Garage servicing & repairs for most UK petrol and diesel cars, vans and 4x4.              I also fix Japanese imports! 

I have over 30 years experience fixing most UK cars and Japanese imports. I am Honda trained and was the foreman. I've also worked for Mazda, Isuzu and several other UK main dealers and independant garages. 

I have regular customers who travel from Wales, Scotland, France and Spain for their annual service while on holiday in the South West! The majority of my customers remain loyal and recommend me. I'm easy to talk to and the small things matter to me as much as they do to you.

'4x4' and 'Auto Express' magazines: Readers of these magazines will have seen me mentioned by name in March 2005 issues of '4x4 Magazine' and 'Auto Express'. 

Absolute Radio: Listeners may have heard my 'workplace' mention in March 2009.

Palm Radio: Allans Vehicle Services were mentioned on 5th September.

Dog owners: Your well behaved dog is welcome to wait with you while I service your vehicle. We are also bordered by Saltram House Estate, woodland & riverside walks.

Courtesy cars or shuttle service available by arrangement.

VW Golf full service, new cambelt. BMW misfire sorted.

Ford Puma full service, Subaru Legacy cambelt, Peugeot water pump and cambelt.

Mazda Bongo full service, new cambelt, change transmission fluid, new top hose and bleed, fixed a non-opening AFT.

Mazda Drop links, rack boot, filters, Peugeot engine transplant...

Toyota Land Cruiser with seized brake calipers.

BMW with an ABS fault and needing a new unit.

Mitsubishi Spacewagon with non start due to distributor failure. 

Vauxhall Astra ABS fault... seems to be increasingly common on this one.

Mazda Bongo with an unusual rumbling noise... but a quick fix.

Ford Focus with a power steering fault, it feels a lot lighter now.

Vauxhall Zafira alarm fault, the unit can be repaired.

VW Polo with non-start problem due to electrical fault.

Citroen Picasso power steering common fault, soon sorted.

VW Golf 1400 in for a service and the cambelts changed.

Mitsubishi Pajero diesel leak. The fuel mpg is now a lot better!

Ford Fiesta engine rebuild. This one had overheated, melted 2 pistons and jammed 2 valves. A strip down and rebuild, now it's running well again. 

Mazda Bongo in for a full service, cambelt change and muti point inspection.

Mazda Bongo V6 in for a new cambelt. This is a satisfying job, trickier on the petrol than the diesel, but sounding so sweet when sorted. 

BMW 320 diesel leak. The leaking fuel pipe is made of 3 sections. Each section is linked by 'nylon', which had hardened, split and leaked, while the pipe itself was still OK. You have to wonder at the logic behind the design.

Mazda Bongos with damaged cylinder heads. These two had been driven whilst overheated and the valves had cracked. (See photos here).

Mazda Bongo with a brake problem. The rear pads had been replaced elsewhere and there was still a problem. It's now running (and braking!) perfectly.

Ford Fiesta with intermittent misfire. This one had gone to a couple of garages and a lot had been replaced, but the misfire was still there. There were no fault codes. The misfire was traced to a blocked exhaust!

Mazda Bongo with a leaking oil filter. This had recently been replaced elsewhere but had started to leak.

Toyota Landcruiser with a leaking radiator. Luckily the owner spotted it before the system emptied.  

Mazda Bongo V6 in for new guides. Not the simplest or quickest job, but satisfying!

Toyota Lucida with knocking SADS. Another satisfying job, a noticable improvement.

Ford Fiesta (2002) with faulty forward gears. To keep the costs down, I had a used gearbox refurbished. Recycling will always have its uses in the car industry. 

Mazda Bongo overheated. Another garage had replaced the head, but not found the reason why it overheated. It's now running perfectly.  

VW Polo (2000) cambelt change. This Polo has well below average mileage for the age of the vehicle. It was in for a cambelt change due to the age of the vehicle, rather than the mileage it had travelled. The belt was changed just in time as it was badly worn and would not have lasted much longer. The Polo has an 'interference' type engine and a lot of damage could have occured if the belt had snapped.

Mitsubishi Pajero with a damaged bottom pulley. This had been loose for a while and the owner hadn't noticed. It had snapped the balance belt, but luckily not the cambelt, taking the rockers and valves with it. Rather than an expensive replacement pulley, with the customers agreement, we managed to rebuild it!! (3 years later it was still going strong!)

BMW 320d service and MOT. This one flies and the fuel economy is surprising. 

