Mechanical

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General Vehicle Service

A regular car service will ensure your car will run efficiently, increase the life span of the vehicle and ensures your vehicle is in a safe drivable condition. In the long run regular servicing could help prevent major costly repairs to motor, drive line, suspension, and braking components or can pick up minor faults before they become major problems.

Alstonville Automotive Services has extensive experience in servicing a wide range of makes and models, and can carry out both minor and major services in accordance to log book requirements ensuring the vehicle is maintained to the standards the manufacturer intended.

A General Vehicle Service will include an oil change using quality lubricants to manufacturer’s specifications, replacement of oil filter, full check of steering, suspension, brakes, lights, tyres, fluid levels, battery, wipers and road test. Check of air filter and cabin filter and replacement if required. Tune-up is on request.

New Vehicle Servicing? – You Do Have Choice

Even if your new vehicle is under Manufacturer’s Warranty, Alstonville Automotive Services can carry out all log book services and will use specified or OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) equivalent quality parts and lubricants, as prescribed by the manufacturer’s log book. After all services, the vehicle’s logbook will be stamped as a record of regular maintenance in accordance to the Manufacturer’s requirement.

Warranty Servicing For Used Vehicles? – Yes, You Still Have A Choice

The ACCC has ruled that providers of extended warranties (including dealerships) cannot dictate where a vehicle is serviced in order to maintain the warranty cover; however it is extremely important that you read the fine print of these warranties to ensure your vehicle is serviced within the time frame stated as failure to do so can void your warranty.

Manufacturers and dealerships are only entitled to insist the following: That servicing is carried by qualified technicians, done in accordance to manufacturers logbook specifications and done using quality parts where required.

Engine Repairs

With over 50 years combined experience, our senior mechanics have extensive experience and expertise in all engine repairs – minor and major. Full engine reconditioning or replacements are carried out by Alstonville Automotive Services. Where no replacement unit is available, existing engine can be reconditioned and the cylinder head rebuilt in-house or exchanged. All work is fully guaranteed for quality.

Read about our Specialist Engine Services

Radiator & Cooling Systems

It is important to ensure the cooling system of a vehicle is kept in good working order, thereby preventing the engine from suffering severe damage due to overheating. It is also recommended that cabin filters be inspected whilst the vehicle is undergoing general servicing (cabin filters are a new filtration device for the internal heating and cooling system of the cabin of the vehicle.)

Alstonville Automotive Services can pressure test radiators and cooling systems and inspect all hoses, components and engine drive-belts related to the cooling system to ensure optimum reliability. It is also recommended a cooling system flush on a periodic service according to the cooling system additives or manufacturer’s recommendation be undertaken to prevent deterioration of the vehicles cooling system and prevent major engine failures.

Brake Service

It is important to keep maintained the vehicles braking system and to have it check regularly. When you bring your car into Alstonville Automotive Services for its regular maintenance service the braking system will be tested and inspected for wear. Any repairs required will be done with quality parts and fluids. It is also recommended to regularly change the brake fluid. Brake fluid absorbs moisture readily and when it does, it can lower the boiling point of the fluid thereby introducing moisture into the components and decreasing brake efficiency. As well as servicing brake systems, Alstonville Automotive Services also has in-house brake hose manufacturing to ADR Standards and can also recondition brake master cylinders, callipers and wheel cylinders.

It also important that should any of the following happen:

  • Warning lights on the dash indicating issues with the brakes
  • Strange sounds appear when applying any sort of pressure to your brakes
  • Handling is harder when braking
  • Vibration, spongy or slow response when pressure is applied to the brakes
  • Increased braking distance

It is imperative that the vehicle be taken to a qualified technician for inspection, as any of the above are warning signs that there is a problem with the brakes or braking system. All technicians at Alstonville Automotive Services are fully qualified and experienced to deal with all your braking and braking systems and answer any questions you may have.

View information about our inhouse custom Brake Hose Manufacturing

Steering & Suspension

The role of a vehicles suspension is to provide stability and good handling ensuring the vehicle’s tyres maintain contact with the road at all times and giving a smooth comfortable and safe ride for the driver and passengers.

