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Our Workshop

Here at Darkside Developments, we have been installing and developing diesel performance parts for over 15 years, establishing ourselves as highly skilled specialists in VAG, BMW / MINI and Porsche diesel engines. We offer a wide range of services, from general servicing and maintenance through to no-expense-spared, high-power performance builds.

Through years of experience working on thousands of customer vehicles, project cars and race cars, we have developed an in-depth understanding of Pumpe Düse (PD) and Common Rail Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engines.

Alongside our customer workshop sits our dedicated race workshop, where we develop, prepare and maintain our own track and race cars. The knowledge gained through motorsport feeds directly back into the parts we develop and the vehicles we work on every day. Our race cars also provide the perfect platform for product testing, allowing us to push components to their limits in demanding conditions.

Darkside Developments Workshop Services

Servicing & Maintenance

Regular servicing and maintenance are essential for any diesel engine, whether it is a 1.6 TDI daily driver or a 400 bhp+ 3.0 TDI performance build.

We offer a wide range of servicing and maintenance options, including engine servicing, gearbox servicing, differential oil changes and transfer box servicing.

As a VAG specialist, we stock Genuine Quantum engine oil in bulk and choose to use Genuine OE filters unless otherwise specified. Our experience with both standard and highly modified vehicles means we understand that servicing requirements can vary considerably depending on how a vehicle has been built, modified and used.

Vehicle Diagnostics & Fault Finding

Diagnostics play a huge role in any specialist workshop, and we have a wide range of diagnostic tools, software and testing equipment available to help us accurately identify and resolve faults.

Our diagnostic software includes VCDS by Ross-Tech, BMW ISTA, BimmerLink and other manufacturer-specific diagnostic systems. Depending on the fault, we may also use equipment and procedures such as smoke leak detection, compression testing, pressure testing, data logging and further mechanical inspection.

Our experience with heavily modified vehicles is particularly valuable when diagnosing faults, as problems are not always as straightforward as those found on a completely standard vehicle.

Performance Upgrades

Darkside Developments has been built around diesel performance tuning — it runs through our veins.
Through countless hours of research, development and testing, we have created an extensive range of performance upgrades covering everything from intercoolers, induction kits, fuelling upgrades and exhaust systems through to complete big turbocharger kits.

Darkside Developments parts can be professionally installed in our workshop, but we do not stop at products manufactured by us. There is a huge range of high-quality aftermarket parts available, and over the years we have developed strong relationships with some of the biggest brands in the performance automotive industry.

Popular brands we supply and fit include BC Racing, Powerflex, Bilstein, Ramair and many more, with an extensive selection available through our website.

Darkside supplies and fits:

  • Intercoolers
  • Radiators
  • Air intake and induction kits
  • Coilovers
  • Lowering springs
  • Exhaust systems
  • Suspension bushes
  • GTB turbo kits
  • Bolt-on turbo upgrades
  • Injector and fuel pump upgrades
  • Performance camshafts
  • Race flywheel and clutch kits
  • LSDs (Limited-Slip Differentials)

Engine & Drivetrain Work

Although Darkside is primarily known for performance upgrades, we also carry out a wide range of more conventional workshop repairs and maintenance.

This can include OE replacement components, gaskets, timing chains, clutches, flywheels and other engine and drivetrain repairs.

Many of the vehicles we work on require an extra level of attention to detail, particularly when they have been modified or when previous work has altered them from their original factory specification. This is where the technical knowledge, specialist tooling and experience we have built up over the years become especially valuable.

We are firm believers in doing a job properly the first time. That attention to detail is a key part of the specialist workshop service we aim to provide.

Specialist VAG, BMW / MINI & Porsche Diesel Knowledge

Throughout the history of Darkside Developments, we have learned a lot.

By testing prototype products on our own project cars, race cars and off-road builds, we have identified weak points, common failures and factory limitations so our customers do not have to discover them the hard way.

That experience also plays an important role when diagnosing customer vehicles. When a car arrives in our workshop with a familiar problem, there is a good chance we have encountered something similar before. Our previous experience allows us to diagnose issues more efficiently and understand the underlying cause rather than simply replacing parts.

We have been working with these vehicles for more than 15 years, with thousands of cars passing through our workshop during that time. Every vehicle gives us the opportunity to learn something new.
Darkside does not simply work on cars; we aim to understand them in as much detail as possible so we can continue improving the services and products we offer our customers.

That approach has helped us build a growing customer base and an increasing number of five-star Google reviews, but we are always looking for ways to improve. We will never stop developing, testing and innovating.

Workshop Equipment & Facilities

To operate as a specialist performance workshop, having the right equipment and facilities is essential.
Our customer workshop currently houses four two-post Rotary vehicle lifts, allowing our technicians to work on multiple vehicles simultaneously while maintaining a dedicated workspace for each job.

Our workshop facilities and equipment include:

Darkside DPF / OPF Cleaning Service for all Vehicles including Commercial / Agricultural Vehicles

The combination of specialist equipment and experienced technicians allows us to tackle jobs ranging from routine servicing through to complex fault finding and heavily modified performance builds.

More Than a Workshop

At first glance, Darkside Developments may appear to be a conventional commercial workshop, but there is considerably more happening behind the scenes.

With a team of more than 60 members of staff across multiple departments, we are able to combine knowledge and experience from our workshop, engineering, fabrication, product development, motorsport and parts departments.

For example, if a vehicle arrives in our workshop with a factory component that has a known weakness, replacing it with another identical component may only delay the same problem from happening again.

