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.

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.

Expert Auto Repairs: Car Brake Service

Vehicle maintenance services, in particular car brake services, are essential to keeping ourselves, our families and everyone else on the road safe. Too often however, people either forget about having their vehicle serviced or just keep putting it off until a more convenient time.

We all need to find the right balance in life between being too busy and getting things done. It can be hard, especially if you are doing it tough, but sometimes there is no other way than to bite the bullet and book in for a vehicle maintenance service. You know it is the right thing to do, especially if you are due for a car brake service.

CAR BRAKE SERVICE

So how do you know that you need a car brake service? Well one of the best ways is to ask your mechanic – he or she can tell you how often you should have your brakes checked. Failing that, here are 5 reasons why you should definitely book your car in for a car brake service:

• Noisy brakes – this can indicate worn brake pads or linings and you need to have them checked before the situation deteriorates to the point where you need major work done on your brakes.

• Brake pedal sticks – if your brake pedal stays down when you put your foot on it or it is slow to release there may be a problem with the master cylinder – get it checked.

• Vibrations – if your car or steering wheel starts to vibrate when you depress the brake, then it could be a whole host of problems – book it in for a service.

• Pulling to one side – if your car pulls to one side when you depress the brakes you might just need a wheel alignment, but it could also be a problem with the calipers – call your mechanic and get it checked.

• Locked up brakes – if your brakes lock when you depress the pedal, you might just have some grease or oil on the linings which can be easily fixed. Sometimes it can indicate something more sinister is wrong – so book it in for a check-up.

As you can see, there are many indications that something is going wrong before the point of no return. It’s important to not only your wallet that pick up on these signs, but it’s also vital to avoid serious accidents and injuries in the case of your brakes failing. So make sure to book in for a car brake service and head off any major costly in the future.

Call Steve Sorensen Mechanical in Browns Plains on 07 3809 2711 for all your vehicle maintenance services.

The Beginner’s Guide to a Car Brake Service

At Steve Sorensen Mechanical, our clients ask us a lot of good questions. But there tends to be three common themes – leaks, weird noises and brakes. And it is the third topic we are going to take a look at today. Specifically – a car brake service or an auto brake service.

A car brake service comes under the umbrella of vehicle maintenance services and can also be part of a good pre purchase inspection.

So let’s talk about the common brake jobs we do here at Sorensen’s:

 Replacing brake pads: This is a quick job and many people try this at home. The problem with just replacing the pads is that this can be only half of the problem. That squealing you hear when you put your foot on the brake can be caused by a combination of worm brake pads and rotors. So just replacing the pads might not fix the problem.

 Replacing brake pads and rotors: The brake pads are seated on the rotors and depending on how worn they are, they may also need to be replaced. But sometimes they are too worn and they just have to be replaced as part of your auto brake service.

If you leave it too long to replace your brakes, then they will eventually fail. Here are 5 signs you need a car brake service:

 Your brake light comes on! But quite often this is only for the front brakes – so if your back brakes are the problem you the break light won’t tell you this.

 You are taking longer to stop than usual.

 Your brake pads are less than 6mm thick – you might need to remove the tyre to see this. Check both the inside and the outside pads for wear.

 At first you will hear a high pitched squeal when you touch the brakes, but as they continue to wear you will hear a grinding sound.

 Your car pulls left or right when driving or braking. This could indicate a problem with the brake system, the tyres or your suspension. Best to have an auto brake service to find out for sure.

So give a call for all your pre purchase inspections and vehicle maintenance services or if you think you need a car brake service.

Please Call us on 07 3809 2711, fill in our online enquiry form or drop in for a chat at Unit 1/7 St Jude Court, Browns Plains, QLD 4118.

Minor or Major Diagnostics, We Can Handle It All

One of the most difficult things to have done to your vehicle is to have it diagnosed for issues. It can be disconcerting when you don't have full trust in the mechanic that you are using. This is why it is very important to choose a mechanic who has many years of experience, a dedicated team of employees, and believes that a happy customer is vital to the success of the business.

When you are looking for vehicle diagnostics and vehicle maintenance services, visit Steve Sorenson Mechanical that is located in Browns Plains. Today's vehicles are using more and more sensors and computers to actually run the car. This means that diagnosing it can be difficult if you aren't using the right equipment. Luckily, the most up to date equipment is being used at Steve Sorenson Mechanical. They have the ability to use top of the line tools to scan your system quickly to determine what the issues may be. Their expert team of technicians often undergo updated training so that they are aware of the latest technology that can benefit your car. 

