KAM's Annual Holiday Check

Hello faithful readers it has been another week of gremlin busting here at KAM as our talented team works hard to get your cars back on the road. We have seen many people coming in recently complaining of faulty air conditioning. Thanks to the recent surge in good weather more and more of you have been relying on your trusted air conditioning to keep you cool. But after a winter of being unused the air conditioning can sometimes have the opposite effect. It can become faulty and bacteria can build up resulting in a rather unpleasant smell. 

If you are experiencing similar problems with your air conditioning make sure to bring it down to KAM where we can undertake a free test to determine the problem. It may just be something minor but you must not hesitate as the problems can worsen. The test is free and can end up saving you money in the long run. The test is no obligations and so you will not be left with any hidden or added charges and we will not commence with work until you give the go ahead. For all your air conditioning needs come down to KAM and let us keep you cool this summer.

   I would also like to impart some more advice for all car owners for this upcoming summer. With Britons shunning overseas beaches to stay home and enjoy our fine shores it would seem that this would be the perfect time to get your car checked. However shockingly according to the Good Garage Scheme, 58% of holidaymakers will not have their car checked before departing on long road trips. Now if you were to breakdown on the way to your holiday destination this could prove very costly and dangerous. So to avoid having your holiday ruined let KAM check your car over to ensure that it is road ready.

Here at KAM we will undertake the most comprehensive tests to ensure that all gremlins are found and that you and your car are kept safe. We will check the tyres to ensure that the pressure and tread are within the correct parameters. One of our talented mechanics will happily top up all oil and fluid that is running low. This can be very important and prevents the engine from overheating. If the car’s wipers or washers need replacing we will call up our fantastic suppliers and get them at a fraction of the price so you save money. The brakes are the most important components to your safety and we implore you to look out for excessive noises and any changes in the quality of drive. If so the KAM team can check the discs and pads so that you are not putting your life in danger. We will finish this ‘holiday check’ by ensuring that the air conditioning is in good working order and you will be free to take to the road- worry free.

   Now back to this week, there was disappointment in Football with the England team being knocked out of Euro 2012.  With the wave of patriotic pride sweeping the nation it almost seemed a possibility that we could get through to the semi finals. But alas it was not to be and instead we must look forward to bigger and better things. With football out, it is tennis in and it is that time of year when the whole country must again pin all their hopes on Andy Murray.  With expectation weighing heavily, Andy Murray will again try to get his first grand slam and we shall wait with baited breath. Can he finally break through? Will we have our first British winner in 76 years? Only time will tell whether Murray can take that giant leap but I for one am looking forward to the next two weeks of exhilarating tennis.  I hope everyone has got their strawberries and cream ready.

It is also an exciting week for Nottingham as the Olympic torch will makes it way around Nottingham on Thursday and Friday. It will be great to see and we are especially happy, as the torch route will be passing our very own KAM depot on Queens Road, Beeston. Our boys will be cheering on those lucky torchbearers and we hope everyone has a great time. But remember it is these types of occasions you don’t want to miss and so make sure your car is in good condition before you embark into busy Nottingham. It is better to be safe than sorry and so if your car is suffering from any problems make sure to bring it down to your nearest KAM depot.

   You can leave your comments, questions and queries at www.twitter.com/dr_kev and on our blog at www.drkev-kam.blogspot.com and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kamservicing.   Remember faithful reader, our team of dedicated and hard working staff at the branches in Sutton, Long Eaton, Bulwell, Beeston and Belper along with our bodywork shop are open every day of the week, EXCLUDING Sunday’s, while the lads at our Sawley and Heanor workshops are at your service seven days a week, keeping your car where it belongs. ON THE ROAD.

So until next week faithful reader, drive safely and keep it shiny side up.

Dr.Kev.

Mr S's race to the Euros

       This week we see the kick off of Euro 2012 and I am rooting for our boys to bring home the gold. As an avid sports fan I am looking forward to watching the match and seeing the patriotic wave of pride continue after the Jubilee. I would also like to mention the French Open and the historic win of Rafael Nadal. A record seventh win at Roland Garros is certainly impressive and I am excited to see more tennis this summer at Wimbledon. Maybe even Andy Murray could claim his first grand slam. Whatever happens it is going to be an exciting summer and I can’t wait to sit back and enjoy it all.

