The Filter

Here at MicksGarage we've always been partial to a good Subway sub. My favourite is the steak & cheese, but some of the others prefer the chicken ranch. In keeping with our 'Free Friday' Facebook and Twitter promotions, Subway just sent us over a metre-long party sub for lunch. Fair play to Subway Main Street Leixlip - what a fresh and tasty sandwich it proved to be!

So it was tools down in the Garage at lunch today as we munched and crunched our way through it - I've never seen a metre long sandwich polished off so fast. It was a testament to the sandwich-making talent of Subway and also the hunger of the MicksGarage crew, who had quite literally starved themselves in anticipation.

Note to other companies: If you want to carry on the spirit of our 'Free Friday' giveaways and send us some free products, don't be shy. We promise to provide honest and impartial reviews.

Irish rugby legend Neil Francis dropped into MicksGarage yesterday to pick up some iems for his car. He kindly posed for a photo with Stuart from MicksGarage, who was delighted to meet one of his rugby heroes. 

We've just launched the Scala Rider Solo  bluetooth headset onto the website. It's a bluetooth handsfree headset for motorbike users and is suitable for nearly all full-faced and 3/4 helmets. This device will work as long as you have bluetooth and voice activation on your mobile, which most mobile phones have at this stage. It's the safest way to make and receive calls on a motorbike. It's made by Cardo Systems, who specialise in bike bluetooth in the USA and it's streets ahead of anything else on the market.

It also allows you to listen to GPS voice instructions through the headset so you can be guided by your Sat Nav through the device. The Scala Solo is weatherproof and is the perfect solution for bikers, especially if you're covering a lot of miles each day.It's great to work with a company who has a good website and there are some great video demos of how to use the Cardo Solo here:

We have been taking a lot of phone calls here recently at MicksGarage.ie from customers looking to order replacement EGR Valves for their vehicle. Two things are apparent from these calls. A) EGR valves break a lot and B) Some people do not seem to know what an EGR valve is or what its function is.

So…..EGR Valve = Exhaust Gas Recirculation ValveThe EGR valve, or Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve, is a vacuum controlled valve which allows a specific amount of your exhaust back into the intake manifold. This exhaust mixes with the intake air and actually cools the combustion process. Cooler is always better inside your engine. The exhaust your EGR valve re-circulates also prevents the formation of Nitrogen related gases. These are referred to as NOX emissions, and are a common cause for failing emissions testing as part of the NCT.Unfortunately, EGR valves are known to get stuck open, causing NOX gases to build up.

You'll know if your E.G.R. valve is stuck or malfunctioning because your car will experience symptoms like rough idle and bucking on acceleration.  An amber warning light should appear on your vehicles dash board to indicate a problem before there are any noticeable driving defects. If the light is left undiagnosed, your vehicle will start to perform badly and the vehicles fuel consumption will drop considerably.

If your vehicle is six years old or more it will have been tested twice by the NCT. It is perfectly reasonable to expect a six year old vehicle to breeze through the first two tests with ease. After that it may become the case that general wear and tear, poor roads and high speed bumps, will make it a little harder for your vehicle to pass the NCT first time. Ideally we would all like our vehicle to pass the test first time, every time, but as the car ages that becomes a hope more than an expectation.

On the NCT’s official website they recommend you carry some simple tasks on the vehicle in advance of the test and they are:

• You car has adequate oil and water
•   The boot is empty and the seats are free or personal belongings 
•  The vehicle is reasonably clean (especially the underbody
• The hubcaps are removed (only where wheel nuts are not visible)
•   The tyres are inflated to the correct pressure
•    The engine is in a fit state to be tested eg. The timing belt is replaced on schedule
•    Seat belts and seat belt clips are visible
•   Your registration plates comply with current regulations
• NCTS recommend that you have  your lights checked and set prior to your NCT

As you can see most of those tasks are straight forward and can be done at home or at your local petrol station free of charge. Should you wish to have the headlights focused in advance of the NCT be sure to inform the garage that you only want the lamps focused as some garages might see this as a perfect time to up-sell additional items to you.

In cases where your vehicle is 10 years old or more, many people are simply following the NCT guidelines above and then putting the car through and only repairing what the NCT fail the vehicle on. By doing so you are ensuring you are only spending the minimum amount necessary in order to receive your certificate.  Remember, items that fail and do not have to use any machinery for the re-test will not incur a re-test fee. Making an appointment for a re-test for a visual item is much more relaxed too and most NCT centres set aside a time of the day where they view all visual re-tests.

So don't be too stressed about your NCT, it may not be as bad or as expensive as you fear!And if you do need some parts you know that you can come to MicksGarage to sort you out.

This month we're encouraging everyone to take the 'Haynes Build Your Own Engine' Challenge.

It’s loads of fun for young and old and it’s a great educator about the workings of an engine. There’s no pressure in taking the challenge, it’s not a race and there are no finishing times requested. It’s designed to be taken at your leisure. The engine is a simplified version of a real car engine and the model is designed to be fun to put together for adults / kids (over ten yrs) or to teach your kids how a full-size four-stroke car engine works. It's a great starting point for anyone who is curious about engines.

Today FM has a motoring slot called Motorheads as part of the Phil Cawley Saturday Show (11am - 2pm). Motoring journalist Paddy Comyn is a regular contributor and the show provides some very interesting content. They also provide a Car Clinic where they will answer any motoring queries sent in by the public. You can listen to the Podcasts here.