Craggs automotive repair and service

18/09/2026

🛻Yes, Craggsy’s lifting cars now… apparently 😂💪

But more importantly FREE MOTs this October, November and December! And there’s no obligation to have any advisories or MOT failure repairs carried out with us – the choice is completely yours.

The FREE MOT slots are on a first come, first served basis and there are limited slots available.

Register your interest here: craggsautomotive.co.uk/free-mot

Simply complete the form and we’ll get back to you to confirm your booking, or offer an alternative available date where applicable.

All T&Cs are available on the booking page.

Craggs Automotive Repair & Service
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383

18/09/2026

Vauxhall misfiring? It’s something we see fairly regularly.

A misfire can show up as rough running, hesitation, loss of power or an engine management light and there can be several different causes.

One area we commonly check on petrol Vauxhalls is the ignition system, particularly the coil pack and spark plugs.

If a coil pack has failed, we’ll also look closely at the condition of the spark plugs. Where appropriate, we generally recommend replacing the coil pack and spark plugs together rather than fitting a new coil pack alongside old or worn plugs.

Worn plugs can require a higher voltage to fire, putting additional demand on the ignition system which is not ideal when you’ve just fitted a new coil pack.

A misfire code doesn’t automatically mean “it needs a coil pack”. Proper diagnosis still comes first to rule out other causes.

If your Vauxhall is juddering, losing power or just doesn’t feel quite right, get it checked before throwing parts at it.

Need Craggsy to have a look at your car? Get in touch:
www.craggsautomotive.co.uk
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383

18/09/2026

Fiat 500 clutch pedal going to the floor? The clutch itself might not be the whole story.

This Fiat 500 came in because the clutch pedal was going down to the floor. Once we started investigating, we immediately noticed something else which was the noise coming from the gearbox.

It’s a problem we’ve seen plenty of times on these. Wear in the gearbox bearings can allow movement in the shaft, which can then have a knock-on effect through the clutch system, sometimes causing the clutch to jam or the pedal to stick down.

It’s why listening to the symptoms, and the car, is so important before simply replacing parts.

If you drive a Fiat 500 and your clutch is sticking, dropping to the floor, or you’re hearing unusual noises particularly in certain gears, get it checked.

Need Craggsy to have a look at your car? Get in touch:
www.craggsautomotive.co.uk
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383

18/09/2026

Car sounding like a racecar? Exhaust might be snapped...

Need Craggsy to have a look at your car? Get in touch:
www.craggsautomotive.co.uk
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383

18/09/2026

Need Craggsy to have a look at your car? Get in touch:
www.craggsautomotive.co.uk
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383

17/09/2026

Noticed your van struggling to start, hesitating, losing power or just not running quite right?

Your fuel filter helps protect the fuel system by trapping dirt and contaminants before they reach components such as the injectors. Over time, it can become restricted and affect how the engine runs.

This one was replaced as part of a full service, but the vehicle had already been experiencing symptoms beforehand.

Don’t automatically wait until your next service to mention a change in how your van is running. Getting it checked earlier can help identify a developing problem before it potentially turns into a bigger and more expensive repair.

Need Craggsy to have a look at your van? Get in touch:
www.craggsautomotive.co.uk
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383

17/09/2026

This is why changes in your brake pedal should never be ignored.

This learner driver’s car came in for its MOT and failed on corroded brake pipes and one that was actually leaking.

When we pulled it into the workshop, the brake pedal was sinking straight to the floor. The car was losing brake fluid and braking was extremely poor.

If your brake pedal feels different, feels unusually soft or starts sinking towards the floor, don’t wait for your next MOT - get it checked.

Need Craggsy to have a look at your car? Get in touch:
www.craggsautomotive.co.uk
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383

15/09/2026

This Skoda Yeti came in with the customer describing 1st, 2nd and reverse as feeling like they were “stirring porridge”.

After removing the gear selector arm from the gearbox turret, we found someone had previously modified the assembly by fitting a nut and bolt through it and that was where the excessive play was coming from.

The new replacement part showed us exactly how it should be: an all-in-one plastic component with its own locating pin.

Need Craggsy to have a look at your car? Get in touch:
www.craggsautomotive.co.uk
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383

12/09/2026

Proud to support these lads!
Cracking performance from Washy Milan today ⚽️

Match day report!

Absolutely fantastic game of football from the boys today! After last weekend the boys had something to prove today and they did just that. Straight from the off we were on top of the opposition dominating every aspect of the game and the lads didn't shy away in front of goal either. With Elih bagging himself 5, Jack with his first goal of the season, Chester with 2 for himself and an absolute worldie of a strike for our new addition Carter for his first for the team! A massive well done to big Hazza today too who unfortunately didnt get on the score line today but did absolutely everything else right bagged a couple of assists and had a couple of great shots on goal that on another day would have taken the net off. That being said credit to dunston who didn't give up and created some excellent chances forcing our very own Virgil van Levi into action and even demanding a few excellent saves from our big man at the back super Stan. Very well done Milan. We'll keep this tempo and energy going into next week!

Player of the game: Chester Jackson. Top class performance from this lad today, grafted up and down the wing, making decisive challenges and creating some fantastic plays. Well done mate!

Parents player of the match: Carter Costellow was absolutely fantastic today. Only his second ever game and already parents player. He put a shift in all game winning the ball at the back and driving on making some excellent chances for us from the wing. Everything we've worked on in training he executed with great finesse. He even got on the score sheet and what an absolute beauty it was what a hit son!

As always a huge thank you to our sponsors and our supporters!
Craggs automotive repair and service
Ashvisualstudio

See you all next week! UP THE MILAN! 🔴⚫🔴⚫

11/09/2026

When an injector starts to fail, you might notice rough running, misfires, loss of power, poor fuel economy, difficulty starting, excessive smoke or an engine warning light.

Injectors deliver a precise amount of fuel into the engine at exactly the right time so it can run smoothly and efficiently.

Sometimes the signs start small but they can quickly become much more noticeable!

Need Craggsy to have a look at your car? Get in touch:
www.craggsautomotive.co.uk
14 Donkin Rd, Armstrong, Washington, NE37 1PF
0191 338 5383