Jul 10, 2018
You are not alone, everyone can get confused or feel intimidated by car repair lingo when a mechanic starts talking technical sometimes you can just switch off. This blog post will break down all the car repair lingo to help you understand it in layman's terms.
Let’s start with car body types, there are a few easy ones such as convertible and more recently the SUV has become more and more popular. There are a few body styles that are confusing.
An estate car - it basically is a longer version of a regular passenger vehicle. It will likely have an extended boot. There are a few car brands that have estate models such as Audi, Mercedes, BMW, Renault, Volkswagen, Honda, Skoda and Peugeot.
Saloon - Also known as sedan vehicle, it’s typically a 4 door car with plenty of boot space and comfortably fits 4 people.
SUV - is the shortened term for sport-utility vehicle, an SUV is another term for a jeep or a higher vehicle. SUV’s have become very popular and marketed as a family car over the past few years.
MWB/ SWB - Medium wheelbase and short wheelbase, this term is typically used for the size of the vehicle, more often used in commercial vans. SWB is a smaller van and MWB is a longer van.
HPI - A HPI is a full comprehensive check of the car’s history, has it been involved in an accident, has it been stolen? It’s very useful when buying a used car.
V5C - this is also known as a log book, it’s the red and blue document you use when taxing your vehicle or when you selling your car on.
VIN number - this Vehicle Identification Number is needed when you are booking your MOT it’s noted in the V5C document and also on the windscreen of the car.
Limp Mode - this is when the cars internal computer system detects a problem and goes into a protection mode.
Drop links - are associated with the cars roll cage and suspension, if the drop links are broken the symptoms will include a knocking noise, poor handling and rattling noises.
Drop links are also known as end-links, 'anti-roll bar links or sway bar links.
OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer or more commonly referred to as original manufacturer parts. OEM parts are branded trusted parts and as long as they are used in any car repair or maintenance then your car will still be covered under warranty.
Air Con Regas - If your car air conditioning isn’t working or is blowing out warm air then it’s likely your car needs an air con regas. The car air conditioning is made nice and cool by the gas in the system and usually every 2-3 years the gas will need to be topped up.
Bushes - We often see new bushes requested on MyCarNeedsA.com , they are cushions made of rubber and are placed at the joints of the suspension, they are there to absorb the impact from the road, control the vibration and reduce the noise. They are inexpensive to repair and don’t take too much labour time.
There are plenty of unusual names, systems and parts for cars and with the invention of self-driving cars and electric cars there will be many more new parts and new names introduced. Have you been advised your car needs any of these above services? You can always get quotes on MyCarNeedsA.com. Our aim is to save you time, money and hassle on all your car needs, just type in your reg and we will put your job out to garages in your area...it’s that easy.
