juicyleong

thanks guys, appreciate all the advice and recommendations. i'll check the heidelberg one out or famous nelson (and infamous "auntie") at nunawading if i have time. i'm mostly rotated around facilities in the north so the former mechanic's probably better for me. i like the "just tell him so-and-so in the such-and-such-car recommended me". very mafia/brotherhood. i like it. so this is what it feels like to be part of a club. cheers, joyce

hey ladies, i know some people are going to say this is a topic discussed to death but it really isn't... i've been searching the forums and i have not found a consolidated thread on this. as a woman i've found dealing with many mechanics difficult and trying. i was once recommended a guy in the eastern suburbs with my previous car who turned out to be racist AND sexist and it was an awful experience. i've recently purchased a 2005 corolla ascent sedan - totally generic, nothing fancy or modified, and i'd just like an opinion or recommendation for a mechanic in melbourne - preferably someone who won't call me a chink or gerlie and talk to me like i'm brainless just because i don't have a Y chromosome. i admit i'm not mechanically inclined, and i'm not familiar with the science behind cars. but as a health care worker i don't expect patients to know everything about the molecular pathology responsible for the diseases they suffer and in the same token, i simply expect the same respect and patience from someone i'm paying loads to service my car. is that asking for too much? anything either way would be helpful - recommendations or a list of people to avoid. even if the said mechanic is out in werribee or geelong, i'll get there. a good mechanic is worth the effort i think. my life is stressful enough and i don't see the need to endure more pain and suffering in trying to maintain a car (which is meant to make life more convenient, not the other way around). if not...i guess my only choice would be to cross reference lists of racv approved mechanics and toyota accredited ones and see who fits both criteria, hope for the best and call it a day. thanks. joyce

insurance for my car doesn't cover any other driver but meself and my housemate is particular about using her own vintage car so she wouldn't drive it anyway. i also don't really wanna bother her with starting my car twice a week or something, just better if i didn't have to ask her to do anything for me during the time i'm gone. where's the jaycar outlet in melbourne?

hi everyone, i was searching forums for a topic on trickle chargers but there are none listed. is it just my lousy search skills? i'm stressed about posting a new topic in case oldies shoot me down for repeating an over-discussed issue. anyway i just purchased a 1 year old boring corolla ascent sedan - totally generic nothing fancy like what many of you guys own, but i'll be going overseas for 8 weeks soon. should i just disconnect the battery (and are there any ramifications of that? i'm not particularly mechanically inclined.) or should i buy a solar powered trickle charger to hook up to the cigarrette lighter? i know that for some cars you have to remember to disconnect the trickle charger when turning on the ignition and for some you have to hook up the charger directly to your battery itself. what's everyone's opinion on this? by the way, i've also been searching the forums like crazy for a list of recommended mechanics in the area but can't come across a consolidated thread on this. are there any melbournians here? should i just cross reference lists of toyota accredited mechanics against the racv licensed mechanics and blindly trust any that fulfil both criteria? or should i take it back to my old sexist racist lying b*5tard of a mechanic in the east where my old ford died tragically? (i really wouldn't like that.) if there are women about the forum please recommend some mechanic that won't call me gerlie and subject me to unnecessary humiliation. (or is that asking for too much?) cheers, joyce