FAQs

Yes, the MOT tester will check that the towbar is secure, in good condition and has no inappropriate repairs or modifications.  They will also check the electrical socket is working correctly, ensuring that it activates the trailer parking lights, brake lights, indicators and rear fog lights

We offer a range of towbars including fixed towbars, detachable towbars, retractable towbars and height adjustable towbars.  When you contact us for a price, we will advise the best solutions available, depending on your vehicle make and model, and what you will be towing with the vehicle.

The advantage of a dedicated wiring kit is that the vehicle will know when you are towing and will automatically adjust the following systems (only if the vehicle has them): Brake electronics, engine electronics, cruise control or ACC, parking sensors, reversing cameras, lane change assist, suspension and engine cooling.

Fitting your own towbar can have both safety and legal implications. Fitting a towbar requires removal of the bumper, stripping out interior trims and panels, drilling holes in the chassis and cutting the bumper (on some vehicles).  It also requires complex electrical connections and wiring, along with coding. For this reason, we recommend towbars are only fitted by professionals with the correct knowledge, tools and coding equipment.

Unfortunately, this is not possible. Towbars are unique to the chassis and each make and model is different.

For safety and warranty purposes, we only fit new towbars and electric kits.  All our towbars are Type Approved.

No. Our installations are all done in our large workshops in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.  Fitting a towbar requires the bumper to be removed, stripping out of interior panels and complex wiring.  It is much kinder to the vehicle for this to be carried out in a dry workshop on a ramp, than on your driveway or side of the road.  We have a waiting area and courtesy cars for your convenience.
As a long-standing bricks and mortar company, you will always know where to find us should you have any queries about your towbar in the future too!

This depends on the vehicle.  Most cars and commercial vehicles take between half a day and a full day to fit.  Towbars on some coach built and A Class motorhomes take up to 2 days to complete.

Yes! We can upgrade the audio in any car, whether it has the factory system or an aftermarket unit.  Contact us with your vehicle details and we can advise the best solutions.

We strongly recommend that you supply and fit from one source as it makes life much easier for you should you have a warranty issue in the future, or you have bought incorrect parts. However, if you have already purchased parts, we are happy to install these for you if they are new/boxed. Unfortunately, we don’t install or support non-branded ‘Android’ units. In general we have had many issues of poor quality and performance from these “Android” type products, not to mention a total lack of product support from the manufacturers.

This depends on vehicle and the products being fitted.  A replacement head unit with CarPlay etc will take around 2 hours to fit in most vehicles.  A set of front component speakers or a subwoofer is around 2 to 3 hours.  For some high-end installations with speakers, DSP amp, sound deadening and subwoofer, we will need the car for 2 – 3 days.  We have a waiting area and courtesy cars for your convenience.

This is a common issue in many vehicles, such as Volkswagen and Skoda. The most economical solution is to replace the touchscreen. Alternatively, you can have a replacement unit with additional functionality.

In most cases, yes!  Depending on the fault, we would ask you to bring the vehicle in for us to assess the problem and advise further.  For example, an issue with no sound could be an amplifier fault, no radio stations could be an aerial issue.  A repair is usually cheaper than a replacement radio but we can offer a range of options for you to consider once we know what the fault is.

This depends on the car and what you are looking to achieve.  We offer economical solutions for those looking to simply replace faulty speakers, through to £3k plus sounds upgrades.

We offer a car audio upgrades for cars, vans, camper vans, commercial vehicles and motorhomes.  We also offer bespoke car audio solutions for classic cars.

The majority of our work is supply and fit.  Due the complexity of installation, we would highly recommend purchasing the parts and having them fitted by one source.  This means your warranty is in one place and you are not having to contact online sellers if parts are incorrect for the install.  As we have been fitting car audio for over 40 years, we are experts at sourcing and fitting the best solution for every vehicle.

We offer a range of car stereo upgrades, speaker upgrades, subwoofers, amplifiers and sound deadening.

This depends on the car.  We can retrofit genuine sensors to Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda, Seat and Cupra vehicles which will give you optical (a picture of the sensors on the infotainment system) and an audible tone. Our aftermarket parking sensors are audible, but you can add a visual LED display if required. This would be fitted on the dash or rear headlining, depending on whether you are having front or rear parking sensors fitted.

We can retrofit genuine sensors to Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda, Seat and Cupra vehicles which will give you optical (a picture of the sensors on the infotainment system) and an audible tone.

Yes! We will need your registration to obtain the paint code for your vehicle and the parking sensors will be colour coded in house ready for installation.  All sensors are painted in our professional spray booth using three stages – plastic primer, your vehicle colour and then clear lacquer.

If we are retrofitting genuine parking sensirs, they will be fitted in factory locations in the bumper or grille.  Our aftermarket sensors will be fitted in the most appropriate location to give you the best possible coverage, taking into account bumper contours and suitable distances.