Vehicle repairs and servicing can range from the minor, such as brakes, to the major, such as timing belt replacement. You can be confident that your vehicle is going to be quickly diagnosed and then successfully repaired. Some mechanics will play the "it could be this or it could be that" game. They will start diagnosing your car based on process of elimination. This can get very costly for the customer and it doesn't instill confidence. Allow Steve Sorenson Mechanical to handle your car's needs the first time around. While you are waiting for your vehicle to be done you can take advantage of the coffee and tea that is available in the air conditioned waiting room. 

You will be able to first get an estimate of the work that needs to be done so that there are no surprises. They are open Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm and are located at Unit 1, 7 St Jude Court Browns Plains QLD 4118. They may be reached by phone at (07) 3809 2711. 

Let the experts diagnose your car right, the first time, and get you in and out quickly. 

Maintenance Services That Your Vehicle Needs

As a vehicle owner, it is important to take your car in for the proper vehicle repairs and servicing. If you fail to maintain your vehicle, you face an increased risk of running into car trouble, and the potential for large auto repair bills. With that, here are a few such services that you should consider having regularly performed on your vehicle. The recommended amount of time to wait to take your car in for these vehicle maintenance services can vary, so pay close attention to your car manual.

The first service that should regularly be performed on a vehicle is an oil change. Oil works to lubricate the engine in your car and keep different parts of the engine cool. Over time, the oil will begin to break down from all of the heat. When this occurs, the oil is unable to properly do its job. Taking your car in for an oil change will take care of this.

Another service that you should regularly have performed is a tyre rotation. Overtime, the wear that you add onto your tyres adds up, and a tyre rotation involves rotating the tyres to even the wear. If you fail to do this, you may find that you will need to replace your tyres a lot sooner than expected. This is definitely a service that you should regularly have performed if you want your tyres to last.

Finally, you should also consider regularly taking your vehicle in to have the battery tested. This is a service that is extremely easy to perform, but can potentially save you a lot of money later on. Without regularly testing your car battery, you will have no warning as to when your battery may die. This can lead to being stranded somewhere, and costly tow truck bills. So make sure to have your vehicle's battery regularly tested!

In all, there are many different maintenance services and vehicle diagnostics that should be regularly performed, and these three examples are some of the most important. With excellent and affordable mechanics like www.stevesorensenmechanical.com.au, there is no reason why you shouldn't take proper care of your car.

When your car speaks in a foreign language…

For those of us who aren’t trained mechanics, it can be confusing and difficult to understand the inner workings of a vehicle. Gone are the days of lifting the hood and doing a bit of tinkering when things go wrong. In fact, most people don’t realise they have a problem until the car begins to run badly or the dreaded engine warning light turns on. The modern car is a complex engineering system that requires the skills of a qualified professional to diagnose and restore.

The modern car features an engine control unit (ECU). This closed-loop control system performs millions of calculations each second and is responsible for everything from deciding on the best spark plug timing to determining how long the fuel injector is open. It gathers data from dozens of sensors, manages emissions and fuel economy, and even knows coolant temperature and the amount of oxygen in the exhaust. When something goes awry with this intricate control system, your car may experience some of the following:

• difficulty starting
• loss of performance
• poor fuel efficiency
• engine misfires or overheating
• illumination of the ‘check engine’ light.

While these are the visible signs that something is amiss, your car’s ECU has probably been trying to communicate these warning signals for some time in what is known as engine code – the language of your vehicle diagnostics system. Don’t speak engine code? Don’t worry; when it comes to vehicle diagnostics, the team at Steve Sorensen Mechanical has you covered.

Steve Sorensen Mechanical offers full electronic vehicle diagnostics among its comprehensive suite of vehicle maintenance services. Their technicians use the latest diagnostic equipment and scan tools to provide real-time diagnostics and troubleshooting data. This specialised equipment listens directly to you car in its own language which is then translated by the expert technicians who will talk back to the on-board computer and adjust the programming. This allows the team to narrow down potential causes for problems and offer the best and most cost-effective solutions to ensure you get back on the road sooner.

To stay ahead of the game when it comes to the latest in vehicle maintenance services, the team at Steve Sorensen Mechanical frequently attends specialised training programs. This means you’ll always receive the most cutting edge service available to your vehicle, no matter the make or model.

