MGP Mechanics

14/06/2026

This Saab came to us with "Limited Performance" displayed on the dash. A quick fault code scan pointed us in the direction of a faulty fan, further testing showed that the fan control unit and fan were both working correctly and the fault was in the wiring between the engine ECU and fan control unit, the break in the wire was quickly pin pointed by breaking the circuit down into sections and testing.

22/05/2026

Now I'm not one for calling out people's bad work, for the most part I don't think any mechanic goes out to do a bad job, but using this much sealant? And it still leaks!

21/05/2026

This Mini is getting a new clutch, not too bad a job but it's more a case of removing the car from the gearbox than removing the gearbox from the car

20/05/2026

This Peugeot came to us with a compliant of intermittent limp mode, a quick code scan revealed saved codes relating to the variable valve timing so it was time to do some real diagnostics, a road test monitoring live data revealed an occasional deviation of the valve timing and a quick inspection of the oil control solenoids showed some debris on the screens so, it was decided to start with a new wet belt and a clean up, luckily for this customer we got to this one before any damage was done.

19/05/2026

This Audi came to us sounding very poorly, after a very short diagnosis it was clear there was an issue with the timing chains, however after a strip down it became clear that this was very close to being catastrophic. A new timing chain kit and it's out the door, good as new.

18/10/2025

The annual MOT test is likely to change and could cost many diesel owners £1000's in repairs.
The DVLA are currently trialling particulate number testing in MOT centres in the UK, but what does this mean? The current standards for diesel emissions testing is a visual inspection of emissions devices for signs of tampering and an opacity test of the gasses emitted from the tail pipe which any modern diesel even with issues is capable of passing without any emissions devices fitted, the new equipment being trialled by the DVLA is similar to what is currently being used in Europe and is capable of measuring soot particles in the parts per million range meaning the DPF will actually be tested for correct operation.
Unfortunately there has been and still are many garages and mechanics that don't fully understand DPF's and their related systems who advise vehicle owners to remove the DPF internals and re-write the vehicles computer software to ignore the system because its easier than diagnosing issues with emissions systems, which means that owners that have taken this advice could now face the cost of reinstating the emissions systems in addition to repairing the original fault that caused the DPF to be removed.
At MGP Mechanics over the last 15 years of trading we have heavily invested in both training and equipment to be able to successfully diagnose and repair faults with emission control devices using our test not guess philosophy, meaning only the parts at fault get replaced.
If you are thinking of buying a used diesel vehicle we advise you to get a qualified person to thoroughly check that the emission system is present and working correctly to save any surprises when the MOT rules change.

24/01/2025

Horse box in for a service, looks like the air filter is slightly overdue for replacement, you don't need a trained eye to spot what's wrong with the old one.

03/12/2024

This Toyota came to us after suffering a reoccurring engine management light relating to a DPF issue for over 12 months despite numerous visits to different mechanics who carried out cleans and forced regens the fault continued to return.
Due to our ongoing training we have an in depth understanding of how DPF systems work, this allowed us to quickly conclude and verify that the DPF was in fact overloaded with ash, which is a natural byproduct of the DPF regeneration procedure which is increased with the use of the incorrect oil type and is impossible to remove using on car cleaning methods.
Thankfully this customer came to the right place and we removed the DPF and cleaned it in house using our proprietary cleaning methods at a fraction of the cost of a new DPF.
Picture 1 shows the differential pressure of the DPF before cleaning, this reading is over 3X the maximum allowable pressure for correct operation, picture 2 is readings taken after cleaning, this reading is in line with what we would expect from a new DPF

08/10/2024

15/07/2024

This classic VW campervan came into the workshop needing some love, unfortunately the area around the front seatbelt mounts were severely lacking structural integrity, after a few hours cutting and welding this camper is now as safe as when it left the factory, ready for the customer to carry on making memories.