Yes, you can still use a car wash.  It is recommended that you do not wash the sensors with high pressure or too much force so you need to be careful if using a pressure washer to clean your car.

Parking sensors can be fitted to both the front and rear of most cars, vans and motorhomes.

Yes! Many cars now come with a reversing camera but no parking sensors. It is popular to add the sensors so you have the audible ‘beep’ as well as the picture from the camera.

This really depends on personal preference. A camera lets you see a live image of what is behind you which can be particularly helpful when reversing out of tight spaces.  Parking sensors are idea for getting into tight spaces as their tones let you know the distance between the car and the object.  The constant tone warns you exactly when you need to stop.

Rear parking sensors are switched on and off with reverse gear.  Front sensors are triggered by brake and reverse but can be switched off if required.  We install a small switch in a convenient location during the install.

Parking sensors are an ultrasonic distance monitoring device which electronically detect the area in front or behind your vehicle using ultrasonic sound waves.

There is no reason fitting parking sensors should affect your warranty but it is worth checking with your manufacturer if you are concerned.  Our parts and labour are guaranteed so in the unlikely event that an issue should arise with the parking sensors, you can rest assured.

Our parking sensor kits carry a 5 year parts warranty.  

Rear parking sensors usually take between 1.5 and 3 hours to install, front parking sensors are around 3-4 hours.  Front and rear sensors can be fitted in a day.

Fitting parking sensors involves drilling your bumper and making electrical connections.  We don’t recommend this as a DIY installation, although we have seen a few!

Anything you change on your car is classed as a modification and you should make your insurance company aware.

Our aftermarket cruise control system also has a built in speed limiter so you can have the benefit of both options.

30mph is the lowest speed that can be set on either the speed limiter or cruise control.

Yes! Our unique CAN BUS cruise system is designed for modern vehicles without a conventional throttle cable.  This is an E-Marked and TUV approved product with an electrical installation with no mechanical connectionsrequired.  For safety, the cruise system can be disengaged by switching off thecontrol, pressing the vehicle brake pedalor clutch.

Unfortunately not.

In most vehicles, we will install a stalk controller on the left hand side of the steering column, below the indicator stalk.  See our cruise control gallery page for example install photos.  We also have the option of a dash pad for vehicles with limited space on the steering column.

There is no reason fitting cruise control should affect your warranty, but it is worth checking with your manufacturer if you are concerned.  Our parts and labour are guaranteed so in the unlikely event that an issue should arise with the cruise control, you can rest assured.

We offer a 12 month parts and labour guarantee on our cruise control and speed limiter systems.

This depends on the vehicle but generally 2 – 3 hours.

We do not recommend this as a DIY installation.

Anything you change on your car is classed as a modification and you should make your insurance company aware.

This is not usually possible as factory switches work differently to our aftermarket switches.

We will happily install to one seat only, although there is a slight discount if you have both front seats fitted at the same time. We also fit heated seats to back seats too.

Yes, you will not be able to see that the seats have been modified, aside from the small switch which will be fitted to the side of the seat (plastic binnacle).

Our heated seats have two heat settings.

The heated seats switch on and off with ignition so it is not possible to leave them switched on when you are away from the vehicle.

No, the heated seats are powered by a switched live and will not be on when the ignition is off.

There is no reason fitting heated seats should affect your warranty, but it is worth checking with your manufacturer / warranty company if you are concerned.  Our parts and labour are guaranteed so in the unlikely event that an issue should arise with the heated seats, you can rest assured.

We offer a minimum of 12 months parts and labour guarantee on all our products.  As a ‘bricks and mortar’ company with 47 years in business, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands.

This depends on the vehicle but usually around two hours per seat.

This is not recommended due to the complexity of the install.

Anything you change on your car is classed as a modification and you should make your insurance company aware.

The lumbar support kit comes with a specific switch which is usually fitted on the base of the seat, within easy reach of the user.  We cannot use factory switches.

We will happily install to one seat only, although there is a slight discount if you have both front seats fitted at the same time. We can also fit our lumbar support to some back seats too!

Yes! There will be no physical change to the seat, the install is done internally, via the rear of the seat. 

Yes, the electric switch allows you to position the air bladder to exactly the right amount of support for your lower back.

The lumbar support system will only be active when the ignition is switched on so you cannot leave the system on.

The lumbar support system will only be active when the ignition is switched on so you cannot leave the system on and there is no chance of it causing a battery drain.

Our lumbar support provides much needed additional support to the lower back when you’re driving or travelling in a car. It fills the void between your back and the chair, helping maintain the natural curve of the spine, encouraging good posture and reducing strain on ligaments and muscles.

There is no reason fitting lumbar support should affect your warranty, but it is worth checking with your manufacturer / warranty company if you are concerned.  Our parts and labour are guaranteed so in the unlikely event that an issue should arise with the lumbar support, you can rest assured.

