We’re bringing Revo to the Ford market!

As of November 22 we have been carrying out Revo maps and fitting hardware to the Ford market! Something as a VAG specialist we didn’t anticipate ever doing! The demand has been crazy since we have announced the new addition to our services and we have loved every minute of this new adventure. We’re bringing Revo to the Ford market!

Adding the Ford market is something we have been toying with for a while now but ultimately we couldn’t turn down the opportunity. We do still only carry out Revo maps and Hardware, we are not adding repairs/maintenance to this for a number of reasons. One being we don’t have the staff to be able to take on the extra workload, secondly because if we find something wrong with a vehicle outside of general maintenance, we haven’t got the tools and added knowledge a Ford specialist would have to repair the problem.

So what can you get from Revo software?

Developed on the racetrack, ready for the road. The Revo tuning philosophy ensures that impressive performance benefits are balanced with useable, reliable power delivery that enhances the way you can drive your vehicle. Development on the road and racetrack as well as testing in controlled dyno conditions gives you a clearer picture of the performance you can expect from Revo ECU Software. Testing in this way plays an important role in ensuring the highest quality products and delivering the driving experience expected.

Revo offers some of the most substantial performance increases on the market, however, only the driven know that peak figures form part of a much bigger picture and are never the sole focus during Revo’s development process; it’s all about the drive. Only Revo offers a perfect balance of performance, economy and engine longevity.

Revo performance ECU Software gives you much more than just an increase in power and torque. A large part of development is based on driving scenarios and feedback; our calibration doesn’t just offer great dyno curves and peak power/torque figures but an exhilarating driving experience. Expect smooth and refined response at low RPM & partial throttle, with huge gains at wide-open throttle and throughout the whole rev range.

Revo Hardware?

All Revo hardware is designed and tested in-house by a specialist team of experienced engineers. Using state of the art prototyping equipment to aid the design process, and in-depth testing procedures the team are able to ensure the highest quality products.

Revo hardware is engineered to function at a much higher level than a standard component, designed to withstand a multitude of power outputs, should you want that little bit more power later on. Revo strives to produce beautiful products that work and fit seamlessly with your vehicle, offering an OEM+ look with aftermarket performance advantages.

You can take a look at Revo’s Ford blog page ‘here’ and keep up to date on developments and new information!

‘Contact us’ to get a quote on adding Revo to our car!

We’re bringing Revo to the Ford market!

Benefits of upgraded RTS brake pads

Trying to decide whether to upgrade your brake pads, but not sure whether its worth it? If you have mapped your vehicle or have added various other performance upgrades, we would advise upgraded pads and discs every time. Simply; if you vehicle is running at a higher power, your brakes need to match up to the same standard. Standard brakes are inevitably built to pass the safety regulations however using budget materials.

We hold a range of RTS brake pads in stock to suit VAG vehicles. There are a few benefits to upgrading, the first and most important feature being the safety of the vehicle! The upgraded brakes improve the vehicle stopping power, by increasing the force that can be applied. Secondly is increasing the amount of heat the system can safely dissipate. In other words, reducing the chance of the hardware overheating. The risks from the hardware overheating causes brake fade. Brake fade occurs when the heat doesn’t have time to dissipate, like when you keep your foot on the brake pedal in stop-and-go traffic, drive aggressively, brake down a long hill, or drive with an overloaded vehicle. When there’s an excessive buildup of heat, your brakes will start to feel less responsive and you might experience brake fade.

Obviously driving style also affects the quality of your brake pads. Steer clear of aggressive driving to increase the lifespan of your pads aswell as using engine braking. For example; gradually slowing by letting your foot of the accelerator as opposed to carrying on at a continued speed, then having to slam your foot on the brakes.

Outlined below is a range of benefits from upgrading to RTS brake pads:

None aggressive friction technology

Install and forget confidence to all callipers

Efficient and responsive braking from cold to hot temperatures

Chamfered edge friction creates a more responsive and smoother braking feel

Excellent sheer strength resistance

Nominal friction coefficient 0.41

Excellent wear, fade and vibration free characteristics

Available in sets of front and rear pads across an extensive range of performance applications

To be used for Fast Road and Track Use.

ECE R90 accreditation is a legal requirement for all brake pads to meet European standards, RTS pads have passed vigorous testing to meet the highest requirements and give outstanding braking capabilities on road/track days in wet and dry working conditions.

Again we hold a range of the pads in reception or you can purchase from our sister company ‘VAGperformance’ as well as the upgraded discs if you want to go the whole hog! Pop in and chat to us or use the ‘Contact page‘ here.

The difference between code reads and diagnostic tests.

