Ally Stewart

March 9, 2017 By Ally Stewart

What To Expect From The Changes To The Car Tax System

Here we have outlined the changes that will be happening at the start of April 2017 and how it will affect car owners.

The tax system that we use at the moment is based on carbon dioxide emissions.

There is a high percentage of motorists who drive cars that fall into the lower tax bands and enjoy the low tax rates of £20/30 a year.

So will the changes planned for the 1st April affect these cars? The answer is no.

If you own or buy a car that has been registered before April 2017 the current system will continue to apply.

The changes will only affect cars registered for the first time from 1st April 2017.

There will be a ‘First Year Rate’ which will be based on the carbon dioxide emissions produced by the car. You won’t be able to make a 6 month payment during the first year.

Following that a standard annual rate will apply – there will be 3 standard rate bands.

Petrol/Diesel £140
Alternative Fuel £130
Electric Vehicle £0

Cars that have a list price above £40,000 will be subject to an additional tax rate of £310 on top of the standard rate. This supplement is only payable for the the first 5 years from the second time that the car is taxed. After the 5 years you will pay the standard tax rate for that particular vehicle.

Why has the government decided to makes these changes to the car tax system ?

Our current tax system was introduced in 2001 when average new car emissions were 178gCO2/Km. In 2003 the Band A threshold in which cars that produce less than 100gCO2/Km and pay no tax was introduced. Since then average new car emissions have dropped to 125gCO2/Km.

This means that an increasingly large number of cars fall into the lower rated tax bands. This has created a sustainability challenge, as well as an unfairness as owners of newer cars pay less than owners of older cars that generally produce higher levels of CO2.

The new system still has a CO2 emission determined payment at the start to incentivise buying cleaner cars. However the flat rate means that the system is fairer and more sustainable in the long term.

Watch this video which will explain in more detail how the changes to the Car Tax system will affect you.

February 8, 2017 By Ally Stewart

Tips For Driving in Wet Conditions

Here’s some useful tips for driving in wet conditions.

One thing that there is no shortage of in this country is rain. We all have had plenty of experience driving in the rain and wet roads. It is important to be aware of how heavy rainfall can make driving difficult and what we can do to keep safe on the roads.

Spray from other vehicles can reduce visibility so it is important to make sure that your wipers are working well and keep plenty of distance between yourself and other vehicles. Turn your lights on to make it easier for other drivers to see you.

Wet roads are more slippery so take your time when braking and cornering and keep your driving style smooth and gentle. Some cars are fitted with Electronic Stability Programmes (ESP) which kick in when a car begins to skid to aid control by applying slight braking power to the wheels to counteract sliding.

Risk of aquaplaning. This happens when your tyres loose their grip on the road because of the layer of water on top. Rather than gripping the road you are skimming over the water and this makes the car difficult to control. In the event of aquaplaning it is best to stay calm and keep a firm hold of your steering wheel, don’t be tempted to brake instead just take your foot off of the accelerator and let the car slow naturally.

When driving through deep water remember to slow down to crawling speed as there is a risk of water being taken into the engine through the air intake and this could be costly to repair or may even destroy the engine.

To keep it simple the key to driving in wet conditions is to take your time, keep your lights on and avoid the big puddles.

September 8, 2016 By Ally Stewart

What Is Car Servicing?

In this blog we look at ‘What is Car Servicing?’ – Servicing is the proactive maintenance of your car or van.

Regular car servicing not only ensures optimum vehicle performance and economy, it helps to preserve the life of the engine. During a car service the oil and filters are changed and the car is given a full check over so that any worn or broken parts can be replaced.

Is it a legal requirement?

Car servicing not a legal requirement but it is highly recommended as it protects the engine and components of the car and therefore reduces the risk of breakdown. Most manufacturers stipulate that the service history of a car must be kept up to date in order for warranty to be upheld.

A common misconception is that an MOT check and service are the same thing.

MOT is a legal requirement for anyone driving a car that is over 4 years old. After a car turns four it must pass an MOT test each year. This ensures that the vehicle adheres to road safety and environmental standards set out by the government. It is illegal to drive without MOT on your car.

Servicing costs can vary depending on the age of the car and what it needs. Most garages will generally contact you before carrying out any costly repairs. We are keen to help ensure that your vehicle running costs are kept to a minimum and believe that regular servicing can help to achieve this; avoiding servicing your vehicle to save a few pounds really is a false economy. We pride ourselves on our highly competitive service rate and are happy to quote for any repairs.

How do you know when a service is due?

Usually there will be a Service and Maintenance book in your car, which is stamped by the mechanic after each service. It differs from car to car but in general you should service your car annually or every 10,000 miles if you do more than 10,000 miles a year. In most newer cars there is an internal service schedule that will illuminate a symbol on the dash to signify when a service is due.

If you have any questions about car servicing or would like to make an appointment give us a call on 028 25653909 or drop in and see us at our showroom on Railway Street, Ballymena. Click on our website here for more information about S McAfee and Son.

