What does a minor car service include?

A minor car service doesn’t cost much money, but it is a necessary part of maintaining your vehicle and keeping everyone safe. Regular services are also a good way to pick up any problems early, before they end up costing you a lot of money to fix at your auto service centre.

Some people think that they can skip the minor car services and just have the major ones, but that doesn’t work, because by the time your major service is due, your car is already in trouble (because your skipped the minor services).

You really do need to book your car into your local auto service centre for regular services and to show the importance of them, let’s take a look at what one of these minor services involves.

• Your engine oil is drained and replaced with new, clean oil so that your car runs more efficiently.

• The oil filter is also replaced, so that your engine runs more smoothly.

• All of the fluids are flushed and changed – these include the clutch, transmission, power steering, brake and coolant fluids.

• Your battery is tested to make sure that it holds its charge and is unlikely to need replacing before your next service.

• Your car is given a full safety inspection, to pick up anything that needs replacing or fixing, either now or in the near future.

• A drive test is performed, to make sure that nothing has been missed that could endanger you, your family or anyone else on the road.

• All of the remaining filters (air, fuel and pollen) are inspected to make sure that they don’t need to be replaced.

• The gear box oil, transfer case and diff oil are checked as well.

• Your wiper blades are inspected to make sure that they don’t need to be replaced.

As you can see, a minor car service covers a lot of territory and helps to make sure that your car is always safe. It also helps to prevent unexpected problems occurring out of the blue, which might cost you a lot of money if they were simply ignored and left too long before being repaired.

So make sure to book your car into your local auto service centre for regular services and avoid costly repair jobs in the future.

What does a major car service involve?

Let’s face it, most of us dread having to book our vehicle in for a major car service because of the time involved and the money it is going to cost. So we keep postponing the inevitable and think that we will make the call next month or next payday.

The problem with this approach is that we can end up requiring a major car repair service instead of a major car service, which will cost us a lot more than the service. The answer is clearly that we need to keep up with our services to prevent something even more expensive happening with our car.

So what does a major car service actually include? Because your car doesn’t look any different after you have just spent a couple of hundred dollars on it! Well there are quite a few things that need to be changed, flushed or inspected when you book in for a major service.

• Engine oil: Your old, black dirty oil is replaced with new, clean oil, which makes your engine run more efficiently and smoothly.

• Filters: The oil, air, fuel and pollen filters are all replaced, making your car run more effectively.

• Spark plugs: Your spark plugs are replaced to maximise your fuel economy.

• Brakes: Your brakes are inspected, cleaned and adjusted if necessary.

• Flush and change: The transmission, clutch, brake, power steering and coolant fluids are all flushed and replaced, increasing the efficiency of your car.
    

• Road test: All major car services include a road test, to pick up any problems that can’t be detected easily just by inspecting the engine and which might need to be fixed now or at a later date.

• Safety inspection: A full safety inspection is performed so that you can have complete confidence in your car.

• Battery test: This makes sure that your battery is still charging correctly and that it shouldn’t need replacing any time soon.

• Checks: On top of all this, the gear box, transfer case and diff oil are all checked, as are the wiper blades and all of your bulbs.

As you can see, major car services prevent you from spending money on a major car repair service, so it really pays to make the effort and book your car into your local mechanic’s shop for regular services.

7 Reasons Your Vehicle Needs a Car Brake Service

It doesn’t matter whether you drive to work every day or only use your car on weekends, for the safety of yourself, your family and everyone else on the road, you need your brakes to work perfectly. The problem is that when your brakes start to wear down, it can happen very slowly and you just don’t realise that a problem exists until you can’t stop your vehicle or you hear screeching from your brakes.

That’s why a regular car brake service is so important, because it can catch early warning signs, before they become catastrophic and you end up paying thousands of dollars for brake and clutch repairs. Neglecting your brakes, ignoring warning signs and not having regular services will only end up costing you a lot more money and possibly heartache in the future.

