Author Topic: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???  (Read 3100 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline bluesr20

  • antrx.com junior member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
  • Karma: +2/-0
Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« on: Apr 22, 2006, 12:18AM »
The workshop that I take my car to doesn't inspire me with confidence with my new Atessa. The car was in there the other day and 2 of the mechanics were huddled over a manual just to find out what auto tranny oil to use.  They were OK taking care of my old MX83, but I'm thinking that I need a shop with a bit more of a performance edge now.

Can anyone recommend a workshop in the Sth East of Melb where I can have the beast properly taken care of?  A one stop shop if you like, where they can also do mods when finances allow.

Word of mouth from a fellow Atessa owner has to be the best advert.
« Last Edit: Apr 22, 2006, 12:19AM by bluesr20 »

Offline Craazy

  • Resident Attesa Driver
  • antrx cruise monkey
  • post whore
  • *****
  • Posts: 2431
  • Karma: +29/-5
  • Gender: Male
  • Lovin it long time
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #1 on: Apr 22, 2006, 12:00PM »
there are a couple of places, but spread out right across the eastern suburbs down to the south east too.

it really depends on what kinda stuff you wanna do to the car and the maintenance side of things too. i know the guys at Hyper-Tech in vermont pretty well now and they seem to know what they are on about with there cars.

but if you want someone that knows a fair bit about the atessa's, stick right here and we should be able to help you out. whatever you do. dont go to Rev-Zone in Nunawading or evolution R, N1 seem to be quite good too.


The Time Has Come To Battle It Out To The Death... SR24 vs KA24

The bluey must be revived to Life!!

Offline bluesr20

  • antrx.com junior member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
  • Karma: +2/-0
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #2 on: Apr 22, 2006, 11:36PM »
I don't live far from Dandenong, so I thought that I might try Amberley Auto's.

I can do a basic service, but anything more then that and I've got no idea.

The front end has some sort of issue at the moment.  I'm getting a lot of feedback through the steering wheel.  There's a bit of vibration, but more worrying is the fact that the wheel wants to move on its own, particularly at low speed.  I had my hands off the wheel the other day, after just changing lanes and it literally moved to the right, moved to the left and then straightened itself.  The car didn't deviate at all whilst this was happening.  Only took seconds.  My wife actually said to me, "why is it doing that".  I told her "don't worry, like me, the car got issues".  (She now thinks that the car is as disturbed as I am.  hahaha).  When cruising at high speed I'm also getting vibration.  During acceleration, when the weight has transferred to the rear, I don't seem to have any problem.  There aren’t any odd noises that I’ve noticed.

I don't know if it's just that I'm not used to driving an AWD, but it tends to feel like the car has more control over what's happening then I do.  The whole front end just feels like it needs tightening up or something.  The steering should be more direct, more precise then it is.  I know that there are a lot of factors that go into making the thing drive well and the tyres that are on it are a cheap brand.  It also looks like the old owner has rubbed them up against a gutter a few times (no rash on the rims though).  Perhaps they've just bent something a little?

I'm thinking that I'll take it to Pedders and get one of their $14, 28-point safety checks and see what that tells me.  Hell of a lot cheaper then having a mechanic trying to trouble shoot the problem!

Any thoughts?


Offline Kranzy

  • Administrator
  • post whore
  • *****
  • Posts: 3500
  • Karma: +66/-4
  • Gender: Male
  • U12 - SR20DET
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #3 on: Apr 23, 2006, 12:10AM »
When was its last wheel balance and allignment?

Are the tyres directional? Directional tyres tend to follow groves and such in the road and will steer itself basically, this can be a bit surprising to start with. How is turning generaly? If it all feels good then you might need an allignment and then maybe a stiffer sway bar to tighten it up a bit in the front end.
Quote from: noss
learnt something new just then, dont eat baked bean sandwhiches while changing the paper in the copier


"Noss is GOD"

Offline Craazy

  • Resident Attesa Driver
  • antrx cruise monkey
  • post whore
  • *****
  • Posts: 2431
  • Karma: +29/-5
  • Gender: Male
  • Lovin it long time
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #4 on: Apr 23, 2006, 01:42AM »
pedders isnt particularly good when it comes to the attesa's.

as i havent dealt with amberley autos i wouldnt know, but when i have phoned them up i have found them to be a little useless.
technik tuning in thornbury, although being quite a drive, they know there shit when it comes to mucking round with the AWD's as that is a fair whack of there customer base.

as for your probs with the steering, as kranzy posted, it sounds to be an alignment and wheel balance problem, most places dont have wheel alignment specs for the bluey's either as i have found that none have the specs for a U12 anyways. and for some stupid reason no one wants to give them out. and that includes nissan the tight ass's.

will see what else i can come up with


The Time Has Come To Battle It Out To The Death... SR24 vs KA24

The bluey must be revived to Life!!