    

Now back to the football as this week’s diagnostic mystery was very much centred on the beginning of the Euro 2012 championships. It was on Saturday that our Beeston depot received a call from an irate Mr S. “Kev I can’t believe it, why does this have to happen at the worse time imaginable? Seriously what is going on?” Mr S seemed angry and confused, which was the tone of many of our customers whose cars have experienced problems. Mr S continued to tell us that the problem lay in his Volkswagen LT35 Van, which he was now sat in, in his drive way. “Kev I have turned the key and it is turning but the engine is not starting. It’s just not firing. Please say you can help.”

It was Saturday afternoon and the workshop was bursting with cars, I was worried that we may not be able to fit in Mr S straight away. That was until he made his final plea. “Kev you know there is an Ireland and Croatia game tomorrow? Well I have some people staying over at my hotel and I need my van to the cash and carry so everything is set for tomorrow.” Mr S further explained that the hotel he ran had recently had some Irish visitors who were very much looking forward to watching the Sunday night game. Mr S was responsible for getting food and beer and so was in desperate need of his van, which was currently out of action. This was a real emergency and Mr S needed our help, we could not let him or his guests down.

We immediately set of in the ‘truck wid da fwashin lights’ to rescue Mr S and a short while later he was in the warmth of the waiting room, seemingly worry free. “Kev I have read your newsletter and your Good Garage Scheme page and so I am confident you can find the problem. You’re the best in the Midlands aren’t you?”

We assured Mr S that we were and that any faults that lay within his car would be found and fixed immediately. We then dispatched him off in one of our courtesy cars promising to keep him updated. 

As this was an emergency we would need to put our best man on it and so Diagnostic Dan got armed with his multimeters to get to work. He hooked the car up to our state of the art machines and they showed that the fault lay in the timing belt. But where? Dan got straight to work stripping back the timing belt covers and after a little time exploring, the infamous words rang out. “I’ve got it Kev.”

This may have been a new record for Diagnostic Dan and we waited to see what the diagnosis was. It so transpired that some of the teeth on the timing belt had been stripped off due to wear and tear. As a result the engine timing was thrown out of sequence and this had been the reason for the van failing to start.

Now this was just one possibility and if the car still didn’t start with a new timing belt then the diagnosis would be a much more serious one. You see faithful reader if there was engine damage this would result in a large bill for Mr S and the possibility of no van for at least a few days.  The new timing belt and kit was fitted and Dan reassembled the covers. Now came time for the test.

  Dan anxiously got behind the wheel as we all waited with baited breath. He turned the key in the ignition as sweat dripped down his forehead and… There was a few seconds of silence and just before exasperation was about to set in the car purred back to life. “We did it Kev.” Shouted Dan unable to contain his excitement. The KAM team had done it again and thankfully for Mr S the fault had been easily found and fixed. We do offer timing belt checks and so if you think yours is faulty make sure to bring it down to KAM so we can get your car back to its best.

Mr S arrived later and was overjoyed to have his car back in such a short amount of time but also at a fantastically low price. He said: “Wow Kev that’s great. I am really happy I came to KAM. You really can fix any faults. As for it being a minor fault well I guess it’s just the luck of the Irish.”  

You can leave your comments, questions and queries at www.twitter.com/dr_kev and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kamservicing. 

   Remember faithful reader, our team of dedicated and hard working staff at the branches in Sutton, Long Eaton, Bulwell, Beeston and Belper along with our bodywork shop are open every day of the week, EXCLUDING Sunday’s, while the lads at our Sawley and Heanor workshops are at your service seven days a week, keeping your car where it belongs. ON THE ROAD.

So until next week faithful reader, drive safely and keep it shiny side up.

Dr.Kev.

