Poll - Do you service your car at Toyota? If not can you recommend a someone to service it in Melbourne Northern suburbs

[The Mad Doc]

Hi

I bought a second hand Aurion a few months ago (2007 ATX) from a Holden dealership. It came with books and it is regularly serviced, Its done now 91,500 KM and I need to take it for the 90KM service.

I am not sure if I should take it to Toyota for a service or just a mechanic. I rang 3 different Toyota dealerships and the cost that I was given over the phone to do this service varied from $870 to $1k (Ouch).

This is way too expensive so here is what I would like to know

1. do you reccomend that I take it to a toyota dealership to get it serviced there and pay the ridiculous service cost?

2. should I just take it to a mechanic and get him to do the work?

I would appreciate your advice please and would also appreciate if you can let me know which mechanic to take it to. I live in Melbourne Northern suburbs and would love to hear if you have any recommendations for a mechanic someone who is honest, reliable and would do things by the book.Obviously someone who knows Aurions.

Thanks for your replies and really appreciate your help.

Cheers

The Mad Doc :)

[jeffy]

Get a trusted mechanic to do the work.

[Andrew357]

Get a trusted mechanic to do the work.

Sounds like OP doesn't have one so that doesn't help.

[The Mad Doc]

Get a trusted mechanic to do the work.

Sounds like OP doesn't have one so that doesn't help.

Thats right so I would realllly appreciate it if you can refer me to someone preferably in the northern suburbs of Melb.

[jeffy]

If you dont mind travelling to the western suburbs, i know C&D autos is 100% trustworthy.

Other than that maybe Chasers at tyrepower north melbourne ? not too sure because they do tuning work and stuff.

[the drake]

You could try ultra tune? Did mine few weeks ago for $650

Go to a busy branch of ultra tune so you know they turn around a lot of cars and have reputation in the community. Toyota servicing is pretty common in workshops so they would have no doubt have performed many Aurion/camrys service. FYI 90k km service is a major service and involves changing spark plugs.

Ive had no issues so far with my recent service at ultra tune

[The Mad Doc]

No I dont mind going to the western suburbs, do you mind posting the address or send it to me in a private message please.

thanks

[jeffy]

C&D Motorworks = 190 Duke St. Braybrook.

[Noodle Boy]

i only go to a toyota dealership solely because the car is still under warranty. after that i will do the services myself. you could so as well-it would save yourself a fortune, even when the mechanic charges you less than a dealership. it depends on where you are in the northern suburbs but in lalor theres a reputable workshop called domjohn(corner station st and david st). they've been around for as long as i can remember, and ive had friends who rate them highly. theres usually high demand there, judging from the times at which i drive past it.

Edited August 31, 2012 by Noodle Boy

[The Mad Doc]

Thank you to all that contributed so far but special thanks goes to Noodle Boy and Jeffy for their recommendation. Lalor would be reasonable close to me as I am in the outer northern suburbs but might try C&D motorworks as it sounds like Jeffy's had first hand experience with them. I might also ring both and ask for a price and see who would do it cheaper and decide that way. There is also who has availability on the weekend so I can drop it off and Sat and pick it up later or just wait for it.

Please feel to provide more recommendations I should have said that I would rather not go to ultratune or Kmart as I would rather go to an independent which might also work out a bit cheaper :)

[Silver-Aurion]

I went to ultratune to do my 90k service and I'm also from melb northern suburbs. They were no problem at all and charged cheap for labour.

I bought my own supplies which saved me hundreds of dollars instead of using their marked up prices.

All I needed to pay was labour and I spoke directly with the manager/boss and haggled a bit and got a good price.

Service was very good too and at the end they put all old parts like spark plugs etc in a box so I can suss out.

Just gotta be a sweet talker and make small talk with the boss and mechanic to make em sure to 'do a good job mate :)'.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Silver-Aurion

[Vent]

I just sucked it up and had my 2007 Aurion ZR6 serviced at Toyota, $848 90K major. The only reputable mechanic I know in my area is extremely expensive anyway. Notable expensive parts were, $223 for 6 spark plugs, $68 for oil, $48 for Engine Sub-Assy (whatever that is).

If I only knew someone local that is reputable and knows the car I'd go there to save a few $$. There sure are a huge ammount of items on the Toyota service schedule, I just wonder what a local Mechanic would do to the car vs Toyota.

[czaja74]

I go to Kamford motors in Epping. Service my wife's Camry and my aurion past 7 years. Top bloke.

[robboszr6]

I do all the servicing myself, can't believe some of those prices you guys are paying.

[czaja74]

So do I. However where the car is still under warranty it will have to be done by qualified mechanic. After warranty runs out I attach all receipts for the parts used to service car to the book (just for the record).

[robboszr6]

You can service the car yourself at home and it doesn't affect your warranty at all.

[czaja74]

Actually it does. It will be void.

[robboszr6]

That's what they want you to think, done servicing on all my car's had no problems taking car's back for warranty work.

[robboszr6]

If anybody interested can do NGK spark plugs supplied and fitted for $250.

[Andrew357]

That's what they want you to think, done servicing on all my car's had no problems taking car's back for warranty work.

What warranty work have you had done?

[robboszr6]

gearbox, diff

[Hiro]

Home servicing will only void your warranty if the damage is caused to or as a result of the work you have done. Obviously changing your own oil will not impact a warranty claim for rear suspension failures, for instance.