A regular steering and suspension inspection carried out during the vehicle maintenance service entails checking the shock absorbers, springs, bushes, ball joints, tie rods, power and manual steering boxes and power steering pump. This will guarantee the overall reliability of the steering and suspension systems and ensure the safety and comfort for driver and passengers. It will also help increase the life the tyres.

All the technicians at Alstonville Automotive Services are fully qualified and experienced to carry out any repairs and services in regards to steering and suspension systems. Alstonville Automotive Services also undertakes in-house manufacturing of power-steering hoses.

View information about our inhouse custom Power Steering Hose Manufacturing

Exhaust Systems

A car’s exhaust system serves several purposes: reducing emissions to the environment, controlling noise pollution and removing harmful exhaust gasses to the rear of the vehicle.

During regular servicing and RMS inspections, the technicians at Alstonville Automotive Services check external components of the exhaust system for leaks, security, deterioration and damage. Other signs that there is a problem with the exhaust are rattling sounds underneath the vehicle and loud exhaust noise. It’s important to note that a loud exhaust noise could incur legal fines and penalties. The exhaust system of a vehicle has many complex components and the technicians of Alstonville Automotive Services are fully qualified to inspect, repair or replace all components including the catalytic converter (which converts toxic gases into more environmentally friendly by-products) and oxygen sensor (small electronic device designed to detect and measure the amount of oxygen being expelled in the exhaust gas which helps control fuel usage).

Transmission & Driveline (CV’S)

The transmission system sends power to the wheels of a vehicle and ensures the smooth changing of gears. From time to time, the transmission system, whether, manual or automatic, will require a regular maintenance service and possibly repairs.

A transmission service entails changing fluid and filters (if required) checking the transmission is operating efficiently and there are no leaks and a full check of the other drive components – tail shaft, drive shaft and differentials. This will help reduce further costly repairs down the track.

Signs there might be a problem with the transmission system include; hash gear changes, poor acceleration but engine is still increasing in revs, dash warning lights come on and/or vibration through the car when accelerating.

The driveline components are the underside of the car and signs there may be a problem with the driveline are; whining noises that increase with speed, clicking when turning full lock and/or vibration when accelerating. All these could indicate that repairs are required to tail shafts, drive shaft/CV joints.

Split CV boots can cause a loss of lubricant and can cause further damage to the CV joint.

Alstonville Automotive Services can service and repair all types of transmission and can organise exchange-reconditioned units and can repair/replace all components on the driveline.

Clutch Services

The clutch is used to smoothly transfer power from the engine to the driveline when stopping/starting or changing gears. It is a complex system with many components and diagnosing clutch problems requires expert knowledge. Basic signs of clutch problems include lack of drive power (slipping while driving), vibration or shudders when pressing pedal, difficulty in selecting gears and stiff clutch pedal. The technicians at Alstonville Automotive Services are fully experienced and trained to correctly diagnose and carry out clutch repairs.

EFI Diagnostic & Repairs

Alstonville Automotive Services is equipped with the latest OTC Diagnostic Scan tool to talk to the vehicle’s computer and diagnose and repair most electronic faults. With this equipment, we can clear fault codes, clear service indicator lights, code in new vehicle keys and allow us to monitor your vehicles functions whilst on a test drive.

Lack of power, poor drive ability and excess fuel consumption indicate further repairs may be need to the fuel injector system and may require the removal, testing and cleaning of the fuel injectors. This allows for the correct diagnosis of leaky, damaged or poor functioning injectors. Exchanged or new injectors can be fitted.

Instrument Warning Lights

If your vehicles computer monitoring system senses a fault thought out the vehicle – ABS, SRS (airbag), Check engine, Alternator, etc, – the warning lights on the instrument panel will illuminate and stay on. This will require you to bring your vehicle into a technician to have a diagnostic scan to determine what the fault will be and for code resetting. Alstonville Automotive Services has the latest diagnostic equipment on-site to perform this service in locating the fault, repair and reset the code, and their technicians are kept abreast of the ever changing technology as vehicle systems become increasingly more sophisticated.

Windscreen Replacement

Expertly fitted on site by a qualified, reputable installer whilst your vehicle is being serviced, repaired or undertaking it’s yearly RMS inspection. Whether you need a complete new windscreen or a repair, Alstonville Automotive Services can help you.