Mr M- At Her Majesty's Service

   
  Hello faithful readers, the KAM team have been very busy this week as more and more of you come in to get your gremlins seen to. Our boys at Beeston are doing well and are continuing to expand and see more loyal customers joining the ranks. Last week was a great week for Nottingham as we had the visit from her royal highness the Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince William. This was particularly exciting, as you know me; Mandy and the kids are quite the royalists.
 When we found out that the queen would be coming the house was awash with all those important questions. “Where will she be visiting? How long will she stay? What will Kate be wearing?” It was great to see just how these events make people come together and Mandy and the kids went down and were able to see the Royals up close and personal. They had a great day filled with great memories.
   Now not to harp on too long about the royal family but this week’s story comes just mere days before the royal visit. On Monday morning we received a call from Mr M who was in quite the panic. He called up our Beeston depot and was in desperate need of the KAM team’s help.
    “Kev I don’t know what has happened. I thought it was okay and now well this is just awful. What am I going to do? I really need this?” Mr M was so panicked that at first he made little sense. But after calming down he revealed that he was a self employed cleaner and had recently taken on a very important task. “Kev you know the queen is coming on Wednesday? Well I have just had a contract to clean up some graffiti around the areas she will be visiting. I know we all want Nottingham to be able to shine, well that just became a little more difficult.” Mr M explained that he had recently gotten the contract to clean our streets and had been delighted to be able to do his service for the queen. But there was one obstacle as he was now stuck with a lifeless Ford Transit van, which housed all his cleaning equipment. “Kev it won’t start, I have tried a hundred times.  Please say you can help. For Queen and country.”  Mr M needed his van back for the next day as he would need his massive industrial cleaner to be able to carry out his work. It was a race against time and we would have to come to Mr M’s aid.
     Big Job Ben loaded up the ‘twuck wid da fwashin lights’ and set off to rescue Mr M and his van. A short while later he arrived back at the depot with a lifeless van and a deflated Mr M. We explained to Mr M that we would find and fix any fault and that he would be back to keeping our streets clean in no time. After all the details were taken and Mr M was whisked away in a courtesy car, we got straight to work.
   Mr M needed the van back as soon as possible and so we would need to be swift and efficient. Ben put himself forward and armed with his tools he started by checking around the car for any visible faults. This proved fruitless and so Ben did a number of checks. He checked the fuel pressure, the electrics and finally plugged the car into one of our state of the art diagnostic machines. It was not long until the infamous words rang our. “I’ve got it Kev.”
    It so transpired that the gremlin besieging Mr M’s car was due to the wiring to the main fuel lift pump having been burnt away. This had been due to general wear and tear and had been the reason for the car’s not starting. Thankfully this week’s mystery had been an easy one for the KAM team and all that was required was to repair the wiring, which Ben did with military style precision.
     Once the wiring was fixed then came the moment of truth, Ben got behind the wheel of the van and the boys waited with anticipation. The key was turned and… the car jolted back to life with rapturous applause from the boys. “We did it Kev.” Shouted Ben. The car was fixed and Mr M would be able to show off his handy work to the Queen-another victory for queen and country.
    Mr M arrived later and was ecstatic to have his van back in working order. “Thanks Kev, it really was the KAM team to the rescue. You know while the Queen is here you should ask for a knighthood for your services to the motoring industry.” He joked. “Sir Kev”, I like the sound of that.
    You can leave your comments, questions and queries at www.twitter.com/dr_kev and on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kamservicing.
   Remember faithful reader, our team of dedicated and hard working staff at the branches in Sutton, Long Eaton, Bulwell, Beeston and Belper along with our bodywork shop are open every day of the week, EXCLUDING Sunday’s, while the lads at our Sawley and Heanor workshops are at your service seven days a week, keeping your car where it belongs. ON THE ROAD.
So until next week faithful reader, drive safely and keep it shiny side up.
Dr.Kev.

Mr B's Vivaro Vex

I hope everyone enjoyed the fantastic Jubilee celebrations. I had a great bank holiday reprieve from all the gremlin hunting and the boys were able to relax and recharge. The Jubilee concert was fantastic and a great way to showcase all that is great about our country. A sea of patriotism was evident and Mandy, the kids and myself had a great time at a street party with all of our neighbours.