Ford Fiesta with an intermittent misfire. There were no fault codes present. The owner had fitted a new fuel filter, plugs, leads & coil and the sensors had been cleaned, but the misfire was still there. We solved the problem.  

Mitsubishi Pajero with no working brake lights.

Ford Transit diesel pump: A new pump was too expensive so I had this one rebuilt. I worked very late to finish the job as my customers needed the van for their planned 'weekend away' wedding anniversary celebrations...

Mazda Bongo newly purchased, now with a flashing hold light. There are several reasons why this flashes, luckily for the owner this one was cheap to fix! 

Jago Jeep in for a replacement gearbox.

VW Golf with brake judder and a blowing exhaust. To keep the bill small, we welded the exhaust and fitted new brake discs.  

Renault Kango: An urgent phone call from a worried customer. The van had come to a dramatic halt, belching smoke with loud banging noises from the engine. It wouldn't start and I towed it in.  On inspection, the glowplugs had burnt out, there was oil in the water. The engine oil was above 'max' level. The customer had accidently put some oil in the water and over-filled the engine oil. The excess oil was sucked through the breather pipes and the engine was running on its oil, with dramatic results.   

Honda Civic in for MOT repairs: I'm Honda trained but don't have main dealer overheads so was able to do the work professionally, but cheaper than he expected. Another happy customer!

Mitsubishi Pajero with a whistling noise when the engine was revved. The customer thought the turbo may be faulty. It turned out that he’d recently blanked the EGR but hadn’t tightened things up properly, allowing air to 'whistle' in. I tightened a few clamps, the noise went. That was one very relieved customer!

Landrover Discovery with performance problems due to a blocked turbo. 

Mazda 626: A full service, new cambelt and brake pads. Total cost...a lot less than the best price he was quoted! I don't have main-dealer overheads, so could do the job cheaper. He's now a regular customer!

VW Polo with running problems. Poor tickover and lack of performance. The solution was a replacement carb, sourced 2nd hand due to the age of the vehicle. The bodywork was solid and a generous application of T-Cut and polish will brighten the paintwork - it'll be a great first car for their daughter!

Toyota Lucida pouring out oil. The oil filter hadn't been changed for a few years and had rusted through...     

Japanese Import owners clubs and forums: In the late 1990's when I started working on Japanese imports, the Mitsubishi Pajero was the main 'grey import' coming into the UK. At that time, the technical information we needed was not available. 'Applied knowledge' was our only option! 

Main dealers were not geared up to work on imports and there are tales (now legendary) of Pajero owners being discouraged from main dealer forecourts.

The early owners in their Mark 1 Pajeros were the pioneers. We started out as a few like-minded individuals who put our heads together and exchanged information by phone or post. Then the internet took over. 'Import owner' clubs sprang up and the information spread faster.

It's fair to say that without us, many of you would not have bought a grey import and would probably not be reading this! 

I'm Technical advisor to a Japanese Import Owners Club, which was formed in 1999. I have worked on Japanese imports, bought throughout the UK. I have established a very good reputation and work hard to keep it! I chat on a few car and import forums, when I have time! 

CLICK HERE FOR BONGO/FREDA TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION AND TIPS

The Japanese car market: In a nutshell, 'grey imports' are vehicles manufactured for the local Japanese market, that are not usually brought into the UK by any of the main dealers. However, all Japanese cars sold in the UK are imported, even the new ones! Japan has the largest domestic car market in the Far East. Intense competition between manufacturers means that models are constantly upgraded or re-designed. They have many extras fitted as standard, which would usually add thousands to the price of a UK car. The cars we call 'grey imports' are produced in the same factories as the cars made for the UK market. In the UK, new vehicles are sold through the main dealer networks.  

Where are Japanese 'grey imports' sold? This starts in Japan, where auctions are the main source of used cars (with a few coming from dealers’ yards). Japanese car auctions are heavily regulated. They sell several thousand vehicles a day, start early and can run all night. The vehicles get a pretty thorough inspection before being advertised and all known faults are expected to be declared. Usually buyers can also look the vehicles over before bidding. Bids take place in the auction room, where the vehicles are displayed on large monitors and named by chassis number, not make and model. 

As any visitor will confirm, Japan has a huge congestion problem. With a general 60mph speed limit and the best public transport system in the world, their cars have less on the clock than equivalent UK vehicles. They don't use salt on their roads, (preferring to rely on 'winter tyres'), so there is less or no rust. 

