FAQ
The team at ITS Autos have put together their years of engineering knowledge to answer some of your Frequently Asked Questions.
ITS autos uses genuine Toyota and Lexus parts. We use high quality oils grade specific to your vehicle. We are a VAT registered company. This combination allows us to provide our services to our customer’s vehicles while not affecting the vehicles warranty as per block exemption regulation 2003. This regulation states that a VAT registered auto repairer that uses genuine parts and specified grade oils has the right to conduct business without affecting the manufacturer’s warranty on the vehicle in question.
Interior
Exterior
Under Bonnet
Transmission
Steering/Suspension
Under Vehicle
After Service
You can visit the government based website: MOTtesting.org.uk for all DVSA regulations and information regarding the MOT test and its procedures.
There is plenty of information to help you to prepare for an MOT and to understand What, Why, Where and When.
DVSA MOT check sheet – take a look at the areas of your vehicle that get inspected on an MOT test, these checks are set by the governing body of vehicle safety DVSA.
You can download the checklist here
You do not have to get your vehicle repaired at the MOT test station that it was tested at.
We recommend that you look at and discuss with your MOT station any outcomes you have from your MOT test before making any decisions.
We are all very experienced MOT testers and highly qualified technicians at ITS autos. Our experience is backed up by a catalogue of recognised qualifications backed by the government and governing bodies for the standards of road safety.
We use ATL test lanes to ensure your vehicles MOT test can be completed in a timely manor.
Engine oil choice is Key To Good Maintenance!
ITS autos only use high quality engine oils we use the vehicles specified grade and viscosity to maintain your engine. Please inquire for more information about your vehicles correct engine grade and quality.
Quality Grade Oils Provide:
Protection – The oil lubricates the engines moving parts to reduce friction and wear, properties in the oil extract heat caused by friction of moving parts helping to maintain your engines optimum operating temperature and efficiency
Efficiency & Performance – The correct grade of oil will maintain the highest engine compression with minimum resistance allowing for maximum performance with an efficient engine that leaves you more miles in the tank.
Reliability – Quality engine oils have a low ash content that reduces carbon build up within the engine and engine components, quality oils also contain corrosion neutralising properties that also help in reducing wear and complications.
Cheap or incorrect engine oil quality grades can cause:
Quality Oils are graded by Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Toyota and Lexus vehicles can use the following API grade oils.
SL Energy-Conserving
SM Energy-Conserving
SN Resource-Conserving
The ILSAC
(International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee) Certification Mark is added to quality oil containers to help you select the oil you should use.
Toyota and Lexus passenger vehicles all use either SAE 0W-20 (SL or SM) or SAE 5W-30. These oils are used to allow for the best fuel economy and ensure good starting in cold conditions.
The oil grading can be translated in two sections. The first section is 0W or 5W this relates to the oils viscosity rating, the lower value of the first digit before the W relates to a thinner oil allowing easier starting of the engine in cold conditions.
The Second section of the oil grading is either 20 or 30, this relates to the oils viscosity at running temperature. A higher value would be used for an engine operating at higher speeds or loads or a hotter running diesel fuelled engine.
Engine oil choice is Key To Good Maintenance!
ITS autos only use high quality engine oils we use the vehicles specified grade and viscosity to maintain your engine. Please inquire for more information about your vehicles correct engine grade and quality.
Quality Grade Oils Provide:
Protection – The oil lubricates the engines moving parts to reduce friction and wear, properties in the oil extract heat caused by friction of moving parts helping to maintain your engines optimum operating temperature and efficiency
Efficiency & Performance – The correct grade of oil will maintain the highest engine compression with minimum resistance allowing for maximum performance with an efficient engine that leaves you more miles in the tank.
Reliability – Quality engine oils have a low ash content that reduces carbon build up within the engine and engine components, quality oils also contain corrosion neutralising properties that also help in reducing wear and complications.
Cheap or incorrect engine oil quality grades can cause:
Quality Oils are graded by Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Toyota and Lexus vehicles can use the following API grade oils.
SL Energy-Conserving
SM Energy-Conserving
SN Resource-Conserving
The ILSAC
(International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee) Certification Mark is added to quality oil containers to help you select the oil you should use.
Toyota and Lexus passenger vehicles all use either SAE 0W-20 (SL or SM) or SAE 5W-30. These oils are used to allow for the best fuel economy and ensure good starting in cold conditions.
The oil grading can be translated in two sections. The first section is 0W or 5W this relates to the oils viscosity rating, the lower value of the first digit before the W relates to a thinner oil allowing easier starting of the engine in cold conditions.
The Second section of the oil grading is either 20 or 30, this relates to the oils viscosity at running temperature. A higher value would be used for an engine operating at higher speeds or loads or a hotter running diesel fuelled engine.
The ECU or Engine Control Unit could be described as the vehicles ‘brain’ it contains a processor and software ‘map’ that takes information from the vehicles sensors and passes its decision to command actuators to control the engine as per the requests and demands of the driver.
There are a lot of cheap and nasty tuning options available on the internet from cheap downloads to power increase modules that you can plug into your OBD with over quoted gains in performance. The old saying "you get what you pay for" is the key here!
Plug in modifications often just trick your vehicle into thinking it is running cold to fire in extra fuel or bump up the fuel pressure signal. This is not an economical way of increasing performance as all the other parameters are not tuned. With a full custom remap a large quantity of parameters are adjusted and tuned together to alter hundreds of signals and data files from the ECU to the engines actuators and sensors.
Default software has to take into account the operating conditions for the region of the vehicle, including varying climates, temperatures and altitudes, emission laws as well as various quality of fuel standards.
If you are buying a vehicle with remapped software or are selling a remapped vehicle and want it set back to original factory standard then we can provide this service for you. Software or Hardware modifications to any vehicle usually add value as well as performance.
We advise that as insurance often states you must notify of any modifications then you should notify them that you have had your vehicles engine software modified. Most insurance companies will not raise their premium especially if it is a re-map for economy.
Remapping vehicle software is not something that can often be detected by main dealer diagnostic capabilities. The upgrades we provide will not cause any failure to your vehicles components, as we do not over tune. If a main dealer overwrites you’re map and sets it back to original standard due to any warranty work or a warranty recall then we will happily re-install your remapped software for free for as long as you are the owner of the vehicle.
We adjust various parameters within the map such as fuel pressure, boost pressure (turbocharged engines) ignition advance and throttle pedal control, amongst others to release the true performance from the engine.
Featured Services
ITS Autos fixed-price service & repairs can save up to 50% in comparison to main dealers. Servicing your vehicle with an independent does not affect your 3 years manufacturers warranty.