Car Repairs in Bantham

Bantham is known for its beach, its surfing and the river mouth, and on busy summer weekends the narrow lanes fill with cars, roof racks and trailers. Sand, salt and heavy loads are not kind to engines and cooling systems.

Automaster repairs petrol and diesel cars from our garage at Longcombe Cross, near Totnes. Here is how we deal with the engine faults that Bantham drivers tend to ask about, and how to get an accurate quote.

Does salt, sand and a roof rack full of boards affect engine repairs?

Not directly, but a car that is loaded and driven hard at low speed in a queue works its engine and cooling system harder. Salt air also attacks hose clips, brackets and exposed metal, and can make leaks harder to trace.

When we diagnose a fault we clean and inspect around the suspect area so we repair the real cause rather than the nearest drip.

• Fluid weeping from hoses or joints
• Corroded clips and brackets
• Temperature climbing under load

What should I know about timing belt and water pump replacement?

A timing belt keeps the valves and pistons in step. If it breaks on many engines, the damage is severe. Belts need replacing by age or distance, whichever the manufacturer specifies first, so your handbook is the guide.

Because the water pump is frequently belt-driven or in the same area, changing it with the belt is standard sense: the labour overlaps, and a pump leak later would otherwise ruin new work. Some engines use timing chains, which we check differently.

Why has my engine temperature gone up and what next?

If the gauge heads for hot or a warning appears, stop somewhere safe and turn off the engine. Do not continue to drive, and do not undo the cap while it is hot. A cooked engine can need a rebuild.

Typical faults include a split hose, a leaking radiator, a faulty fan, a stuck thermostat or a failed pump. We test the system, locate the fault and repair the radiator or cooling parts as needed.

How do you handle turbo, oil leak and injector faults?

For a turbo, we listen for whine, check for smoke and play in the shaft and look at the oil feed, as oil problems are a common cause of failure. Oil leaks are traced to the gasket, seal or housing responsible. Injector and fuel-system faults are diagnosed with tests before parts are replaced.

Where a repair is not sensible, we say so, and discuss a replacement unit instead.

Do you cover Bantham, and where is Automaster?

Yes, we welcome drivers from Bantham, Thurlestone, Bigbury, Kingsbridge and Loddiswell. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross, near Totnes.

If the car is overheating, leaking oil badly or making loud noises from the turbo, do not push it to get here. Call the quote line and talk it through first.