The two are similar which is where the initial confusion arises. A Code read is the process of connecting a scanner to the vehicle and reading/scanning the vehicle for codes/data. You would carry out this procedure if a warning light has appeared on your dash. The Code read is then to scan for a code that caused your check Engine light/Airbag etc to come on. This may reveal a numerical code which indicates where the issue has come from within the vehicle.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic testing is a similar process however more of the vehicle is analysed. Diagnostic testing is the process of finding the actual problem with the on board system through visual inspection, testing of wiring, visual inspections of the vehicle and more. This is why a diagnostic test is more accurate and from this we can usually get to the root of the issue within the first hour. In some cases the vehicle may need further diagnostics. We prefer to know the root of the issue before just replacing parts for the sake of it.

This means that although we charge for the initial diagnostic test, the advice we give on how to repair the issues is accurate and will ultimately solve the issues you’re having with the vehicle. Sometimes issues are more complex and there may be a few issues the vehicle has, in this case we will always disclose the correct information to the customer on their options.

Sometimes customers query why we charge for a diagnostics. Some expect to have a refund of the fee from the diagnostics test if they choose to repair the fault with the vehicle.  However, we do not refund the diagnostic fee due to us spending time on the vehicle. As explained above, we don’t just plug a scanner in and the machine gives us the information. The Diagnostic test is a thorough inspection of the vehicle by an experienced Technician. You are paying for their time and expertise to properly diagnose your vehicle.

Customers requests

For these reasons above we don’t always just carry out repairs at a customer’s request if we’re not sure that it correlates to the issues they are having. We usually advise carrying out a diagnostics test prior to make sure (as much as we can) what is causing the problems they are having. Obviously this doesn’t apply to repairs such as brakes/springs. This applies to engine management issues/transmission and all electronic faults.

The wait for diagnostic testing is usually around 2/3 weeks. Therefore, if you are having issues with your vehicle try and call us as soon as you can. Don’t wait to see if the problem goes away! You can email/call/facebook message us to book in! Contact

Code reads and Diagnostic tests

Due to the ever increasing cost of parts, we can no longer put off business price increases. For two years we have absorbed the increasing costs of running the business. However, unfortunately the time has come where it is no longer viable for us to do this. With the costs of parts, electric, fuel and so on all increasing drastically we have to up our prices by around 7% across the board. This increase does still not correlate to the overall increase to us. We have tried to keep the costs as low as we could, as we have never been a business to charge the maximum we could and have always tried to keep our customers right!

Genuine parts

Certain genuine vehicles parts however have shot up in price hugely, some by up to 30%. In these cases we have no control over the increase, be assured we will always give you the best price we can offer.

There may also be more delays sourcing certain genuine parts. This is to do with a number of things we unfortunately have no control over. Certain parts from the dealerships are on back order, in this case we have to place the order and find out within 72 hours a rough time frame. Obviously this isn’t ideal if said part is crucial to your vehicles running. However, again issues like this are out of our control.

Performance parts

Performance parts will also be receiving an increase in the coming months. A few of our suppliers have pre-warned us of the increase in parts. Due to their increasing manufacturing and material costs, companies have no choice but to increase the product cost. As with ourselves, lots of our performance parts suppliers have absorbed the increasing costs for the past couple of years however it’s just no longer sustainable to do so.

If you request a quote from us, please note that the quote is valid for up to a month after. As long as the vehicle is booked in within the month we can honor the quote! If you would like information and pricing on servicing, repairs or upgrades. Call us on 01642 613852 or email us at: northeastautotech@gmail.com. Contact page.

Business price increases

It’s that time again! We are expanding the business and adding one more technician to our workforce!

This time we are looking for a service technician and a diagnostic technician. You can find all of the relevant information ‘here’ as well as ways to apply. This is an exciting opportunity for any technician looking to develop their knowledge and skills in a friendly, positive environment!

Feel free to also share this to anyone who you think may be interested in the role.

Why are customers hesitant to use quality parts. OEM or Aftermarket parts?

Since we launched the business in 2006 we have always fit quality parts. For us logically its more economical to fit quality OEM parts as opposed to cheaper low quality parts. There are so many reasons for doing this, mainly due to the fact that the OEM parts will have a longer lifespan. They may be slightly more expensive to start with but ultimately, they will last a lot longer.

However, we do have customers who come to us after having work carried out in other garages needing repairs on parts that have recently been fit to the vehicle. These parts can be less than half the price of the OEM standard we would fit. When put into perspective, it’s no wonder the parts don’t last as long.