Where appropriate, our engineering and fabrication teams can investigate the failure, design an improved solution, manufacture a prototype and test the new component.

This process is regularly used with our own project cars. We identify a factory limitation or weak point, develop a solution, manufacture it in-house and put it through real-world testing. If successful, that development can eventually become a product available to our customers.

This connection between our departments is one of the biggest advantages of having development, manufacturing, workshop facilities and motorsport operations under one roof.

Our Race Workshop

In 2023, we made a major change to our facility by relocating our dispatch department across the yard to Unit 5. Take a look at the big move below.

This freed up the space required to create a dedicated race workshop for our Audi TTs and long-term development projects, including the Amarok V12 TDI Single Cab.

Maintaining, developing and building these vehicles is almost a full-time job in itself.

Our race workshop is primarily used for Darkside's own competition and development vehicles and is not currently offered as a general public race-car preparation service. However, we have carried out specialist work on selected competition vehicles when the job falls within our area of expertise.

One example is this Leon TCR, which came to us for a DSG gearbox replacement after losing fifth gear.

Building & Preparing Our Own Race Cars

As active competitors in the 750 Motor Club Roadsports and ClubEnduro championships, we are constantly working to keep our race cars prepared, reliable and ready to compete.

Race preparation goes far beyond routine maintenance. We are continually looking for ways to improve the cars, whether that involves aerodynamic development, reliability upgrades, improved power delivery, braking, cooling, suspension, safety equipment or other areas of vehicle performance.

Every race meeting also gives us another opportunity to evaluate the car, identify areas for improvement and feed that information back into our development process.

Testing Parts Under Race Conditions

A large proportion of the components fitted to our Audi TTs have been designed, developed or fabricated in-house.

Before using newly developed products in competition, we carry out extensive testing, including track days where components can be exposed to sustained loads and temperatures that would be difficult — and often impossible — to reproduce safely on the public road.

Motorsport gives us the opportunity to push our products much closer to their limits and understand how they perform when subjected to demanding conditions for extended periods.

What We Learn on Track Comes Back to the Workshop

Testing teaches us a huge amount about the components we develop.

A vehicle cannot safely be pushed on the road in the same way that it can be driven on a closed circuit. Track use allows us to evaluate components under high temperatures, prolonged engine load, repeated braking, high cornering forces and other demanding conditions.

If a failure occurs, we do not simply replace the component and move on. We review the design, materials, manufacturing process and operating conditions to understand why it happened and make the necessary improvements.

We also receive constant feedback from our race team and drivers. If something does not feel right — even in the slightest — we investigate it.

This mindset has contributed to many of our motorsport successes and, without the knowledge, innovation and support of the entire Darkside team, the company would not be where it is today.
The lessons learned in the race workshop do not stay there. They feed directly back into our engineering, fabrication, product development and customer workshop departments.

Watch how we design and develop and new 316L Stainless Steel 3D printed exhaust manifold for our Audi TT after experiencing multiple gasket failures.

Our Workshop Process

Bookings into our workshop are handled by our customer service team via email.

Before your appointment, the team can discuss your goals, help you choose the appropriate parts and advise on the work required for your vehicle.

Once the required work and appointment date have been agreed, we take a deposit to secure your booking.

On the day of your appointment, you will be greeted by a member of our team, who will confirm the details of the booking before the vehicle is passed over to our workshop technicians.

Before beginning the booked work, our technicians carry out a basic vehicle inspection.

This includes checks covering:

  • Fluid levels
  • Lights
  • Visibility
  • Vehicle controls
  • Chassis and suspension
  • Brakes
  • Exterior condition
  • Tyre pressures
  • Tyre tread depth

If anything requiring attention is identified, we will let you know as soon as possible. Where appropriate, this may give us the opportunity to source the required parts and rectify the issue while the vehicle is already with us, subject to receiving approval from the vehicle owner.

Once the work has been completed, we will meet you back in reception, where you will receive a breakdown of the work carried out along with the results of your vehicle health check.

Frequently Asked Questions

What vehicles do Darkside Developments work on?

This is one of the questions we are asked most frequently.

Darkside specialises primarily in diesel-powered Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Škoda, BMW, MINI and Porsche vehicles.

It is relatively rare for us to work on petrol vehicles. However, where parts have been supplied by Darkside Developments, we may be able to offer installation depending on the vehicle and work involved.

Can you fit Darkside performance parts at your workshop?

Yes. We supply and fit a wide range of Darkside Developments performance parts from our workshop, as well as selected products from other manufacturers available through our website.

Do you fit parts from other manufacturers?

We generally only fit components that have been purchased directly from Darkside Developments. This can also include other branded products, not just Darkside.

This allows us to ensure that the parts supplied are suitable for the vehicle and gives us greater control over the products being installed.

Can you build complete performance cars?

Yes. We have featured a number of complete vehicle builds through our YouTube channel and social media.

Some customers want to achieve the maximum practical performance from their vehicle, and we are happy to discuss larger builds where the vehicle and project are suitable.

We generally avoid taking on incomplete projects, poorly documented previous builds or vehicles that require extensive unrelated repairs before performance work can begin.

Where is the Darkside Developments workshop?

Darkside Developments is located in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

Unit 1 Carbon Court
Springvale Road
Park Springs
Barnsley
S72 7FF

How do I book my vehicle into the workshop?

Workshop bookings are handled via email.

To enquire about booking your vehicle in, please contact us through the contact form on our website or email sales@darksidedevelopments.co.uk with details of your vehicle and the work you would like us to carry out.

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