The Japanese can't purchase a vehicle unless they can prove they have a regulated parking space for it and there's rarely more than 1 carefully maintained vehicle per family. When they buy a new car from a dealer, it comes with 3 years 'Shaken'. After this has expired the 'Shaken' must be renewed every 2 years. The tests are a series of safety and emissions inspections combined with compulsory insurance, weight and vehicle tax. The cost of renewing is relatively high as their government's policy is to reduce car ownership, due to the limited space available and pollution concerns. These tough regulations and attractive new model deals make it economically desirable to get rid of a used car quickly.

Therefore the Japanese generally sell or part-exchange their car to dealers, who sell them at auction. As used vehicles depreciate quickly, it makes sense to keep them looking and performing at their best, to maximise trade-in value. At auction, the vehicles are checked independently, points are awarded and they are graded to reflect the condition. The grades are a reflection of the vehicles bodywork and interior condition rather than its mechanical condition, and bear in mind that some auction houses seem more strict than others. Mechanical faults should also be noted on the auction sheet.

The vehicles are then listed by chassis number (not make and model) on large viewing screens and bidding is carried out electronically. 'Hands on' viewing is rare.

How do they get to the UK? In the main, they’re bought and shipped here by the bigger import companies, in response to UK demand.  You’ll see them lined up, row upon row at any of the large docks including Bristol, Liverpool, Southampton and Tilbury. They are generally sold on to dealers in the UK. 

As the popularity of a specific model increases, smaller dealers may also import their own and eventually individuals will also, often using an agent in Japan, who’ll carry out the whole process. Then there’s the few who’ll make the trip to Japan, pick their own vehicle and arrange for it to be shipped back.  

There are also UK auction sites, usually based on the docks. They sell ship-loads of recent grey imports or others that haven’t sold elsewhere. Some auctions require a deposit to register the buyer, others don’t. Deposits are refunded if you don’t buy, or off-set against a purchase.

It is possible for Japanese cars to stand on the docks in Japan for a long time before they are sold at auction. In Japan, they will have rarely been driven above 60mph and the auction sheet will tell you little about the mechanical condition. Paper Service records are scant as details are stored on computer. It makes sense to always check your import carefully before driving it anywhere and you can get the mileage (as recorded at the Japanese auction house) checked via BIMTA. 

Importing your own Japnese vehicle: Thinking about importing your own vehicle? You'll find useful advice from the UK here and from Japan here.

To register the import, complete the V55/5 form available from DVLA. Other documents are required and a fee is charged. An 'Import Pack' with forms and detailed advice is available from DVLA here.

IVA Scheme: SVA & ESVA rules no longer apply as new rules which came in to place on 1 May 2009. More details on Individual Vehicle Approval are here.

Are Japanese vehicles reliable? Japanese imports are generally in better condition than UK models of similar age. Over the last few years Japanese cars have dominated reliability surveys. A survey previously carried out by What Car? magazine in conjunction with Warranty Direct only reinforces the bullet proof reputation of Japanese vehicles.

The top ten in descending order were Mazda, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Volvo, Nissan, Fiat, Audi, Ford. Subaru and BMW were joint 11th with Peugeot, whilst VW managed 16th, Saab and Renault were joint 18th. Land Rover and Alfa were the tail enders. The only surprises were the high placing of Fiat (must have hit on a good batch) and the very poor showing by VW.

The Japanese dominance was no surprise at all, confirming my personal experience of these vehicles.

Which companies insure Japanese inports? 'Grey' imports have been arriving in the UK for many years and the early problems have long gone. Many companies now insure them. Here are a few from the many you can try: Lifesure: 01480 402460 / Chris Knott: 0800 9172274 / Adrian Flux: 01553 845945 / Safeguard: 01132 581614.

Why aren't Japanese imports rustproofed? The climate in Japan is generally drier than ours. The Japanese don't use salt or grit on their roads, preferring to rely on Winter tyres. This means that the bodywork on an import is generally in much better condition than a UK model of similar age. Apply a liberal amount of rustproofing to help maintain that condition and 10 years from now, it could still be looking as good as new.
Speedos and foglights: To pass the MOT, cars in the UK (including grey imports) need a rear fog light with a visible warning light on the dash.

Speedo rules are slightly confusing. If a vehicle is sold as road legal, it should have a speedo that reads in MPH, while the odometer can still turn over in KPH. However, vehicles will pass the MOT with a KPH speedo as the speedo is not tested in the MOT. But the police can prosecute you, if the speedo does not read in MPH.