If your car is acting strangely, running rough, making unusual sounds or just not driving the way it felt before, leave vehicle diagnostics to the experts. Chat to the team at Steve Sorensen Mechanical today.

Steve Sorensen Mechanical Team Makes Life Easy

It can be hard finding a top notch local auto repair business to look after your pride and joy. I had the same problem – until I found Browns Plains car service centre Steve Sorensen Mechanical.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been to a few different mechanics over the years. Across Brisbane and southeast Queensland in general, there are hundreds of car service centres itching to snare your business and take you for a ride. I’d tried a handful through things like shop-a-dockets and found none that took my fancy. They all seemed impersonal and only wanted to get you in and out as quickly as possible so they could work on the next vehicle. Most importantly, their communication skills were terrible – I could have been paying for heart surgery for all I knew.

That’s why I like the team at Steve Sorensen Mechanical – a local auto repair centre that cares about more than just making a quick buck. From the first time I walked in there I could see the business was friendly, well-run and highly professional, while the staff members were knowledgeable. It took just a few minutes for me to realise this was a local auto repair shop like no other. I could even see it in the reception, where they proudly displayed a host of Logan West Leader Business Achiever Awards.

I think one of the things that impressed me most was the clean and modern workshop. I’m no expert but I could see it had all the latest diagnostic equipment and one of the staff mentioned to me that the people employed in the workshop received on-going training to ensure they were always up-to-date with the latest developments within the industry. Steve Sorensen Mechanical was quite simply a Browns Plains car service with a difference.

There was certainly no shortage of services on offer either. From major and minor services and repairs and maintenance work to electronic vehicle diagnostics and pre-purchase inspections, there seemed to be nothing the staff couldn’t do. Brake and clutch repairs, safety certificates, timing belt replacement, batteries, cooling systems and automatic transmission servicing also formed part of the business. The Browns Plains car service centre used parts or lubricants which met or exceeded original equipment manufacturer (OEM) standards, which allowed me to maintain my new car warranty and gave me valuable piece of mind.

The staff kept me updated on the progress of my car every step of the way, which was a welcome change to previous experiences I’d had at other businesses. I was given all the information I needed to feel at ease that my vehicle was in safe hands. When I picked up my car, it ran like a dream and crucially, the service did not cost me an arm and a leg.

I really couldn’t recommend Browns Plains car service centre Steve Sorensen Mechanical highly enough. It gave me everything I was looking for in a local auto repair shop.

Knowledge Key to Power at Steve Sorensen Mechanical

The team at Steve Sorensen Mechanical knows its stuff.

From the minor to the major, the Browns Plains mechanic has it covered, stressing the importance of regular maintenance as key to a vehicle’s performance.

While many people try to keep cash in their pocket by avoiding a trip to the mechanic for a service, Steve Sorensen and his hard-working staff know it ends up costing more in the long run. When oil is not regularly changed, contaminates thicken it, causing blockages it critical oil passages and robbing the engine of much-needed lubrication.

But the wealth of knowledge at Steve Sorensen Mechanical does not end there – they know exactly what your car needs to maintain its warranty. Using parts and lubricants that meet or exceed OEM standards, the team carries out services to manufacturers’ specifications at designated intervals to keep the warranty valid. It is simply a more affordable way to get your car serviced than at a costly dealership.

If you’re looking to buy a car, the Steve Sorensen workshop can also lend a hand with its pre-purchase inspections. With their trained technicians running an eye over your potential purchase before giving you some open and honest feedback, they could save you from thousands of dollars of anguish. The team strongly encourages you to undertake a pre-purchase vehicle inspection before agreeing to buy a car, reminding you that a current Safety Certificate only means a vehicle is safe to drive on the road; it does not tell you a vehicle’s service history or any upcoming costs.

Steve Sorensen Mechanical’s know-how is also evident when taking a look at the list of services offered by the business. The seemingly never-ending list includes minor and major services, logbook services, automatic transmission servicing, repairs and maintenance, brake and clutch repairs and safety certificates. Electronic vehicle diagnostics, steering and suspension repairs, timing belt replacements, batteries and cooling systems are also available at Steve Sorensen Mechanical, which is open from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

And the business’ entry into the Quest Newspapers Business Achiever Awards Hall of Fame in 2012, which came after winning five awards in six years, is testament to the quality of the work.

So if you’re in Browns Plains - car service needed – it’s a no-brainer; Steve Sorensen Mechanical is the way to go.