Now while we were all celebrating the KAM boys at our Sawley and Heanor depots were hard at work defeating those pesky gremlins. So dedicated is your KAM team that we opened our shutters to our faithful customers at all depots on Jubilee Tuesday.

While everybody was enjoying the festivities our newly assembled Beeston team were taking on the Jubilee jams.  Our Beeston depot has been seeing more and more customers arriving at the garage and trusting us to fix their cars. Super Sunny has been manning the ship and accompanied by the healing powers of ‘Big Job Ben’, ‘Fearless Frank’, Tornado Tyler’ and ‘Diagnostic Dan’, they have become a KAM force to be reckoned with.

 It was on Jubilee Tuesday that we received a visit from Mr B. Now this was not a normal entrance as Mr B arrived not in his car but as the passenger in a recovery truck. As the van, a Vauxhall Vivaro was unloaded Mr B entered the Beeston reception and looked deflated as he explained his van’s conundrum. “Kev you have to help me, my van is suffering from some major problems.” Now this was a bank holiday and most garages were shut but Mr B had seen us on Google and had decided to try us out. Mr B had been on his way from a supply store and his car had inexplicably broken down.

But there was more to this tale of woe. “Kev I am a self employed painter and I know you can understand how hard it can be to find business and keep afloat. I have a big job booked in for this afternoon and I must have my van back. I have read you are the best. Please say you can help.” Mr B was in desperate need of our help and we could not let him down. After all the details were taken we whisked Mr B of in one of our courtesy cars with a promise that he would not miss out on his job later. We were, on this particular day very busy as many customers had taken advantage of our Jubilee opening. But here at KAM we never leave a man behind and so I scoured the workshop for this week’s mystery solver.  

   My eyes fell on Diagnostic Dan who had just finished with his first mystery of the day. “I’ll take it Kev.” He replied throwing down the gauntlet. As we were working to a fast approaching deadline Dan got straight to work. He hooked the car up to one of our state of the art diagnostic machines and awaited the results. A short while later the results were released and they showed that there was no fuel coming to the injection rail. This would be the reason for the car breaking down but what was the cause of this problem? Dan also checked the fuel pressure pumps and it was revealed that there was no signals going to them either and so Dan would need to dig a little deeper. Conscious of the time, Dan then got to work, looking over the car, making sure to leave no stone unturned in his quest for the truth.

I started to get worried after some time lapsed. Would the van be ready in time? We were cutting it close but finally after a short while the infamous words rang out.” It so transpired that the wiring above the fuel tank had shorted out, which was good news as Dan could easily fix it. However the second fault was found in a faulty pressure regulator valve and this part would be near impossible to source on a bank holiday as our fantastic suppliers were shut.

We pondered the conundrum, we could not let Mr B down and so we would need a solution and then it came to Dan. “Kev we have the KAM Vauxhall Vivaro in Long Eaton, we could take the valve out of there and temporarily use it to fix Mr B’s van and then replace Mr B’s valve tomorrow when the suppliers are open.” It would certainly mean that Mr B could make his job and he would not lose out on any money. So we called to ask him if this was okay.

After he gave the green light Dan made his way to Long Eaton and picked up the necessary part for the Vivaro. He arrived later and fitted it and after the wiring was fixed the van was ready to go.

Mr B came back later to pick the car up and was ecstatic to have a fully functioning car. “Wow Kev you have really gone above and beyond the call of duty. I’m so glad I chose KAM this is the best service I have ever had.”

Mr B was able to do his job on Tuesday and when the new part arrived the next day Dan fitted it without any fuss to have the van back as good as new.

You can leave your comments, questions and queries at www.twitter.com/dr_kev and on our blog at www.drkev-kam.blogspot.com and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kamservicing. 

   Remember faithful reader, our team of dedicated and hard working staff at the branches in Sutton, Long Eaton, Bulwell, Beeston and Belper along with our bodywork shop are open every day of the week, EXCLUDING Sunday’s, while the lads at our Sawley and Heanor workshops are at your service seven days a week, keeping your car where it belongs. ON THE ROAD.

So until next week faithful reader, drive safely and keep it shiny side up.