Mitsubishi Pajero EGR: Blank it or leave it?

Over the years, I've had enquiries about excessive smoking on Pajeros and consequently how to blank the EGR valve, even where the cause of the smoke is unknown... My thoughts are that the EGR is working, it serves a purpose. If it’s shot, you could do something about it. I have compiled this so you can make up your own mind. 

Here’s my understanding of how the EGR works on the Mitsubishi unit.

1. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) detects accelerator position, engine speed & transmission information. It decides when the EGR is needed. When needed, it sends a signal to the EGR. It should not trigger EGR at idling, low load, or full load.
2. The signal activates a solenoid, which opens a vacuum line.
3. Vacuum is separately generated by a pump as a diesel engine does not have vacuum at inlet manifold. The same vacuum is used for brake booster.
4. The spindle in the EGR valve moves when the vacuum is applied. This allows inert exhaust gas to be introduced to the engine.
5. The inert gas (exhaust) has of course been produced by the engine.
6. The engine responds to inert gas. Oxygen concentration is decreased by addition of inert gas, resulting in lower combustion temperature, and thus less nitrous oxide.

There are 3 general operating modes for the EGR system. These are some of the causes of failure.

Mode 1: EGR works properly: Engine produces less nitrous oxide.

Mode 2: Excess EGR: Poor idling, smoke when idling, flat spots when accelerating, lack of power at full power.
 
The main causes for this failure are:
1. ECU generates the wrong signal: Replace ECU.
2. Control signal not received by solenoid: Check wiring
3. Solenoid not moving: Replace
4. EGR valve spindle travels too far: Spring weak – Replace.
5. EGR valve spindle does not move: Stuck by debris in open, closed or intermediate position (intermittent or persistent): Clean valve or replace.
6. EGR valve spindle does not move: Diaphragm torn: Replace.
7. Idle speed too high.
8. Exhaust back pressure: Possible obstruction: Replace exhaust.

Mode 3: No EGR effect: Combustion temperature rises, adding thermal stress to engine, consider the possibility of adverse long term reliability. (I understand that in 7 years, no members have yet reported adverse effects?) Increased Nitrous oxide production, therefore increased pollution.
Possible causes of this are:
Same as points 1-5 above and
6. Vacuum line blocked or deliberately plugged: Check vacuum pressure
7. Blockage (blanking plate!) in pipe

Is your EGR valve working? Try these 2 simple tests.

1. If you can access your EGR valve stem, push it against spring pressure. It should move freely and return fully. If it doesn’t, remove the valve for cleaning or replacement.
2. With the engine at normal operating temperature, open the throttle to 2,500 rpm while watching the EGR valve stem. It should move, then return.
If it doesn't, remove the hose and feel for vacuum as you rev it again. If you find some, the valve's at fault.
If there’s no vacuum, see mode 3 above. This applies to the Mitsi units, some operate differently.

Blank it or not? There's a lot of discussion on the internet about this.

Excess EGR (mode 2) reduces the performance of the vehicle. In this case, it is possible to disable the EGR system entirely, so that it operates in mode 3. This has some possible negative consequences, including possible hotter combustion temperature and the possibility of reduced engine life.

If you plug the vacuum line with a ball bearing and the EGR valve is stuck in an open position, it will have no effect. In my opinion, blanking the EGR with a plate is better than using a ball bearing. 

The blanking plate will need to withstand temperatures of at least 500c, so quality stainless steel would do the trick. (Don't use layers of thin steel or a coin as these have been known to disintegrate and cause damage.) 

There is also the option of cleaning the EGR system.

Mitsubishi Pajero: How to reset the compass: Most Pajeros have a compass on the dash. In order to read correctly, it has to be reset for the UK. It's a simple fix, whether it's a standard or digital compass.

Drive to an open space. Push the small 'S' button (correction switch) next to the compass. Hold it in for a few seconds. The compass display will clear, and then flash. Release the button. Put the Paj on full lock and drive slowly in a complete circle (a roundabout is useful, but avoid the rush-hour!) The compass will find North/South and re-set. If this doesn't work, repeat the procedure, but drive in the opposite direction. 

Toyota Estima overdrive light:

Light ON = Overdrive OFF. 

When overdrive is in use, the engine will produce less revs.

Overdrive ON = Light OFF = lower engine revs = generally more miles per gallon.

