Frequently Asked Questions

​Essentially, it’s a vehicle health check that determines how safe your car is to drive. It identifies any repairs that might be required in order to return it to peak working condition.​

​It depends on the type of service you require. We offer Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum service options.

Our entry-level Bronze service includes the checking of lights, electrical systems, visibility, engine, brakes, steering, suspension, drive system, exhaust, tyres and wheels. Among other things, and where applicable, we’ll also top-up your car’s windscreen washer reservoir, drain its engine oil and provide a fresh refill and replace its oil filter.

Each service level adds more features, culminating with our top-tier Platinum service, which covers all bases.

It can take up to three hours, particularly if you choose a Platinum service because more aspects are checked.​

It depends on the make and model you own and how you drive it. In general, we suggest a full car service every 12 months (or 12,000 miles). Your user manual should provide you with recommended servicing intervals. Alternatively, please feel free to contact us for advice.​​

Our prices start at £49 (air conditioning service).​

Correct tyre pressure is dependent on the vehicle and its tyre(s). Please refer to your owner’s handbook or look for a bodywork sticker (typically this can be spotted whenever the driver’s door is opened). The relevant information will outline correct pressure based on a variety of loadings (two occupants, three occupants, etc.) – pick the one that best applies to your typical (or average) load.

Tyres are your car’s only point of contact with the road, so it’s important to ensure that they’re checked on a regular basis (once a month should be more than sufficient).

We’ll be happy to do this for you but if you prefer to do it yourself you can do so with a tyre pump or pressure gauge (or at a petrol station that has a pressure gauge).

It’s an annual test which is compulsory for the vast majority of vehicles that are more than three years old. It establishes the roadworthiness of a vehicle.​​

All aspects relating to safety (brakes, seatbelts, windscreen wipers, mirrors, lights, fuel system, exhaust, etc.). If applicable, exhaust emissions are tested too – if these are found to be too high, your vehicle will fail its MOT.​

Our MOTs start as low as £15. ​

Approximately 45 minutes to one hour. You’re more than welcome to wait in our reception area while it takes place – or leave your car with us and return to pick it up when it’s ready.​

It’s illegal to drive or park a vehicle on the road if its MOT has expired. If caught, you could be prosecuted. However, it’s permissible to drive a vehicle with an expired MOT to or from a repair site, or to a pre-arranged MOT test site. ​

Motability is a nationwide scheme that allows a disabled person with a qualifying mobility allowance to lease a brand-new car.​​

It enables a person with a mobility issue to exchange their qualifying disability allowance for a new car – and enjoy a range of additional benefits. These include adaptations which make the car easier to access and drive (many of these are offered free of charge), inclusive insurance, servicing, Roadside Assistance and much more.​​

If you receive one of the following allowances (and it’s valid for at least 12 months), you can apply for Motability:

• Higher rate mobility part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Higher rate mobility part of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)

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We offer the new Fiat 500, 500 Electric, 500c, 500c Electric and Panda as part of Motability.​

Applying for a Motability car is simple. You can do so online by clicking here.​

Full details concerning mobility allowance eligibility and how to claim can be found here:

• PIP
• DLA
• WPMS
• AFIP

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There are many things to consider, including:

• V5C registration (without it, you won’t be able to tax the car) – this needs to be genuine, un-doctored and it must match the vehicle’s number plates. Furthermore, the vehicle identification number (VIN), engine number and colour should correspond with the V5C document
• Mileage – does the stated mileage seem right to you? You can verify mileage with service records, MOT certificates, etc.
• Tyres – are they in good condition, and do they feature a minimum 3mm tread depth?
• Lights – all warning lights should function correctly

The above are just a tiny set of examples of the things you should check when buying a second-hand vehicle.

Here at BS Marson, we take all the hassle out of choosing a used car because all of our pre-owned vehicles are fully inspected and tested by our highly qualified technicians.​

It very much depends on the seller. Here at BS Marson, we’re extremely particular about the used cars we sell. This is why we comprehensively test every pre-owned vehicle before judging whether or not it's suitable for selling. We issue a minimum three-month five-star (and multi-award-winning) warranty with all of our used cars – and provide the option to purchase an affordable 12, 24 or 36-month extended warranty.​​

The rule of thumb is to divide the quoted mileage by the number of years the car’s been on the road. Any figure exceeding 7,500 can be considered high – therefore, anything lower can be considered good.​

The majority of our used cars are available with Personal Contract Purchase financing. This provides you with continuous use of a car of your choice by paying affordable monthly payments over an agreed term. Rather than opt to pay the final ‘balloon’ payment (and therefore keep the car), you can choose to hand the vehicle back – and walk away, with nothing more to pay.​​

Lower-spec cars with small (less powerful) engines are typically the most affordable kinds of vehicle to insure.​

Broadly speaking, February and August are good times because they precede the months during which new number plates are released. This is when the clearing out of older stock tends to occur.

There are other things to consider. For instance, a cabriolet is less desirable during the winter months, which means it’s likely to be at its most affordable.