So having regular services, as well as car brake services is just common sense. One of the obvious signs that your brakes need attention is a screeching noise when you depress the brake pedal. This screeching noise means that that your brake pads are wearing down and there is not much left, so you need to replace them fast.

It’s important to note that just because you haven’t heard any screeching from your brakes, if you find that it takes longer to stop your vehicle or you have to increase the pressure on your brake pedal to actually stop your car, then you really need to book in for a car brake service before it is too late and your brakes fail.

Here are 7 signs that you need to book in for a car brake service soon:


1. Your brakes fail and the car does not stop.
2. Grinding noises when you depress the brakes.
3. Your steering wheel vibrates when you depress the brakes.
4. It takes longer to stop than normal.
5. Your car pulls to the left or right when braking.
6. Your handbrake is slow to work.
7. You have to depress the brake pedal harder.

If you don’t have regular car brake services, then you can end up paying thousands of dollars for brake and clutch repairs, so it pays to be vigilant and don’t ignore any warning signs that your brakes need attention.

How to Choose Experienced Vehicle Maintenance Services

All of us at some time or another need an experienced vehicle maintenance service centre, to either service our car, organise a pre purchase inspection or to perform diagnostics and mechanical repairs. Finding someone who is both experienced and reliable and also doesn’t charge too much, can be a difficult task sometimes.

So to make your search easier, here are a few tips on finding an experienced vehicle maintenance service in your area:

• Ask your friends and relatives: The easiest way to locate a good auto shop is to ask people you know for their recommendations. This can include your family and friends, as well as your work colleges and neighbours.

• Search online: If you have a collection of recommendations from people you know, then do a quick search online and check out their websites. Most vehicle maintenance services will have a website, making it easy to check out their services and their location.

• Visit the auto shop: If you have the time it is always best to actually visit the auto shop and ask them about the work you need performed. For example, if you want a pre purchase inspection or an auto brake service, then you can ask them to explain what is involved, face-to-face, which gives you a better idea of their experience and knowledge.

• Clear explanations:  If the mechanic explains himself well and is happy to answer all of your questions, this will give you more confidence in their ability. Someone who is too busy or reluctant to talk with you about your needs, may not bother to do a good job, so being friendly and accommodating is a good sign.

• Listen to you: Does the person at the vehicle maintenance service centre actually listen to what you have to say or do they ignore your thoughts and just talk right over you? If they listen, this usually means that they will do what you ask them to do, such as to contact you if the repairs come to more than $200 for example. If they don’t listen to you while you are simply talking, they might not listen to your instructions and you might end up with a much higher bill than you anticipated.

These are just a few tips that will hopefully help you find a reliable vehicle maintenance service centre in your area.

Three reasons to take your car to Steve Sorensen Mechanical for major car services in Logan QLD

When you own a vehicle, you want a mechanic who is reliable, so you can to turn to them for all of your major car services in Logan, Qld. So you will be happy to know that one of the most long standing, auto service centres in Browns Plains is Steve Sorensen Mechanical, who has been in the trade for more than twenty years.


At Steve Sorensen Mechanical you will receive a professional service by mechanics with a wealth of experience - they are very good at tracking down the source of complex and frustrating car problems. The problem is that you have so much money invested in your car, you cannot afford to go to the wrong mechanic, one who overcharges you and does a below par job – costing you even more money in the long run.

Book in at Steve Sorensen Mechanical for a major car service in Logan, Qld

Steve Sorensen Mechanical has a strong reputation within the local community, for being extremely professional and for providing high quality work at very reasonable prices. If that doesn’t convince you that this is the auto service centre for your car then let’s take a closer look at why Steve Sorensen Mechanical is the right service centre for your next major service in Logan Qld.

• High quality work: All of the mechanics at Steve Sorensen Mechanical are fully qualified and highly experienced in all types of automotive repairs and servicing. They are so confident that they guarantee all of their work and if you are not satisfied (very unlikely), just have a chat with them and they will make sure that you go home happy. 

