Petermark Automotive add WOFs to their list of services

The video and photos attached show the importance of regular servicing and oil changes, this is an extreme example. I know we sound like stuck records going on about why long-interval servicing doesn't work, but if you were faced with a $7000.00 repair bill and a long time off the road I think you would understand why we push this issue. Unfortunately even after the vehicle has been repaired we believe the engine will not last as long as it should do if it had been looked after. This vehicle has not had regular servicing. The turbo charger failed and on inspection we discovered that the oil had turned to an almost solid-like jelly, blocking the oil galleries which has led to the failure. We highly recommend having your vehicle serviced at a minimum of 10,000kms or 12 months whichever comes first.

Are you like us in that certain words or phrases that have appeared since the beginning of the year make your blood run cold? Words like “unprecedented times”, “clusters”, “tricky virus” or “the new normal” – ugh! We have been very fortunate in our industry in that we have so far survived the Covid Pandemic thanks mainly to the Government for assistance packages and also for the loyalty of our clients who continue to support our workshop. We have been able to continue to operate our business as we did before and are forever grateful that the only time we had to close down completely was over those five weeks during Lockdown 4. We have however noticed a few minor problems that have an impact on the speed and proficiency of servicing or repairing our client’s vehicles. In the past we prided ourselves on a reasonable turnaround. Unless it was a major repair, we could almost guarantee that a vehicle would be in and out in a day. In some cases now though, we are having to wait for over a day, sometimes two for parts to arrive from a warehouse that might be just over the other side of the Harbour Bridge and not to mention how long it is taking for parts to arrive from overseas! It is disappointing for us that we are having to wait so long for parts to arrive but we understand how disappointing it must be for our clients too and we thank you heaps for your patience and understanding. This is causing a “cluster” f*** and “tricky” to work around - but is this the “new normal” during these “unprecedented times”? 😜 🚘 😷 🧴 👏

After October 10th it will be illegal to have an unwarranted and unregistered vehicle on the road. If you were to be stopped by the police you would be ticketed - we're not sure how much the fine would be, possibly around $400.00 for no WOF or Rego. There were 500,000 cars that fell into the amnesty period and up until now only half of those cars have been checked and had a WOF issued. This means there are roughly 250,000 cars that still need to have an overdue WOF check before October 10th. That is on top of all the vehicles that are going to be legally due on or after that same date. It's a bit scary when we think about people’s safety as there could potentially be a lot of unsafe cars out there on the roads. Realistically, it would be impossible, between now and October 10th, for WOF testing stations and repairs shops to be able to process all those vehicles. On top of that are the repairs that may be required to obtain a WOF and then having to go back for a re-check. Unfortunately, what is going to happen is that there will be a massive push during October to get those WOFs done and no doubt there will be long queues and wait times at testing stations. This will compound into next year as well and will probably slowly filter down in the oncoming years. A Warrant of Fitness can be forward-dated by 14 days but the financial loss is minimal: presently our WOFs cost $60.00 (incl GST). If you break that down into weeks it would cost $1.15 (incl GST) per week for your WOF. An example of this would be: If your WOF is due on October 3rd and you were to take it in on that date, you could potentially be sitting in a very long queue amongst a lot of people who took advantage of the amnesty and were getting their overdue WOFs at the same time. If, however, you were to take your vehicle in earlier, financially all you would lose is $1.15 (incl GST) per week. Even a month earlier it would only cost you the price of a takeaway coffee. Our advice to you would be to please get in early and not leave it until the last minute to get your Warrant of Fitness. Please ring if we can assist you in any way – but remember don’t leave it too late!

Please only enter if there are no other customers waiting in the workshop and please don't forget to use the Covid Tracing App or sign in on our manual diary. We will have wipes and handwash available on the front counter for you to use. All customer vehicles and our courtesy cars will be wiped down with antibacterial wipes before and after servicing and our technicians will continue to wear protective gloves. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

