleasant odours.

Suspension Servicing

Your vehicle's suspension system is a complex series of components designed to work together to absorb the vibrations and undulations from the road surface, this keeps your vehicle stable and your tyres firmly in contact with the road surface for the maximum amount of time. A worn shock absorber does not absorb these undulations effectively and as such does not keep the tyres in contact with the road as well as it should. In fact, at 30mph, worn shock absorbers can add up to 2 meters to your braking distance! Maintaining a healthy vehicle suspension system is vital if you are to gain the optimum comfort, stability and handling characteristics from your vehicle.

It is not always obvious that a problem in your vehicle suspension system is present. This is generally due to a gradual loss of performance in the principle suspension parts and because this happens over time a motorist may not always feel the gradual decrease in suspension performance. Seafield Services will happily check your suspension fo you to ensure that everything is working correctly.

Oil and Filter Change

Did you know?

A recent survey* revealed that:

• 1 in 5 vehicles are seriously low on engine oil
• The RAC attended 9,000 calls last year due to lack of oil
• Newer cars are affected as much as older ones
• No warranty will cover repairs caused by lack of oil

If you are unsure how to check you oil you can follow our simple guide or call in and we'll check it for you free of charge.

Regardless, of how frequently you check your oil level you should also be aware that over time your engine oil gradually loses its ability to lubricate and protect internal engine components. The increased friction between moving parts inside your engine causes them to wear. Low, thin or old oil causes the mechanical components to wear much faster. The only way to prevent this is to replace the oil - usually every 12 months or less for higher mileage vehicles.

Your vehicle's engine requires the correct grade of oil in order to lubricate and protect the internal parts. The grade of oil for your vehicle is determined by the vehicle manufacturer based on the size, type, general working conditions and operating temperature ranges of the engine. Seafield Services stock a huge range of oils so we'll almost certainly have the oil you need. Any special oil which is not held can be obtained so don't hesitate to contact us with your requirements.

In addition to cooling and lubricating the metal surfaces of your car's engine, oil carries away dirt and metal particles. These contaminants are removed from the oil by the oil filter, but often the oil and filter can become clogged with debris. If engine wear is to be minimised and the engine's optimum efficiency and life span maintained, the oil filter should be replaced at the same time as the oil.

Laser Wheel Alignment

Incorrect wheel alignment can result in rapid and irregular tyre wear and can even affect the handling and safety of your vehicle.

Wheel alignment can be affected by all manner of seemingly minor things such as driving against a kerb, hitting a pothole in the road or even by excessive wear to suspension or steering components. Alignment of wheels and tyres to the specification required by your vehicle is an important way to guarantee a smooth ride and to get the most out of your tyres. It is important to remember that both the direction and angle at which tyres are set are important.

Whilst many other garages rely on outdated and error prone techniques, Seafield Services use a Snap-On Visualiner 3D2 Laser Wheel Alignment system to gaurantee fast and accurate alignment.

Seafield Services
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Tel: 0131 651 8337

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