February 26, 2016 By Ally Stewart

Workshop Jargon | Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF)

This is the third blog in our series on workshop jargon. Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) are fitted in all diesel cars to reduce pollution to our environment. The DPF is fitted to the exhaust pipe and traps soot particles emitted from the engine. Like all filters they need to be emptied every now and again and in the case of DPFs this is called regeneration.

Basically when the filter reaches a high enough temperature the soot is burnt off to leave a small ash residue. These high temperatures can only be achieved on long journeys or with a certain driving style. Not all people with a diesel car are driving enough long distance journeys to allow the DPF to reach an adequate temperature to regenerate. This means that over a period of time of short journeys or ‘stop-start’ driving the filter becomes blocked.

When this happens a warning light is displayed on the dash. This is not a breakdown situation; it is just the car telling you that it needs to have its filter emptied. All diesel cars will have a section in the Manufacturers handbook to explain Diesel Particulate Filters and what to do when the filter becomes saturated. Here are a couple of examples from 2 manufacturers.

This is an example of what Vauxhall say in one of their handbooks:

“The system includes a self-cleaning function that runs automatically during driving without any notification. The filter is cleaned by periodically burning off the soot particles at high temperature. This process takes place automatically under set driving conditions and may take up to 25 minutes. Typically it needs between 7 and 12 minutes.”

“Under certain driving conditions eg short distances, the system cannot clean itself automatically. If the cleaning of the filter is required and if previous driving conditions did not enable automatic cleaning, it will be indicated by DPF control indicator on the dash.”

“To activate the cleaning process, continue driving, keep engine speed above 2000 revolutions per minute. Shift down if necessary.”

“The DPF indicator extinguishes as soon as the self-cleaning operation is complete.”

If the DPF light does not go out or other dash warning lights appear your car needs to be seen by a mechanic.

This is an extract from a Seat handbook:

“If the driving conditions do not allow the filter to clean itself (eg multiple short trips) the filter will be obstructed and the indicator for diesel engine particulate filter will light up. This does not represent a fault, it is a warning that indicates that the filter has not been able to regenerate automatically and that you must carry out a cleaning cycle.”

“To do this, drive about 15 minutes in 4th or 5th gear (automatic gearbox: S gear range) at a speed of 60km/h with the engine running at approximately 2000 rpm. This increase in temperature will burn off any soot in the filter. When cleaning is successful, the symbol switches off.”

“If the symbol does not turn off, or the three lamps turn on (particulate filter, emission control system fault and heaters) take the vehicle to a specialised workshop to carry out a forced regeneration.”

These guidelines are specific to a Seat and Vauxhall vehicle so it is important that you check your handbook for instructions specific to your own car.

Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) regeneration in diesel cars.

DPF regeneration is perfectly normal in diesel cars, here are a few symptoms that can occur during regeneration:

Cooling fans running
A hot, acrid smell from the exhaust
A change to the sound of the engine

Diesel Particulate Filters are found in most diesel cars from 2009 onwards to meet European Emissions Standards. Here at McAfee Cars Ballymena we get asked questions regularly about Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF), what it is and how it works, so hopefully this should help you understand a bit more about it. If you’re interested in finding out more about what’s under the bonnet and how your car works, you can read our 2 previous workshop jargon blogs (part 1 here & part 2 here)

February 3, 2016 By Ally Stewart

Car Workshop Jargon | How Does It Work? Pt 2

Car workshop jargon is likely to throw up words that many of us aren’t that familiar with or certainly wouldn’t use in every day conversation – track rod ends, manifolds, flywheels – but McAfee Cars Ballymena want to help you to understand what happens to your car when it goes into the workshop. Car mechanics can be complex but here we’ve put together a guide to help you with the basics and most common terms used in car workshop jargon. You can also read our previous article here which covers other areas including filters, suspension & belts.

Brakes – goes without saying that’s it’s crucial to have these checked and maintained regularly

Brake pipes – carry the brake fluid to the braking components at the four wheels.
Brake pads – friction material which presses against the brake discs or drums to slow the vehicle down.
Brake disc – a metal disc attached to the wheel hub which works along with the brake pads to slow the car down.
Brake calliper – the piston which presses the brake pads and discs together.

Track rod ends – these are fitted to the end of the steering rack. They connect to the wheel hubs and make them turn with the steering.

Spark plugs – engines operate by mixing fuel and air together and then compressing them in a cylinder where this mixture is then ignited by a spark plug.

EGR valve – ‘Exhaust Gas Recirculation’ is designed to help control pollution by recycling some of the fumes produced by the engine. The valve redirects a small portion of the fumes from the exhaust back into the engine and uses them in a complex system that controls the temperature that fuel combustion takes place at, therefore improving fuel economy.

DPF – Diesel Particulate Filter. This filter is fitted to the exhaust pipe of diesel cars and helps to reduce the impact that they are having on the environment by trapping soot that is produced by the engine.

Turbo – Gases passing through the exhaust, drive a system of fans that suck and compress more air into the engine. Engines work by burning fuel and air, so more air means increased performance.

We hope this has helped to give you an insight into car workshop jargon. You can also watch a couple of very useful videos about how to top up your window washer fluid here and how to check your car tyres’ air pressure here. If you have any other questions regarding your car please get in touch with us and we’ll do our best to answer them.