Welcome to Premier Vehicle Services Ipswich

MOTs are a legal requirement and must be carried out annually. Cars over 3 years old must have an MOT check to ensure they are roadworthy and meet the legal requirements to be on the road. MOTs can be carried out 30 days prior to the expiry date. An MOT is not the same as a service. The MOT does not cover the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox. The MOT test checks the general condition of the vehicle body and structure, tow bar, fuel and exhaust systems, emissions, seatbelts, seats, doors, mirrors, windscreen, brakes, tyres and wheels, registration plates, lights, general electrics, bonnet, wipers and washers, horn, steering and suspension and the vehicle identification.

Most cars require servicing once a year, but each manufacturer has a recommended service schedule for their vehicles. We carry out servicing to manufacturers’ specifications unless the customer requests otherwise.

Typically, a car requires an interim service - oil filter and oil change every year. Whereas a full service - oil, air, fuel and pollen filter and oil change is recommended every 1 - 2 years or 10,000 miles. Our services include an engine flush to clean the engine before the new oil is added.

All services include oil change, filters replaced, tyres, exhaust and lights check, operation of brakes and steering, etc.

We can fix any mechanical problems with your vehicles. Every day we carry out mechanical repairs including clutches. brakes, exhausts, lights, steering, and suspension, as well as repairs due to wear and tear such as broken coil springs, worn tyres etc. We carry out scheduled vehicle repairs such as cambelts and timing chain replacements. We also replace car batteries and key fob batteries.

To allow a vehicle to change speed or stop, the connection between the wheels and the engine needs to be broken and is where the clutch comes in. There are various components involved in a clutch system including the clutch plate, flywheel and slave cylinder. Like all parts, they can fail or wear out over time, holding down the clutch can cause it to wear out quicker than normal. This is very common in cars that are predominately driven around town in traffic, as you are using the clutch more than you would while driving on a dual carriageway or motorway.

Brakes commonly use friction between two surfaces, for instance brake discs and brake pads or brake drums and brake shoes. Brake pads and shoes can be changed on their own if the discs or drums are in good condition. However, if the discs or drums need to be replaced; so will the pads or shoes irrespective of their condition. Other examples of brake failures are brake calipers, which is the assembly that houses the brake pads and pistons. Also, brake fluid changes may be required.

The exhaust system controls noise, carries away gases, improves engine performance and fuel consumption. There are many components to a vehicle’s exhaust system including manifolds, valves, oxygen sensors, catalytic converter, pipes, muffler and tail box. Any or all of these can fail and deteriorate over a period of time.

Not just round and black, tyres support the weight of the vehicle, provide traction to the road, absorbs road shocks, change and maintain the direction of travel. Regular tyre checks are essential and should include checking the tyre depth, tread and pressure, also checking for nails in the tyre that can cause deterioration of the tyre and its performance. We offer visual tyre checks if required and of course we can replace and/or repair tyres, many popular tyre sizes are held in stock.

Diagnostic systems give access to the status of various vehicle sub-systems. More information has become available to accurately diagnose issues with the engine, exhaust, transmission, ignition, throttle and others. A basic diagnostic check generally takes approximately 30 minutes, but if the issues are more complicated, more time can be involved to diagnose.

The air conditioning system consists of three main parts – compressor, condenser and evaporator, along with air conditioning gas. The air conditioning system works to cool the air in the vehicle. When this stops working, it can be as simple as re-gassing the system. A nitrogen test is carried out to determine any leaks on the system if a simple re-gas is not viable. We are able to re-gas systems with gases of both R1234YF and R134A.

If your vehicle pulls to one side, the steering wheel does not return to the centre, is off centre, or the steering feels loose then wheel alignment or tracking is required. Also if there is excessive tyre wear in certain spots; then wheel alignment or tracking may be required. Wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels to reduce tyre wear and ensure the vehicle travel is straight and true. It takes around 30-45 minutes to perform the wheel alignment. We are able to carry out both two wheel and four wheel alignment.

Economy re-mapping is available for most cars and will change pressure and timing adjustments, fuel pulse adjustment and turbo boost pressure adjustment, giving improved fuel economy. Diesel engine re-mapping gains approximately 20-40% in additional BHP and up to 60% extra torque. Petrol engine re-mapping is more effective on turbo engines, giving an increase of 15-30% on BHP. The engine will have more gear ratio flexibility, delivering a noticeably better and smoother drive. If the vehicle is driven harder than intended, the fuel economy will reduce.