Nissan Largo: Where's the engine oil dipstick? The dipstick is under the passenger seat. Undo the 2 clips that hold down the passenger seat. Tip the seat back. There’s a wing nut under the front section of the carpet. Undo it and slide the panel out. The dipstick (usually yellow) is towards the front. The oil filler cap (black) is higher up, at the back of the opening. 

Maximum towing capacitty: The generally accepted recommendation is not to exceed 85% of the vehicles total body weight, provided that the vehicle you are towing has its own braking system.

You can use this method to calculate the figure: Find the Gross Combination Weight (GCW) and the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). These figures are usually stamped on the chassis plate. Deduct the GCW from the GVW. The resulting figure is the maximum weight recommended to tow. (Maximum trailer weight = GCW minus GVW). 

Air conditioning: The process of air-conditioning naturally helps to filter out a percentage of pollen, dust and pollution.

In the summer, aircon gives a rapid reduction of heat, with reduced humidity on muggy days.

In winter, use the AC button to direct air onto the windscreen and it will de-mist long before the heater warms up. Used along with the heater controls and on the fresh-air setting, it should also effectively de-mist the side and rear windows.

How you might run the air conditioning:

If the car has been sitting in the hot sun for a few hours and it's too hot to sit in: Leave the doors open for a couple of minutes, to let trapped heat escape. Then start the engine. Open the windows and set the blowers to 'Max'. Switch the AC on ('Econ' off) and temperature controls to minimum. Set it on 'Fresh air' (not Recirc) and direct the air through the 'Face Level' vents.

When the heat has been blasted out and the car is cool, close the windows. Turn on 'Recirculation' (sometimes called 'Max'). Keep it like this until the interior and fabric cools down. Then either lower the speed of the blower or turn the Recirc control to Fresh air, or both.

When the inside is really cool, you can turn the blowers down again and adjust the direction of the air vents to suit.

If it's warm and your car is misted up, use full heat on the screen along with the air-con. Once de-misted, reduce heat and blower to suit. For best de-misting, keep the AC in 'fresh air' mode with re-circ off. In some vehicles, leaving the control on 're-circ' can cause condensation. Switching to 'fresh-air' should prevent this.

If you're doing everything right, but your windows are still misting up, the aircon system should be checked as the fluid level may be low.

If the aircon stinks, there are various anti-fungal/anti-septic type sprays available which are simple to use and can shift the cause of the problem (not mask it). If that fails, get it serviced. Regular servicing is always recommended and will help to prolong the life of the system.

To keep everything lubricated, run the aircon on full blast for a few minutes at least once a week, even in the winter. 

Sorry! Due to sheer volume of questions, I am unable to answer individual queries.

I recommend these 4 links:

Website creation: My daughter built this website in 2004 and continues to maintain it for me. If you would like a similar website, or a site with a shop, she can probably build it for you, at a reasonable rate. Please email her at amylbugg@yahoo.co.uk

Plunder Pup! My daughters on-line small business. Pirate loot, Silver jewellery, Marine jewellery, keyrings and charms! Have you seen our pirate Labrador?

Marriott Services. I have used Marriott Services several times. They provide local and national removals, gardening, landscaping, licensed waste disposal and light property maintenance. Quick, clean and friendly service. 

In Deep! My daughters use this dive centre. Learn to dive, expand your skills, or train as an instructor. Friendly, professional PADI SCUBA diving centre. Gas refills & Trimix.

These are charity links:

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS): My daughter volunteers with the Plymouth local group. Website has details of local events and marine conservation interests. 

These are vehicle related links:

The Dog and Lemon Guide: Recall advice for many vehicles.

These are other links:

The Trades Directory

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UK Motoring Directory

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Allans Vehicle Services is independent. VAT number 909 7647 80. This internet site contains information about us, our services and Japanese imported vehicles. No details found herein constitute an offer and no relationship is formed between any visitor to this site and Allans Vehicle Services. We have endeavoured to ensure that all information has been obtained from reliable sources. However, the accuracy and completeness of any information provided is not guaranteed. We cannot be responsible for its use or for any errors or omissions.  In particular, this information should not be used as a substitute for a full and proper consultation with us. Any and all information is subject to change without notice. This site contains hyperlinks to other, external, internet sites. We cannot be responsible for any information contained in these sites and provision of a hyperlink within this site is not an endorsement. We are not liable for any virus or other damage.

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Website built and maintained by Amy Bugg. ©2004 If you would like a similar website, or a website with a shop, please email amylbugg@yahoo.co.uk