Servicing ??

[t08]

What are the benefits from getting the car serviced by the dealer then doing it yourself ?.

[4ford]

Seriously....there are none!
I'm assuming here that the owner has sufficient mechanical knowledge and experience to do the work himself...

For me, other than wheel alignments, my AUII Fairmont6 has not seen the inside of a mechanical workshop since I've owned it, and that was SEP03.

I've had too many bad/incompetent experiences in earlier years to ever go there again!

Even with the alignments, I am right there to watch every move, and ask questions.

The car before this current one, a BMW320i, put me in a position where I had to get it dealer serviced or it would depreciate it's value on resale, not having exclusively BMW stamps in the service book. And the BMW dealers really knew how to charge, to the extent that I decided to sell the car because of the over-the-top servicing charges.
Great car, hated the dealer!

The AU is up to 188,000 kms and running great, and I fully intend to continue servicing it fully myself, + brakes/disc changes + master cylinder changes + radiator/pwr steer pump/alternator that I've already done.

Cheers...

[poppa smurf]

probably very few but when I buy a car I look for the dealership/workshop service stamp as proof that it has been done to a theoretical standard and not by some back yarder who may/may not take shortcuts

having said that I then proceed to do all my servicing myself

[Bushbasher]

There's not too many "service" jobs that any competent spanner thrower can't do at home and quite a few of the non service jobs too short of drive train removal and ECU diagnostics and with the right gear some guys can do that too. Since my warranty ran out I've done 95% of the work on both our cars at home from ancillaries replacements to disc brake upgrades to shock and spring replacements. It's not too hard if you have the right gear.


Bushbasher

[nat75]

Back before the days of internet and forums, the advantage was the dealerships "knowledge" and other little things like diagnosing problems. But now days, there is next to no reason to take an car to a dealer, short of warranty work.

[mongrelEF]

Try to find a mechanic shop who's willing to employ a dealer-"trained" mechanic.......
Stay well away from any that will!

[Sox]

Originally Posted by 4ford

For me, other than wheel alignments...

Even with the alignments, I am right there to watch every move, and ask questions.

I don't blame you, most wheel alignment guys are useless.

Just recently I had a discussion with an imbecile (who claims they're a professional aligner), who insisted that AU's have radius rods.
Go figure.

I've been doing my own alignments for more than 20 years.

[GK]

I reckon the AU is a wonderful vehicle to help people grow in mechanical competency. It's simple and strong enough not to break or muck up (too easily) and allows you to start simple and progress to the more difficult tasks.

There are heaps of "how to" articles here, most with pictures which take the reader step by step through many useful processes.

I personally am in awe of many here who almost do absolutely everything on their cars. Sox for example, who even does his own alignments, wow, that boggles my somewhat simple mind.

Myself, I do as much as i reasonably can, gain advice and where possible physical help from other guys here and my other mates, and have a good and trusted mechanic or three (one for lpg, one general and a transmission joint) for the things I know I cannot, or shouldn't do!

Works for me and saves me cash, giving me the satisfaction that I'm able (and not afraid) to have a red hot go myself.

Cheers,

GK

[DJM83]

None really, i dont even have my new car serviced at a dealer.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by GK

I reckon the AU is a wonderful vehicle to help people grow in mechanical competency. It's simple and strong enough not to break or muck up (too easily) and allows you to start simple and progress to the more difficult tasks.

Very true, the AU is a snap to maintain, most things have easy access, easy parts supply, cheap, etc.

I personally am in awe of many here who almost do absolutely everything on their cars. Sox for example, who even does his own alignments, wow, that boggles my somewhat simple mind.

Alignments are surprisingly simple to do.
What makes most people shy away from it is the complexity of the machine which workshops use, yet you can get by without it.
A stringline, spirit level, a good eye, and some patience, can replicate a 20k machine.
The hardest thing to measure is castor, and with experience you'll get that right by feel.

Myself, I do as much as i reasonably can, gain advice and where possible physical help from other guys here and my other mates, and have a good and trusted mechanic or three (one for lpg, one general and a transmission joint) for the things I know I cannot, or shouldn't do!

Works for me and saves me cash, giving me the satisfaction that I'm able (and not afraid) to have a red hot go myself.

It's a good feeling knowing you can do an equal or even better job than the monkey who's getting paid $100 an hour.

[GK]

Originally Posted by Sox

Very true, the AU is a snap to maintain, most things have easy access, easy parts supply, cheap, etc.

Alignments are surprisingly simple to do.
What makes most people shy away from it is the complexity of the machine which workshops use, yet you can get by without it.
A stringline, spirit level, a good eye, and some patience, can replicate a 20k machine.
The hardest thing to measure is castor, and with experience you'll get that right by feel.

It's a good feeling knowing you can do an equal or even better job than the monkey who's getting paid $100 an hour.

Darn shame you live so far away from me Sox!

GK

[poppa smurf]

we used to do the tow in/out alignment with an extendable stick, castor and camber was done by measuring from the top of inside of the wheel arch to the tyre and from bottom of tyre to bottom of other tyre

wheel balances were done on a balancing doohickey with a bulls eye level on the top

ah! they were the days.... .50c per hour and use the workshop as much as you like after hours provided you locked up afterwards

[Evgeni]

I'm with Sox and GK. I have found one good alignment place in Syd and one transmission guy that does a great job. I was left disappointed everyhere else I went. The worst treatment was when I had a company car - they must see them coming from a mile away!..lol

Over the years, however I have resorted to doing my own alignments, originally to save money, but I found no one ever bothered about getting the steering wheel straight.

These days I have had the camber and castor set with a shim kit and only do the toe adjustment with 2 car stands and a piece of builders string.
Sox, would you mind sharing how you measure your castor and camber. I understand that it is just a distance measurement with some trigonometry to get the final figure, but do you have access to a completely level surface, or have measured everything up with a water level? Just curious. My garage floor is not completely level to allow for drainage, so I haven't bothered with trying do camber and castor.
Maybe I am showing my age - still under 40, but I learnt on an old XC and an XE. I agree though, the AU is great for getting into the whole repair thing - plenty of room to move around.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by Evgeni

but I found no one ever bothered about getting the steering wheel straight.

And the ones who do bother, can't seem to get it right anyhow.

These days I have had the camber and castor set with a shim kit and only do the toe adjustment with 2 car stands and a piece of builders string.
Sox, would you mind sharing how you measure your castor and camber. I understand that it is just a distance measurement with some trigonometry to get the final figure, but do you have access to a completely level surface, or have measured everything up with a water level? Just curious. My garage floor is not completely level to allow for drainage, so I haven't bothered with trying do camber and castor.

A spirit level and protractor will give you camber and castor measurements.
I do it mostly by feel these days.
Yes, it's very critical to have a level surface.

[XR_6falcon]

Originally Posted by Sox

Very true, the AU is a snap to maintain, most things have easy access, easy parts supply, cheap, etc.

Alignments are surprisingly simple to do.
What makes most people shy away from it is the complexity of the machine which workshops use, yet you can get by without it.
A stringline, spirit level, a good eye, and some patience, can replicate a 20k machine.
The hardest thing to measure is castor, and with experience you'll get that right by feel.

It's a good feeling knowing you can do an equal or even better job than the monkey who's getting paid $100 an hour.

I think you'll be hard pressed to find a mechanic thats getting paid $100 and hour but i agree with everything else you said

[Sox]

Originally Posted by XR_6falcon

I think you'll be hard pressed to find a mechanic thats getting paid $100 and hour but i agree with everything else you said

Fair enough, the monkey isn't getting $100/h, but the workshop rate will be around that.