Car Repairs in Brixham

Brixham is a working fishing port with a busy harbour, steep hills and heavy holiday traffic in summer. Few places are tougher on a car: long climbs out of the harbour, crawling queues in the season and plenty of short trips that never let an engine fully warm up.

Automaster is a garage at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and we carry out general repairs on petrol and diesel cars, including engine diagnostics, cambelt and timing chain work, water pumps, turbos, cooling systems, oil leaks and fuel injectors. We are an RAC Approved Garage.

Why does my car struggle on Brixham hills?

Hill climbs show up weaknesses quickly. Hesitation, flat spots or a lack of pull on a steep road can come from worn injectors, a clogged fuel filter, a weak fuel pump, a failing turbo or a sensor fault. A diagnostic check tells us which it is rather than guessing.

Overheating is the other classic hill problem. If the temperature gauge rises on a long climb or in a queue, a low coolant level, tired water pump, blocked radiator or faulty fan may be to blame. Do not carry on driving with the gauge in the red, as head gasket and cylinder head damage can follow.

• Hesitation or loss of power uphill
• Temperature gauge creeping up in queues
• Warning lights that come and go

Do I need a new cambelt before the summer rush?

The cambelt should be changed to the maker's schedule, based on time and mileage, whichever the manufacturer specifies for your engine. Cars that sit or do little mileage can still age out of their belt.

We usually replace the water pump at the same time because it is reached through the same work, and add a new tensioner and idler where the engine calls for them. Timing chain engines are different, but a rattle on start-up is a sign they need inspecting.

What are the signs of turbo trouble?

A failing turbo can whistle or whine, lose power, blow blue or grey smoke, or use more oil than it should. Cars working hard on hills with a family and luggage on board in August tend to show it first.

Because oil problems often kill turbos, we check the oil feed and the intake before recommending replacement. Sometimes repair is possible, but only after inspection.

• Whining noise rising with revs
• Smoke from the exhaust
• Engine warning light or limp mode

Where is oil coming from and can it be fixed?

Oil leaks usually trace back to a gasket or seal, and age makes rubber seals and pipes harden. We clean the area, find the true source and fix that rather than topping up and hoping.

Injector and fuel-system faults can show as rough running, smoke or poor economy. We test before replacing parts, so you only pay for what the car needs.

Do you work on cars from Brixham?

Yes. Drivers from Brixham, Churston, Paignton, Dartmouth and across Torbay bring their cars to Automaster at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, near Totnes.

When you ask for a quote, give us the make, model, year, engine and symptoms. Tell us if it happens cold, hot, uphill or in traffic, as that detail shortens the search.