Dr.Kev.

KAM team updates

With the great weather we have been having, now more than ever is the time to have a fully functioning car. For those trips out or special Jubilee parties to attend to, you must make sure that you make the most of the weather by ensuring that your car is in the best shape it can be. Whether you are having a long weekend or just relaxing at home now is the best time to get your car fixed at great prices.

 Here at KAM we have been very busy as more and more customers come in to have their cars checked. Sometimes all it takes is a quick check by our talented mechanics and you can be enjoying the open road in no time. With the upcoming Jubilee celebrations and the long weekend to look forward to, you don’t want to be inconvenienced by a faulty car.

Talking of the Jubilee, I hope everyone has a great few days off to get rested and rejuvenated. The Queen’s Jubilee is a special time to celebrate the Queen and I know I will be relaxing and enjoying the weekend with Mandy and the kids. We are the quite the royalists and will very much be basking in the royal glow that will proceed next week. There will be street parties and plenty of food to be consumed, so let the good times roll.

   Here at KAM we are dedicated to making our customers our number one priority. For this reason the boys at our Sawley and Heanor depots will be working hard on bank holiday Monday to get rid of those pesky gremlins. We will be open from 9am to 3pm to accommodate our customers. We appreciate that the bank holiday weekend may be the perfect time for some people to get their cars fixed as they enjoy a lazy weekend at home. So if your car is suffering and you have been waiting for the right time to fix it- well the time is now and ‘His Highness Raj’ at Heanor and ‘Senator Shaun’ at Sawley await your call.

   Our boys at the other KAM depots will have the bank holiday to get rested so they can prepare for our Jubilee opening. All the KAM depots are open on the Queen’s Jubilee day so if your car is suffering from any problems make sure to bring it in as soon as possible. Our team will get straight to work and you can continue to enjoy the festivities.

   I would also like to point out that with the sudden soaring temperatures, comes the increasing need for air conditioning. We all know the feeling of being locked in a hot car with no working air conditioning. It can be torture and an open window can only cool you down so much. As car experts we know what is best for you and your car and we can very easily carry out a check to ensure that your car is in good working order. We can carry out the test as you wait and this will help us to identify any and all problems. Our magical mechanics can then get straight to work, whether it be a simple lubrication or removing bacteria, make sure you don’t suffer at the hands of a dreaded summer gremlins. Now is the most important time for air con and we want you to remain cool, the whole summer through.  For the best prices on all air conditioning make sure to call in at your nearest depot to ensure that summer is a breeze.

    Our Beeston depot is continuing to do well, manned by our very own Super Sunny and Fearless Frank. The depot on Queens Road East, Nottingham has had an influx of customers and our loyal customer base is growing each day. Our customers have left us great feedback and the residents of Nottingham have heeded the call of the KAM team to take on all the dreaded gremlins that feast on their cars. We welcome all makes and models and so if you are in the area and want a fast, affordable service on all car repairs make sure to come down to KAM Beeston.   

For a limited time the KAM team at Beeston is offering a number of money saving deals for all of our customers. So if you need your tyres, brakes or most importantly the air conditioning checking make sure to come down to KAM for total piece of mind. KAM Beeston offers the lowest prices on all car repairs and your trusted KAM team will ensure the longevity of your car. 

    I would also like to announce that my twitter presence has become more prominent recently and I have had a lot of great feedback from customers who are happy with KAM’s great service. KAM continue to move with the times and we are very much enjoying our online presence and the interaction it allows us to have with our loyal customers.

   You can leave your comments, questions and queries at www.twitter.com/dr_kev and on our blog at www.drkev-kam.blogspot.com and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kamservicing. 

   Remember faithful reader, our team of dedicated and hard working staff at the branches in Sutton, Long Eaton, Bulwell, Beeston and Belper along with our bodywork shop are open every day of the week, EXCLUDING Sunday’s, while the lads at our Sawley and Heanor workshops are at your service seven days a week, keeping your car where it belongs. ON THE ROAD.

So until next week faithful reader, drive safely and keep it shiny side up.

Dr.Kev.