Offline bluesr20

  • antrx.com junior member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
  • Karma: +2/-0
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #5 on: Apr 23, 2006, 02:54PM »
The tyres aren't directional and the turning generally seems to be OK (crap turning circle).  The tyres are your basic 205/60/15's and they seem to have kissed a lot of curb.

I drove another Atessa before I picked up this one and it drove with a lot more precision, but was down on power and the lack of performance was the reason for not buying it.

I have no idea when the last wheel alignment would have been done.

The vibration that I'm feeling is more of a quick wobble from side to side of the steering wheel, rather then the wheel shaking.  The car doesn't vier in any particular direction when my hands are off the wheel.  The wheel just wobbles and the car stays straight.

I guess that I'll go with the balance/wheel alignment option and take it from there.

Offline rathies

  • I may be going to hell but I'm going in a 4BY
  • post whore
  • *****
  • Posts: 2723
  • Karma: +41/-22
  • Gender: Male
  • Patrol of Doom coming soon
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #6 on: Apr 23, 2006, 02:59PM »
sounds like wheel balance and alignment to me.
Previous rides: KA24ET TRX,  2000 GUII Patrol 4.2 td, AntrxWA whore TRX owner 4/5, 99 Landrover Discovery TD5
Current Ride(s):  91 GQ Patrol ST-3 RB25DET Converted :)

Offline Craazy

  • Resident Attesa Driver
  • antrx cruise monkey
  • post whore
  • *****
  • Posts: 2431
  • Karma: +29/-5
  • Gender: Male
  • Lovin it long time
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #7 on: Apr 24, 2006, 06:26PM »
wheel might be out of round aswell, to make overly sure you lick the problem get a new set of cheapo wheels, like some ANZ wheels or something, but put some good tyres on the car, none of this bloody bob jane t-marts tyres...... get a decent set of performance tyres like bridgy potenza's, or toyo proxes or if you feel the urge to splurge a set of yokohama Advan's these are really good.

i have the bridgestones on and would recommend them for the grip they provide for street tyres. wear is good on them too.

have a look aswell to see if the suspension arms are all in the right spots and if everything is up tight


The Time Has Come To Battle It Out To The Death... SR24 vs KA24

The bluey must be revived to Life!!

Offline bluesr20

  • antrx.com junior member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
  • Karma: +2/-0
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #8 on: May 1, 2006, 10:10PM »
OK took it to Pedders for a wheel alignment and the problem is 90% gone.  Should have just got it done at a tyre place 'cause Pedders weren't able to check the tyre balance.  They rotated the wheels every which way but couldn't get rid of the wobble entirely.

The old girl is booked into R E Customs at Springvale.  http://www.recustoms.com.au/
I haven't used these guys before so I'll let you know what the experience is like. haha  The Atessa is starting to miss every now and then under hard acceleration (using Shell Optimax).  I'm hoping that it just needs a set of plugs. I'll get them to quote on future mods (exhaust and cold air intake) while it's there.

Offline Craazy

  • Resident Attesa Driver
  • antrx cruise monkey
  • post whore
  • *****
  • Posts: 2431
  • Karma: +29/-5
  • Gender: Male
  • Lovin it long time
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #9 on: May 2, 2006, 07:02PM »
interesting, i didnt know that RE customs used to be evolution R, so they're gone now, this is probably a good move on there part coz as evo R they didnt do any custom work. and they have a new 4WD dyno which is good as we might find out about a dyno day down there??


The Time Has Come To Battle It Out To The Death... SR24 vs KA24

The bluey must be revived to Life!!

Offline Craazy

  • Resident Attesa Driver
  • antrx cruise monkey
  • post whore
  • *****
  • Posts: 2431
  • Karma: +29/-5
  • Gender: Male
  • Lovin it long time
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #10 on: May 2, 2006, 07:04PM »
oh yeh, you gonna get it on the dyno to see how it goes??

or if we can get a dyno day happening down there, maybe get it on then??


The Time Has Come To Battle It Out To The Death... SR24 vs KA24

The bluey must be revived to Life!!

Offline bluesr20

  • antrx.com junior member
  • **
  • Posts: 60
  • Karma: +2/-0
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #11 on: May 2, 2006, 07:52PM »
I'll run the idea by them and see what sort of money they would charge.

How many cars would we be talking about?  2WD?  AWD?

I want to make sure that she is running properly (without the miss) before I run it on the Dyno.

Offline Craazy

  • Resident Attesa Driver
  • antrx cruise monkey
  • post whore
  • *****
  • Posts: 2431
  • Karma: +29/-5
  • Gender: Male
  • Lovin it long time
Re: Mechanic - Sth East Melb ???
« Reply #12 on: May 2, 2006, 08:41PM »
yeah would have to be AWD as there are a few of us with awd, but as for number, unknown, would have to generate interest, and would be a mix of a couple of car clubs to get the numbers.

that said, the shop will probably want a minimum of 20 cars, so we would be looking for 30 cars


The Time Has Come To Battle It Out To The Death... SR24 vs KA24

The bluey must be revived to Life!!