Safety Aspects

Apart from the economical side of things, OEM parts regularly have supersession’s.  This is to do with identifying there is a defect with the design of the original. They then modify the part to improve it. This is another downfall of aftermarket parts as they are always based on the original design, so they are not up to date. Making them less efficient immediately, as the part would have been superseded if there wasn’t an issue with it. There may also be properties within the materials of the parts unknown to the aftermarket supplier. Making these parts break easier or cause the vehicle to have a different feel to the drive.

A lot of the time the aftermarket parts are backward engineered. This isn’t always is a bad thing is a part has stopped being produced as the vehicle is very old for example. However if you want your vehicle to be the safest it can be, its best to stick with OEM parts.

Braking

A good example of the differences between OEM and aftermarket parts is brakes. Brakes have to be made to a minimum of R90 standard. However that’s only a base standard. The OEM parts rating goes way above and beyond the base standard. This means a lot of the cheaper brakes are only just making the minimum standard. Why would you be happy settling for the base standard on what is essentially a safety feature? Obviously safety on the roads should be paramount and incase of a potential collision, the quality of your brakes could make a massive difference. You can read more about this here on a blog by TMD friction. They manufacture OEM brakes and are local to us too in Hartlepool!

Tell us your opinion. What would you prefer on your vehicle, OEM or aftermarket?

I’m sure everyone has heard by now about the introduction of E10 petrol across the UK. But how does it affect your vehicle, the environment and most importantly what can you do to help your petrol vehicle keep in good condition!

Current petrol grades in the UK contain up to 5% bioethanol. The new percentage of bioethanol has increased to 10%. It’s estimated that the greener fuel could reduce CO2 emissions by 750,000 tonnes per year. This will help massively to reduce the effect of climate change than at the current rate. It is the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars of todays roads! The E10 blend is already used in other countries such as Belgium, Finland, France and Germany.

However its not all sunshine and roses. There could be as many as 600,000 cars which aren’t compatible with the new grade of petrol due to a number of reasons.

How to check if your vehicle is compatible?

You can check if your vehicle is compatible by using the online fuel checker here. Drivers are advised to contact the manufacturers for their specific vehicle. That is, if there are any questions surrounding which fuel is to be used. If you put E10 fuel in an incompatible car it will still run, you are advised to then fill up with the E5 fuel when you next can. Most petrol stations will have both fuel available however in rural areas you may just get one or the other. If you continue to put E10 in your non-compatible car then over time (especially in classic cars) the seals, plastics and metals will be damaged due to the corrosive properties of bioethanol. E10 is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water from the atmosphere. This can lead to condensation and corrosion of the fuel tank if unused for periods of time.

To re-iterate, if you fill up with E10 Fuel and your car isn’t compatible, don’t panic just fill up with E5 when possible!

Performance changes?

Unfortunately those with cars compatible to use E10 fuel may see a decrease in performance too. They may get fewer miles to the gallon due to it containing double the percentage of ethanol. You may see a reduction of around 1%, but it is unlikely to be noticeable in everyday driving. It looks as though those drivers who have no choice but to use super unleaded E5 petrol will be paying through the nose, as it’s averaging around 147p a litre – that’s 12p more expensive than the current UK average for standard unleaded. This will quickly mount up for anyone who has to drive a lot of miles to get to work every week. It’s also probably the case that many of those driving older cars will already be from lower income backgrounds, so they will end up being even worse off.

So what can help your vehicle using E10 fuel?

We sell Liqui Moly E10 fuel additive in the workshop and on the VAG performance website. Additives are like vitamins for your car, they aren’t necessary, but they will improve the vehicles running over time. It is an Ash-free fuel additive for improving combustion and faster acceleration in partial load range. It is specially developed to compensate loss of performance from E10 fuel and improves the vehicle acceleration and smoothness. This product protects against the higher water content in E10 fuel. You can purchase direct here.

Ultimately we all care about the environment and little changes we can make to counteract the rate of climate change, but how does this affect you? What are your thoughts on the E10 fuel?

Read more about the E10 fuel in a blog by Liqui Moly here!

Introduction of E10 petrol across the UK

Back again with a blog on common seat Ibiza issues! The Ibiza’s popularity hasn’t really stopped growing however, its best to know where issues may arise and how to stop them!

We’ll discuss the bigger issues first, starting with the coil packs! Not too much of a costly repair however they can cause a lot of different problems. From the easiest to spot, a rough idle and running to a noticeable lack of power. You may also experience a significant drop in RPM’s whilst accelerating for no apparent reason. As well as the active gas waning light appearing on the dash when the vehicle has plenty of fuel!