Social Networking

Hello faithful readers- In this time of social networking and computer interaction we here at KAM have decided to jump on the bandwagon.
I would just like to say that I have become an avid twitterer and so if you would like to keep up to date with all of the latest adventures at KAM follow us on our Twitter at www.twitter.com/dr_kev.
Our Facebook page is also up and running and you can see all of our latest posts showing our boys hard at work at www.facebook.com/kamservicing
We are becoming more interactive and we are putting up daily posts of all the gremlin hunting.
So for an insight into KAM's daily duties join in the discussion...

Dr Kev

Mr H's Cabriolet Confusion

This week at KAM we received a visit from a good friend of mine who arrived at our Beeston depot in quite a state. “Kev you know I always trust you and your boys and I have got a new puzzle for you to solve.”

Mr H explained that the car in question his recently purchased Audi A6 Cabriolet had one small problem that he knew about before he bought the car. “I know it sounds silly Kev but I actually bought the car much cheaper and there was but one imperfection on this beauty.” He said pointing to his pristine Blue car, which appeared to be far from the gremlin riddled cars we usually see trudging through our workshops. “Kev the electric hood is not working on the car. I knew this when I first bought it and it wasn’t a problem because the weather was awful anyway. But now the sun has recently sprouted out and I am roasting in there. My girlfriend wants to enjoy the sun in my new car and we just can’t. Please say you can help.” We assured Mr H that he was in good hands and that our Beeston boys were raring and ready to go on all diagnostic machines. They have spent the last few weeks introducing new customers and have had time to flex their ever-expanding skills.

Mr H was confident that our talented Beeston team would solve the problem and that he would be enjoying the wind in his hair in no time. We took all of his details and we then whisked him away in one of our courtesy cars. It was then time to choose this week’s master diagnostician and all eyes fell on Diagnostic Dan. Dan has long been a staple of KAM’s diagnosis team and has continued to increase our winning record of mysteries solved. He and the team at KAM Beeston have taken on all mysteries with passion and vigour and our new customers have been very pleased.

 Dan got straight to work, armed with his multimetres and his diagnostic machines and started on his gremlin-hunting mission. He first made some visual observations and then started to hook the machines up to the car to try and identify the problem. We awaited the results and a short while later the paper was released and Dan’s eyes scanned the results. “The Beeston team has done it again.” It so transpired that the wiring that goes to the electric hood control module had quite simply corroded away which meant no power to the motors. This had been the reason for the hood’s inability to work and would require a simple procedure to reverse the problem. All that was required was to replace the affected wiring and Dan used his excellent technical skills to ensure that all wiring was fitted correctly so that no future problems would ensue.

The repairs were undertaken and now it was the moment of truth and all the boys waited with baited breath. Dan jumped in the front seat and turned the key, the car purred along nicely and then Dan flipped the hood switch. There was a short pause and then the hood started to descend in all its glory and revealed Dan’s smiling face, then the real test came, having got the roof open would it shut again?? Of course it would, with a quick press of the switch the roof quietly ascended back into place again. “We did it Kev, the kings of Beeston are victorious once more.”  The car was returned to its previous glory and the sun beat down on the newly fixed and newly cleaned car.

Mr H was ecstatic to have his car fixed by the Beeston dream team and couldn’t wait to start basking in the sunny weather with his top down. “Wow Kev thank you I knew I could rely on the KAM team. You give the best prices; the best service and you have guaranteed me a great summer. Thanks.”

For a limited time the KAM team at Beeston is offering a number of money saving deals for all of our customers. So if you need your brakes, batteries or alternator checking make sure to come down to KAM for total piece of mind.

You can leave your comments, questions and queries at www.twitter.com/dr_kev and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kamservicing.

Remember faithful reader, our team of dedicated and hard working staff at the branches in Sutton, Long Eaton, Bulwell, Beeston and Belper along with our bodywork shop are open every day of the week, EXCLUDING Sunday’s, while the lads at our Sawley and Heanor workshops are at your service seven days a week, keeping your car where it belongs. ON THE ROAD.
So until next week faithful reader, drive safely and keep it shiny side up.
Dr.Kev.