• Competitively Priced: All of their prices are very reasonable and compare well with other service centres. You won’t be charged over the odds at Steve Sorensen Mechanical and you will be very happy with their high quality work.

• Range of services: Whatever you need, you can find at Steve Sorensen Mechanical, from brake services, to log book car services, pre purchase inspections, all types of repairs and major car services in Logan, Qld.

So be sure to give them a call and book in at Steve Sorensen Mechanical for your next major car service in Logan Qld.

Does a vehicle maintenance service by my local mechanic void the warranty?

When you buy a new vehicle, the dealer will most probably recommend that you have all of your auto services performed by their dealership. This is because car dealerships make a lot of money from their vehicle maintenance services and repairs.

The problem is that in most cases, items like pre purchase inspections and vehicle maintenance services will cost you much more in a dealership than at an independent mechanical shop. Dealerships however, allow you to think that you will void your warranty if you do not use their services.

In part this is true, but only if you don’t go to a reputable mechanic and follow certain conditions laid down by the Federal Government. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have clearly stated that your warranty will not be voided if you go to an independent mechanic for your vehicle maintenance services – if the following three conditions are met:

• The person who performs the service on your car must be a qualified mechanic. Unless you are also a mechanic, if you perform your own services, then you will void your warranty. Otherwise, a qualified mechanic is legally allowed to perform vehicle maintenance services on your car without voiding the warranty. 

• You need to have all of the services performed to the manufacturer’s specifications. This means that all of your vehicle maintenance services must be performed at the stated times and intervals or else your warranty will be void.

• You need to use the appropriate parts for your vehicle. This is simply common sense, but some people are under the belief that you have to use genuine parts, but this is not a condition of the warranty. The parts must just be fit for the purpose – they must be designed to do the job and meet or exceed the manufacture’s standards.

So next time you buy a new car, make sure that you have a pre purchase inspection and then if you decide to buy, don’t be hoodwinked into paying out much more than you need to the dealership. Check out your local auto mechanic shops and find a reliable mechanic to perform all your services and save yourself a lot of your hard earned money.

Where can I get a Major Car Service in Logan Qld?

If you are looking for a reliable and honest mechanic’s workshop, where you can book in for a major car service in Logan, Qld then check out Steve Sorensen Mechanical in Browns Plains.

At Steve Sorensen Mechanical you will find highly experienced mechanics who have spent years in the industry, honing their skills. They not only perform vehicle services, but also brake and clutch repairs, road worthy certificates, and repairs to automatic transmissions, radiators, steering and suspension and much more. They also have a nice clean and modern workshop and an extensive array of diagnostic equipment.

Major Car Service in Logan, Qld

The major service includes an oil change including a new oil filter, all necessary fluids are checked and topped up, the battery is tested, and a full safety inspection and a road test are performed. Also included in the major service are new spark plugs, a check on the tuning of your engine, and your brakes are inspected, cleaned and adjusted as needed.

At the completion of a major car service at Steve Sorensen Mechanical, they will let you know about anything further that needs to be checked, repaired or replaced. That’s because they are very safety conscious, so if they notice anything that needs to be performed to keep your vehicle safe and prevent further deterioration, they will let you know.

Car Service for Log Books in Logan, Qld

You can also have a log book car service performed at Steve Sorensen Mechanical which is carried out to the manufacturer’s specifications and in no way compromises your warranty. Mechanics can legally perform log book car services, so long as they adhere to the specifications laid down by the manufacturer. At Steve Sorensen they use parts and lubricants that meet or exceed OEM standards, so you have no worries about violating your warranty.

So if you are looking for an experienced mechanic who can perform major car services in Logan, Qld as well as car services for log books, then give Steve Sorensen Mechanical a call on 07 3809 2711 or complete their online enquiry form.