This is a bit of a long-winded explanation, apologies for that but there isn’t a brief way of describing it. If you don’t want to damage the electrical system in your car and have to spend a lot of money repairing it, please do read on: I was listening to a conversation on our radio station the other day about batteries and jump-starting vehicles and this raised some concerns with me. Some vehicles now have the battery tucked away under seats, floors or in the boot, so the manufacturers put a positive terminal and earth stud under the bonnet that can be used to jump-start the vehicle. We also use it to charge the battery and attach a battery support device when servicing and repairing the vehicle. Jump-starting modern vehicles should be undertaken with great care as these vehicles have multiple electronic devices that can be damaged with voltage spikes. These spikes can occur once you have jump-started a vehicle and removed the jump cables. The charging system and battery in a modern vehicle works very differently from yesteryears. The battery construction is different from our old lead acid batteries. We now have Calcium, AGM (Active Glass Mat), Gel and Enhanced Flooded batteries. All require a different charging process. The alternator (the device that charges the battery in the vehicle) is usually now controlled by a computer and works differently from our older vehicles. The alternator is there to maintain the battery at the correct voltage but CANNOT recharge a battery if it has gone flat. It will only put a surface charge on the battery. If the battery is not charged correctly it could have an adverse effect on the alternator as the alternator will be working overtime to try and charge the battery. You may also have other devices on the vehicle that stop working because of the battery not being fully charged. This is called “ power shedding ”. If you have had a flat battery you must get it charged and tested. Driving the car around for 20 minutes to an hour will not charge your battery properly. Because of the different battery construction, you would need to use a Smart battery charger – these chargers take the battery through different processes to charge them properly. Unfortunately the old battery charger that you have had sitting in the shed for the past few years is no longer up to the task. In summary, only jump start your vehicle if you really know what you are doing. If your battery has gone flat it needs to be charged on a Smart charger. If replacing your battery, the correct battery must be fitted to your vehicle and in some cases the new battery will need to be coded to the vehicle so the charging system can keep in charged correctly. If this hasn’t covered everything please ring one of the team at Petermark and we will be more than happy to answer your questions. Peter Jones

Instructions for dropping off and picking up your vehicle during our contact-less service are as below. Please log in on our QR poster using your Covid Tracing APP but if you don't have the APP we have a manual diary that can be filled in. Stay safe all! For instructions on downloading the Covid Tracing App, click here .

Using the incorrect octane rating fuel for your vehicle can have catastrophic effects on the engine e.g. broken compression rings and piston failures which would unfortunately require a complete engine rebuild. With manufacturers producing more smaller fuel-efficient turbo-charged and super-charged engines with high power outputs it is imperative that the correct fuel is used. The pictures above are of a job we are currently undertaking – overhauling the engine on this 2016 vehicle which had travelled 47,000kms using low octane 91 when it should have been using a higher-octane fuel as in 95 or 98. If you have any doubts about which fuel to use, please get in contact with us . Saving a few cents at the petrol station by using a cheaper fuel could cost you thousands of dollars in engine repairs.

We belong to our local community Facebook page and we quite often see people in the group asking if anyone in the community knows of a good “cheap” mechanic that can be recommended for a vehicle repair. Now we understand that times are hard and that a lot of people are on extremely tight budgets but when it comes to your motor vehicle and the safety of yourself and your family we wholeheartedly feel that people should be looking more for a reliable vehicle repairer who has the qualifications to diagnose, repair and maintain your vehicle (keeping it both safe and reliable) rather than a mechanic who will carry out a cheap quick fix to get you through a wof or get you back on the road again. At Petermark Automotive the prices we charge for diagnosing or repairing a motor vehicle are reflective of the experience that our technicians have (collectively over 100 years!), the most up-to-date diagnostic equipment and tools that we have invested in and the on-going training that all our technicians attend. We do have the experience and technology and we do not overcharge our customers. We spend time sourcing the best deal on parts that may be required for the repair of your vehicle and have an accurate time clocking computer program that ensures no more time is spent on the job than is absolutely necessary. We offer advice or recommendations on any issues that we may find (e.g. the best tyres for your vehicle) and never continue on repairs until we have discussed the cost of repairs with you and whether it is within your budget. There are not many people in the world that would turn down the offer of a good deal and when money is tight this can be what gets you through from one pay day to the next but if you have to break into your weekly funds to pay for an unexpected vehicle repair which you hadn’t budgeted for, the temptation of getting the repair done cheaply would be understandable - but if your motor vehicle is regularly maintained by a reliable technician you should hopefully be able to avoid unnecessary repair bills and keep yourself and your family safe at the same time.