The Pit Lane Garage

26/08/2026

Great little tool for removing stuck injector washers. We’ve never had one so bad. We must be lucky!

18/08/2026

Whatever happens in the UK is soon copied by our own Legislators. Detection of Emissions System Tampering and penalties for same are coming.

🛑Unlimited fines for deferred maintenance and 'deletes'? The DfT is coming for Euro 5 and Euro 6 emissions loopholes.🛑

Yes, the DfT, United Kingdom has opened a major consultation to close a longstanding loophole around in-use vehicle emissions, and the implications for workshops could be massive.

Under current rules (Regulation 61A), ongoing emissions compliance only legally extends to Euro 4 for light vehicles and Euro V for heavy-duty. That means there has been no statutory mechanism under Construction & Use requiring owners to maintain emissions hardware on Euro 5, Euro 6, or Euro VI vehicles once on the road.

The DfT plans to update Regulation 61A using powers under the Road Traffic Act 1988, introducing penalties ranging from £1,000 up to unlimited fines.

What workshops need to know:

👉 The proposed framework makes no distinction between deferred maintenance and deliberate tampering, nor between physical hardware deletes and ECU software remaps.

👉👉DPF gutting/removal, catalytic converter removal, AdBlue/SCR bypasses, and EGR blanking are explicitly classed as unlawful.

👉👉👉The DVSA Market Surveillance Unit will be empowered to target outfits supplying delete files or bypass hardware. While type-approved aftermarket components remain fully lawful, fitting non-compliant parts leaves workshops exposed to prosecution.

👉👉👉👉Legislation is targeted for summer 2027, followed by a six-month transition period before active enforcement begins.

The consultation (In-use emissions of road vehicles: regulating environmental impacts) is open for industry responses until 11:59pm on 6 September 2026.

📲 Download the FREE Garage Matters App to read the full breakdown.

🤔 So, how often do you encounter tampered or deleted emissions systems on the ramp, and will this finally level the playing field against rogue operators? Share your thoughts below.

17/08/2026

Our new ramp on its first revenue flight.

As big an upgrade as it is, the most important cogs in this machine are the skilled people who show up every day, do an honest day’s work and deliver excellent quality.

We’re delighted to welcome a new technician to the team today and look forward to integrating him into our culture of quality over quantity.

This is a significant increase in our capacity, but it isn’t primarily about taking on more and more cars. It’s about giving more ramp time to our existing customer base — reducing waiting times and, importantly, allowing us to carry out more recommended repairs while your car is already with us, rather than asking you to return again before an NCT or take more time out of your busy schedule.

17/08/2026

Ramp Number 4 Now commissioned just in time for a big upgrade at the garage. I think it’s time to paint the last bit of the floor.

12/08/2026

Workshop Walthrough Wednesday. New Lift has landed, the daily mix of work is loaded and we’re off to refuel and smash the afternoon.

12/08/2026

Quality outcomes rely on quality inputs. This snapshot of part of our parts pre-pick area highlights the attention we pay to the components we fit to your car. Our default setting is quality first and that even extends to the premium oil and filters included in our fixed price services. From our pre pick process (Right here, Right Now) to our sourcing from local and international suppliers, our parts process is built different to better serve you. It’s in our DNA

11/08/2026

The German Manufacturers sure do make a good sports coupe This i8 made its first visit today and we had great fun getting it onto a 2 post ramp and digging our way to the engine for a service. The owner is a legend who supports us with all of his cars, passing many competent garages between his home in Dublin and here.

10/08/2026

Great feedback we received today from a local lady. As you’ll see, our Vehicle Inspection System puts you in control of the visit and your car’s welfare. In turn it allows you to get on top of issues and plan the route to a full bill of health without breaking the bank.

10/08/2026

My birthday present to myself today was this lovely scissors ramp which will arrive this week. It’s one of the smaller parts of a huge investment we’re making this month to better serve our many loyal and long term customers, your families and friends who you continue to refer to us. We’ll continue to grow and adapt. We’ll continue to keep quality, transparency, and communication at the forefront of what we do. I hope you’ll continue to support my team as we go.

07/08/2026

We’re quiet lately on social media because we’re extremely busy doing the real work. Here’s a quick shot I took today of two cars “plugged in”. I call this piece “Progress” . But which direction are vehicles progressing?