Costly issues

The Ibiza is also common for having gearbox issues. Sticking in gears and lots of clunking noises! You’ll find that if your clutch is on its way out, it may be noisy in neutral but quiet when the clutch is pressed. Grinding noises, noisy in acceleration, struggling to get it into gear and a squealing when the clutch pedal is pressed. Generally there are a lot of symptoms to recognise if you think you may have a clutch on its way out! It’s a good excuse to look at upgrading to a RTS clutch kit which you can purchase here: RTS

Slightly more complex is having issues with your ECU. There are a few signs to look out for including, engine stalling or misfiring, Performance issues, car not starting and of course the warning light appearing on the dash. If you do think you may be experiencing some of the above issues, you can get your ECU tested prior to purchasing a new one. Depending on the issue you can get it repaired by companies such as ecutesting.com. However, the first port of call would be to get a diagnostic test carried out to determine the issues so your not changing parts without the knowledge its correct!

Less complex issues

Less complex issues include window regulator issues and door latch problems. New units are generally the only option to fix the issue and they both have very noticeable symptoms. The window would struggle and jump to go up and down if your having issues with the regulator. Issues with the door latch would include the door not staying closed as well as the door not opening on the first try.

So hopefully this has simply lined out some issues with the Seat Ibiza’s and any potential problems! You can get in touch with us on 01642 613852 if you are wanting vehicle inspection/diagnostic test. We carry out a full report on the vehicle which you can also keep for your records!
You can also get in touch via the contact page here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/ or our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/northeastautotech/

Common seat ibiza issues

Adding a Racingline Carbon Fibre brace?

So this one is specifically for the MQB vehicle owners! (Golf 7 & 7.5 / Leon / Octavia). This may not be a mod you have even seen before, never mind knowing the benefits to your vehicle and overall drive! The Racingline Carbon Fibre Rear Brace reinforces the bodyshell at its weakest point for a more precise and pleasurable drive.

The MQB platform vehicles have a pretty stiff bodyshell. Between the front end suspension the chassis is very rigid however, at the rear the chassis has much more flex. This means that with hard driving the handling of the vehicle is much harder. You can upgrade the suspension underneath and try to strengthen and secure however it won’t affect the flex of the body up top! VW have acknowledged this and the Clubsport  S Golf gets a factory rear brace!

How does it work?

Adding a Racingline carbon fibre brace creates a stronger, stiffer rear body. It solves this issue by locking the crucial hard points together. Despite the added stiffness, this improved handling performance comes without sacrificing any ride quality or introducing any additional noise, vibration, or harshness into the cabin. Solid billet aluminium mounts are used and secured into beautiful, ultra-stiff carbon fibre link bars drastically stiffening the rear of the chassis.

Easy to fit?

All you need to fit the brace is a set of triple square drive sockets! The brace comes in pieces, with instructions on how to put together and fit to the vehicle. That’s another pro of this performance part, you can easily fit it yourself! The clever design means that installation is simple, using existing body mounting points with no drilling and no removal of trim required, and is completely reversible. You can use the brace with the back seats up or down and it doesn’t really take up any boot space!

You can purchase the Racingline Carbon Fibre Rear Body Brace here at our sister company. ‘VAG performance’ You also have the option to pay conveniently with Klarna!

If you have any questions regarding the fitment or whether its for you, pop us a message ‘Here’. We always have someone available and happy to help with any queries.

Thinking of upgrading to a REVO Air intake kit? You’ve come to the right place! We’ll go through the benefits of upgrading and the hardware/software options to go along side. Air intake kits are a complete replacement of the OEM standard already fitted to your vehicle. Initially you may be thinking about having a Stage 2 remap, in which an upgraded intake kit is required. This is because the standard kit cant allow enough air through the engine to allow for the stage 2 power, Therefore it becomes a restriction on power. Upgrading allows the engine to access enough air and reach the turbo as quickly as possible whilst minimising turbulence and restriction.

What does it do?

So as a result of the air being able to travel through the engine effectively, there are many benefits. Boost can be maintained for longer which will give you access to more power through the rev range. You will experience a more aggressive sound, which is why upgrading the Air intake is usually the first port of call for hardware upgrades. You can also gain a lot from just upgrading this one part. They are also not too complex to fit, and usually only take half an hour with a specialist.

Why REVO?

REVO have worked alongside some of the biggest names in the Air Filter industry. Therefore, engineering and designing one of the highest flowing kits available. They carry out extensive testing and use the highest quality materials to enable their products to be top of the market.

Where to buy?

You can purchase the REVO Air Intake Kits through our sister company: VAG-performance. If you require any information on fitment, best software and hardware to go hand in hand, you can email us or fill out the contact form here: Contact