Play It Safe with a Pre-Purchase Vehicle Inspection

Buying a car is a big purchase, so before you hand over your hard-earned cash make sure you know exactly what you’re paying for. Every used car comes with its own unique history so it’s important to do some homework before making a commitment to it. Don’t buy someone else’s problems – organise an auto pre-purchase inspection before signing any dotted lines.

If you don’t know enough about cars to tell a distributor cap from a wheel nut, getting a qualified mechanic to cast an expert eye over your intended purchase can save you both time and money. The team at Browns Plains auto shop Steve Sorensen Mechanical can assist with an auto pre-purchase inspection. Our qualified mechanics will go over the vehicle with a ‘fine tooth comb’, checking everything from the interior and body, right through to conducting a full mechanical inspection.

So why is it so important to arrange an auto pre-purchase inspection? Many vehicles are damaged in accidents, repaired and re-sold to unsuspecting buyers. While a car may look near-perfect to the untrained eye, only an expert inspection will detect often hard-to-miss structural and mechanical damage.

At Steve Sorensen Mechanical, our professional mechanics will look for things such as:

·         body repairs and rust

·         the condition of oil and water including any leaks

·         checking for a blown head gasket

·         smoke, noise and wear

·         the condition of the timing belt and water pump

·         functional safety feature warning lights

·         the electrical system

·         brake performance

·         the condition of tyres, locks and glass.

We’ll also perform a general under-car and under-bonnet visual inspection. Any faults picked up during the inspection can even give the buyer extra bargaining power to lower the sale price. If there a faults that are too costly or compromise the vehicle’s safety, the buyer can avoid the purchase and save a great deal of money and heartache.

An auto pre-purchase inspection is the only way to truly have confidence and peace of mind that the car you intend to buy is roadworthy and safe to drive. Whether buying privately or through a dealership, it always pays to organise an auto pre-purchase inspection to ensure you’re not unwillingly getting behind the wheel of a lemon and putting you or your family’s life at risk. Trust our Browns Plains auto shop team at Steve Sorensen Mechanical to help you with your next used car inspection.

The key to keeping Your Transmission Fine-Tuned

It’s one of the most critical parts of a vehicle, yet the transmission is often one of the most neglected. A car’s transmission is highly complicated and requires just as much care and attention as any other vehicle component. All those gears, bearings and actuators have the task of moving the weight of your vehicle at varying speeds in all kinds of environments. This puts tremendous stress on the lubricating fluids and also generates a large amount of heat due to all the friction. Transmission fluid is designed to absorb this heat, however over time it loses the ability to do this effectively. If left unchecked, the transmission can begin to wear and eventually fail, spelling disaster for you and your wallet.

Both manual and automatic transmissions require regular inspections to prolong their life. Browns Plains auto shop Steve Sorensen Mechanical offers both a manual and automatic transmission service, and manual and automatic transmission repair.

The leading problem with automatic transmission failure is fluid breakdown due to overheating. Many transmissions fail long before they realise their potential life expectancy because of heat. Fluid can also become contaminated with worn bits of the transmission and if these particles aren’t drained out, they will shorten the life of the transmission. In a manual transmission, it’s less about fluid degradation and more about fluid contamination. This contamination is the main culprit of transmission failure in a manual.

Without a regular manual or automatic transmission service where the fluid is changed on schedule, you will be lubricating your transmission with metal shavings and other nasty contaminants. Unfortunately, you may not hear any noises or have other clues that your transmission is low on fluid until it’s too late.

There are several other factors which can decrease the life of your transmission. Firstly, it’s recommended that you do not drive your vehicle before the engine is warm, especially during the winter months. It is important to let the fluid inside your transmission warm up to operating temperature (usually takes about 30 seconds). Secondly, rocking your vehicle when stuck can make your car’s transmission heat up quickly and can damage internal parts. Finally, shifting into reverse while your vehicle is still moving forward can grind the gears in your transmission, causing damage.

The team at Browns Plains auto shop Steve Sorensen Mechanical is well trained in manual and automatic transmission services. They can also assist with manual and automatic transmission repair if you’ve unfortunately left maintenance of your transmission too late! Talk to the qualified mechanics and let them help you get the best out of your vehicle today and well into the future.