We offer a 12 month parts and labour guarantee on our lumbar support installations.  As a ‘bricks and mortar’ company with 47 years in business, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands.

This varies depending on the vehicle, but generally around 1.5 to 2 hours per seat.

We do not recommend this as a DIY install.

Anything you change on your car is classed as a modification and you should make your insurance company aware.

Yes, we have a range of display options for reversing cameras if you don’t already have a screen in the vehicle.  Options include changing the radio for one with a touchscreen or fitting a dash or mirror monitor.  Contact us with your vehicle details for more information and costs on the best solution for you.

As reversing cameras are one of our most popular installations, we keep a wide range of cameras in stock from small wedge cameras for cars, to night vision cameras for motorhomes or brake light cameras for vans.  We will pick the most suitable camera for your vehicle.

Our cameras installations are made to be as discreet as possible.  Most cars can be fitted with a tiny wedge camera above the numberplate which gives a great viewing angle, but can barely be seen.

This depends on the car and the parts being fitted.  It is possible to have moving guidelines on many vehicles such as Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda, BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover and Jaguar.  The guidelines change with the angle of the steering wheel to help guide you into a space.

If moving guidelines are not possible for your car, we can usually offer fixed guidelines.

There is no reason fitting a reversing camera to your car should affect your warranty, but it is worth checking with your manufacturer / warranty company if you are concerned.  Our parts and labour are guaranteed so in the unlikely event that an issue should arise with the camera, you can rest assured.

No! We offer a wide range of camera options including forward facing cameras, side cameras for blind spot monitoring, 360 degree cameras, horsebox cameras and bespoke camera installs based on your specific requirements.

This depends on the complexity of the vehicle.  A reversing camera installation on most cars and vans take around 3 hours, motorhomes and camper vans generally take a little longer.

We offer a 12 month parts and labour guarantee on our camera installations.  As a ‘bricks and mortar’ company with 47 years in business, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands.

Anything you change on your car is classed as a modification and you should make your insurance company aware.

Yes!  We regularly install dash cameras to hybrid and electric vehicles.

All our installs are hardwired which means all the wiring is hidden behind panels, and the dash camera is given its own power supply – it is not using your 12v or USB socket for power. This makes the install much neater and will allow your parking mode to work (depending on the dash cam functionality).

All the dash cameras we supply and install allow you to use an APP to download the footage and store it directly onto your mobile phone.  However, if you don’t like using APPs, all the dash cameras store footage on a memory card which can simply be removed from the camera and put into your PC to download the footage.

In most cases, you need to be in the car to download the footage via an APP, although some connected dash cams allow remote access to the footage via the cloud.  This will require a data connection and a monthly service charge.

Alternatively, you can remove the memory card and view the footage on a PC.

Our dash cameras have four types of recording:

1. Continuously recording – dash cams start recording as soon as the ignition is switched on.
2. Event recording – a built-in Gyro-sensor detects impacts while on the road and stores these in an event file which is not overwritten.
3. Manual recording – All our dash cams have an easy-to-access Manual Record Button so you can save any footage into the event folder yourself.
4. Parking mode – records any incidents while away from the vehicle.

It is good practice to check the footage from your dash cam every so often – we suggest once a month.

We suggest formatting the memory card once a month, unless the dash cam recommends sooner.  This is an easy process and can be done manually on the camera, via the APP or in PC.

All the cameras we offer having a parking mode which allows the cameras to wake-up and record in the event of an impact or motion detection.  Settings can be adjusted via the APP.

All our dashcams continuously monitor the health of the vehicle’s battery and will shut down if it detects any issues.

There is no reason fitting a dash camera to your car should affect your warranty, but it is worth checking with your manufacturer / warranty company if you are concerned.  Our parts and labour are guaranteed so in the unlikely event that an issue should arise with the dash cam, you can rest assured.

We offer a 12 month parts and labour guarantee on our dash camera installations.  As a ‘bricks and mortar’ company with 47 years in business, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands.

Front facing dash cameras take around an hour to install, front and rear dash cams usually take two to three hours, depending on the vehicle. 

Our dash cameras are designed to be hardwired for a neat installation and to allow parking mode, they do not come with a 12v socket or USB connection for DIY fit.

Yes!  If you sell your car, we can easily remove the dash cameras and wiring from your vehicle and reinstall to your new car. This is much more cost effective than purchasing a new dash cam system every time you change your car.

Anything you change on your car is classed as a modification and you should make your insurance company aware.  A dash cam may reduce your insurance premium as it will provide evidence in the event of a claim.

Your insurance company may offer a discount if you have a dash cam fitted.  Please contact your insurance company for more information.

All our dash cams start recording as soon as the ignition is switched on. You will be able to see a status light on the camera to show you it is recording, some of the cameras will talk to you too, although this can be switched off in settings! It is good practice to check your footage every month and format the memory card to keep it fresh.