No. We will not warranty the labour required to replace the part a second time, since we did not choose the poor quality component in the first instance.

You must agree that there will be no warranty on labour to replace a part that has failed for any reason other than obvious faulty installation. If there is any question as to whether the part failed due to faulty installation or part quality, you will not receive the benefit of the doubt.

In most cases there will be a "corking fee", much like the fee charged when you bring your own bottle of wine to a restaurant. The corking fee will be 20% of the list price of the part.

The parts you bring us must be the right parts for the car. If the part is wrong, and the technician needs to spend extra time putting the car back together or to a condition whereby it can be pushed off the hoist while we are waiting for the correct part, then that time will be billed to you.

If you bring an aftermarket part that requires modification or other extra work that would not be required if we had used the correct part, then you must pay for the extra time we spend installing the part. We cannot always give an upfront estimate of the extra time necessary, as we may not know what will be required until the car has been dismantled.

We are reluctant to use customer supplied parts.  There are no savings for most people when they buy their own parts. We do not charge over dealer list and delivery for the parts we sell you, so unless you have an inside connection with a dealer or parts supplier, you will not save any money by buying parts yourself.

As mentioned, it's very difficult to compare apples with apples, but if you feel that another car servicing company offers exactly the same service, then we will double check this by asking to see the repairer's written estimate.  If it turns out that a) all aspects of the quote are the same,  b) the experience of the mechanics matches our own c) they use quality parts and lubricants, then we will match the price. But we will never sacrifice our integrity, quality or standard of workmanship to compete.  We work up to a standard, not down to a price.

Even if you are experienced and knowledgeable about cars, we prefer that you describe the symptom rather than the cause.  Describe your issue in this way:  "My car does this when I do this and the conditions it happens under  are these".    If you have technical insight, then at this point you can say, "I think it's caused by this, for this reason.   Although you have the best intentions, we prefer you don't use car jargon, or self-diagnose the problem.

We understand that so many people have been ripped off by mechanics and they're afraid of having the same thing happen again.  But telling us exactly what to do with your car won't really help the situation. Rest assured, we are friendly and qualified  technicians that won't rip you off, so please be friendly to us.  Unlike other mechanics who may have treated you with disrespect, we want to keep you safe, and we know that we'll earn your trust if you give us the chance.

If you have reason to believe that you won't make it before closing,  be sure and mention this when booking in or dropping off your car that you want to arrange a "Lock Out". When work on your car is complete, you will still receive a phone call advising you so.  For us to exercise this option, you will also need a spare key or alarm fob in order to gain entry to your car. Here's how this works: once the car is finished, you pay over the phone with a Credit Card. We'll place all your finished paperwork along with the key you provided us, into your glove box. We'll lock the keys in the car, and you can pick up whenever is convenient after hours. Your car will be parked off the road in our well lit car park directly in front of our building.

We do not advocate these solutions and we disclaim any liability for theft or damage beyond our control. We offer these logistical solutions as a convenience and not as a primary means of delivery.

Yes, if possible.  This can be difficult but it can save time and money. Technicians charge by the hour for time we have to spend driving and diagnosing the car. If we know the problem only happens on the highway at 100 kph, then we'll head straight to the highway for a 100 kph test drive. If we know the problem only happens when the car is cold, we won't waste hours testing a warm car.  Of course, don't worry if you can't duplicate the problem, we will do our best to find it based on the information you provide us.

About half a tank.  There is no point paying us by the hour to fill the tank so we can work on the car.  It's cheaper if you bring it in with enough fuel.

If there is a legitimate reason why you need your car serviced or repaired quickly, then depending on the needs of your car, we can work to a time frame.  But can I ask you this: would you rush a surgeon?  We are not suggesting that we are surgeons, but as with surgeons, we are working on a body (car body!), so when we have enough time to complete the job without tight time pressures, it will increase the quality of the job. We understand that you will occasionally have time pressures, but wherever possible, please allow enough time for the repairs.

There are two systems in place to accommodate early and overnight drop off of your vehicle. We have the "Early Bird" system for when we are closed. Here's how it works: park your car in the car park in front of our building. (closest to the building is best) Remove visible valuables and lock your car normally. Write us a short note with your details -- most important is the best phone number to contact you with. Deposit the note & the key into the secure box to right of the front door (marked early bird). When we open (@ 730am) we'll retrieve the key & once the workshop is organised we will call to confirm that we've received your car and make sure we are on the same page about what you want us to do with it! We can be very busy in the mornings, so if you have not received a call about your Early Bird, be sure to check in around 930am or 10am to see what's up.

The other system is a little more simple: you can drop your car off any day prior to your appointment during business hours. All cars are securely locked inside our alarmed premise for your peace of mind, so you can be at ease. Of course, this option only works for people who don't need their cars in the evening. Please note there are no additional storage fees for this service.

Yes.  In the first instance we'll ask you to bring in all your paperwork from the other mechanic, but if need be, we will call the mechanic to find out information about your car's history.

Ironically, the reason something doesn't work or fails is because the car hasn't been regularly serviced in the first place, so it's a false economy.  Over the years we have seen major problems with cars that cost the owner hundreds of dollars (sometimes thousands) to fix, which could have been completely avoided if they'd had their car regularly serviced.

Yes.  Please leave your alarm remote, mag wheel lock nut, master key (not a valet key), and secret kill switch locations. If we can't remove the wheels or start the car easily, it will stop us from working, or at least slow us down. We may need to get into the boot to change your brake light bulbs. Most Toyota ECUs are behind the glove box, so if the glove box is locked, and we only have the valet key, we'll have a problem getting to the ecu. If you're worried about leaving valuables or other personal items in your glove box, then please leave them at home before the service.

Although extremely rare, this can sometimes happen.  Mechanics are only human and we do make mistakes. If you feel we are at fault, please explain the situation calmly to us.  If we caused a problem, we will gladly fix it.

We honestly don't know for sure.  We can only guess the reason why no one has raised the issues is because the company you had been attending previously didn't feel that the issues fell under the fixed price services that you were getting.  It is of grave concern to us that customers are bringing us regularly serviced cars, which have dangerous and unchecked problems with poor quality workmanship.  When you bring your car to us, we will list every issue that we feel needs to be fixed, and then you have the choice to fix it.  It is our responsibility to tell you of the faults, and it is your choice to have us fix them.

Our services include more than just checking the oil and closing the bonnet.  Our service is the most thorough service your car will ever have.  It's very difficult to compare 'apples with apples' when it comes to car servicing because each car service centre has a different idea about what should be done with a car service.  Some car service centres will carry out just a few servicing procedures, while others, like us, will do numerous things in order to keep your car in the safest condition possible.   There is no same '40k' service.  Every car servicing company will do something different.

We'd rather not give a quick quote for a "one size fits all" generic service because it is unlikely that it will address all of a car's particular service needs & might cover things that your car doesn't need, which is a waste of your money.  Every car has different service requirements, so trying to find out what a car needs is a process that will require a vehicle inspection. We'd much rather spend the time to custom tailor a service for your individual car that is based on: the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, your car's past service history, & our own experience with your model of car because it will save you money and ensures that  your car gets all the service & care it needs.

Yes, of course we'll try to help! Depending on how the day is panning out, however, we may or may not have a chance to actually look at your car. We will put you on "Standby" and if your car is here when a technician needs work, we can start diagnosis or repairs as required. Of course, customers with appointments are our first priority and sometimes standby cars are not looked at the same day.

We won't slam the door in your face, but we just worked a 10 hour day and have wives, kids and families to go home to. Please try to make arrangements that allow you to comfortably arrive before closing.