Car Repairs in Totnes

If your car lives in Totnes, it does a hard day's work. Short hops down towards the river, slow queues around the centre, a climb up Fore Street and back, then a run out on the A385 or A381. That mix of stop-start driving and hills is exactly what shows up weak cooling systems, tired belts and leaky gaskets.

At Automaster we repair petrol and diesel cars from Totnes and the villages around it. This page explains the engine and mechanical jobs we handle, the warning signs to look for and what we need to know when you ask us for a quote, so you can describe the problem clearly before you ring.

What counts as a car repair at a Totnes garage?

Our general repair work covers the engine and everything that keeps it running. That means engine diagnostics and engine servicing, repairs to the engine itself, cambelt and timing chain replacement, water pump replacement, turbo repairs and replacement, cooling system and radiator repairs, oil leak repairs and injector and fuel-system work.

If the problem is bigger, we also deal with engine rebuilds and engine replacement and fitting. Whether a rebuild or a replacement makes sense depends on the damage and on the vehicle, and we will only talk about it once we have looked at the engine.

Why are my cambelt and water pump done together?

On many engines the water pump is driven by the cambelt. To reach the belt we have to take off much of the front of the engine, so the pump is already exposed. Replacing a pump later means paying for the same labour again, which is why the two are so often done in one visit.

Some engines use a timing chain instead, which can still stretch. The right interval depends on your make and engine, so check your service book or ask us.

• Rattle at start-up can point to a stretched chain
• A weeping pump leaves coolant stains or a sweet smell

What should I do if my car overheats near Totnes?

Stop somewhere safe as soon as you can and switch the engine off. Do not carry on driving with the temperature gauge in the red or steam coming from under the bonnet, because a few more minutes can warp a cylinder head and turn a modest repair into an engine replacement.

Never open the coolant cap on a hot engine. Once it has cooled, check for obvious leaks and call us. A hose, a thermostat, a radiator or a water pump could be to blame, and we will need to inspect it before saying which.

How can I tell if my turbo, oil seals or injectors are failing?

A failing turbo often shows as a loss of power, a whistling or siren-like whine, blue or grey smoke and oil use that creeps up. Oil leaks usually come from gaskets and seals, such as the rocker cover or sump, and they show as drips on the drive, a burning smell or a falling oil level.

Worn or blocked injectors tend to cause rough idling, hard starting, black smoke, a smell of fuel and poorer economy. These symptoms overlap, so we start with diagnostics rather than guessing and replacing parts.

Do you cover Totnes, and where do I bring the car?

Yes. Drivers from Totnes, Dartington, Buckfastleigh, South Brent and Paignton all come to us. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, Totnes TQ9 6PL, so you are bringing the car to the Totnes side of South Devon rather than to a unit on an industrial estate.

Summer visitors sometimes break down while staying in the area, and we are happy to look at a problem on a car that is not local. Tell us what happened and we will explain what we would check first.