Mechanic in the Randwich area?

top madra

Can anybody recommend one as I'm just after buying a jeep off Gumtree and I want to get it checked out.

But I don't want to be raped either!

pete4130

http://www.masmobilemechanics.com.au

http://www.truelocal.com.au/business/mobile-automotive-services-mas/coogee

https://www.facebook.com/pages/MAS-Mobile-Mechanics/404974756295589?fref=ts

I've used This guy for 3 years. Russell is his name. He comes out to you and won't rip you off. He's done work for my car and 4WD including services, changing brake pads, discs, engine mounts, tie rod ends, power steering pump, clutch slave cylinders for me.

When I was buying my Land Cruiser I got him to come check it out for me. He normally only services the eastern suburbs but comes to the inner west when I need him as we've been good customers. A Full inspection on a 4WD should have been about $225 I think. He checked it out fully, diff's, diff oil, engine, steering. Noted a small leak on the rear diff that wasn't really an issue but ultimately told me not to buy it as it had too much rust in places. Then only took $150 from me because I wasn't buying it.

Another example is my tie rod ends needed replacing. In the end he only needed to replace one when he could have charged for both.

The wife's brother was working FIFO and needed his brake pads changed and wanted the discs skimmed. He was honest and said it would be a waste of money to get them skimmed but if her bro really wanted them done he could do them.

Drop him a line. Sometimes he's busy travelling away working at V8 race cars or drag race cars. Say Peter & Vanessa gave the recommendation if you get in touch.

johnnyfruitcake

top madra wrote: »

Can anybody recommend one as I'm just after buying a jeep off Gumtree and I want to get it checked out.

But I don't want to be raped either!

http://www.kensingtonbrakeservice.com.au/contact.html

Pete Leondis
Good and fair mechanic.
I work with his brother and he is A1.

top madra

johnnyfruitcake wrote: »

http://www.kensingtonbrakeservice.com.au/contact.html

Pete Leondis
Good and fair mechanic.
I work with his brother and he is A1.

Pm your name (if u don't mind) so I can use that when I talk to him..

@above....Thanks I'll def look into him too.

6ix

top madra wrote: »

Can anybody recommend one as I'm just after buying a jeep off Gumtree and I want to get it checked out.

But I don't want to be raped either!

You bought a jeep?

amybabes

Hi Op,
After 5 years in Sydney, I found a great Irish mechanic in Botany (not too far from Randwick) on recommendation from a colleague. He's in his 40s, here years. I spoke to him for advice when buying my Audi A4 last year and then after i bought the car,brought it for a service when it was due, he gave me great advice - gave it a good service for what was required on a 3 year old car with only 30,000km on it and I know charged me a fair price.
Couldn't recommend him enough, i've lived beside a garage in randwick the last 4 years, pass the guys who work there daily, and both myself and my bf brought every banger we both had over the last few years to them and gave them all our custom and i still reckon they ripped us off! And this was with us doing pinkslips, services, and all repairs there - with 1990's cars that when something went wrong it seldom cost less than a grand to fix.
Audi A4 forums online quoted a 35,000km service as expecting to cost between $400 and $700 and he came in at $320 all up, I was very happy. His name is Mark and he works here: http://www.bondautotech.com.au/

top madra

6ix wrote: »

You bought a jeep?

Well a SUV (but it's a jeep to me)

I wanted something to get me up and down to work in Cronulla and take me off road on the weekend, camping and stuff.

sawdoubters

its better to get it checked out before you buy it

top madra

sawdoubters wrote: »

its better to get it checked out before you buy it

Too late!

I'm not mechanically retarded so i trusted my judgement, but I have a feeling the last owner didn't take care of it properly so I'd like to get it serviced and timing belt done etc just to be on the safe side.

Anyhow it's a badass lifted 4x4 with Mickey Thompson tires and rims and I love it!!

So I'm keeping it for my entire stay in Oz and will fix whatever is wrong with it.

6ix

top madra wrote: »

Well a SUV (but it's a jeep to me)

I wanted something to get me up and down to work in Cronulla and take me off road on the weekend, camping and stuff.

I get ya - I just couldn't resist typing that line... It's from an ad campaign that Jeep (the actual brand) has ran in Australia for the last couple of years...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XimP9cIR0uE

Best of luck with the motor!

mandrake04

top madra wrote: »

Well a SUV (but it's a jeep to me)

I wanted something to get me up and down to work in Cronulla and take me off road on the weekend, camping and stuff.

Ah sounds like a man who has the right idea (for a change)

If it's raised and you got low range gears I recommend Monkey Gum Firetrail which is 2hrs drive down south near Nowra.

Also a few good ones around Blue mountains, google lost City, blackfellows hands at Newnes plateau which is up the Bells line of road.

If it's just soft going head to Stockton up at Wiiliamstown which is 2hrs north, head towards Nelson Bay and you hit the mcDonalds at the roundabout, the maccas has air pumps in its car park where you can Air down. Then follow the dirt road called Levis lane to the beach.

You need a permit which you can get from the Aboriginal Cultural centre which is about 4km down the Nelson Bay road. 3 day permit is $10

The beach and dunes is Mad Max country (literarily), some mad dunes and it's great climbing on your roof and watch the RAAF fly the F18s Mach 2 at 300m but watch out for hidden tank traps. If you follow the beach north past Tin city and the old ship wreck about 35 clicks you hit Barubi beach. You can camp at the site at Anna Bay. I recommend the beach at Fingal Bay and Nelson Bay is only about 10 mins drive. Was up there myself a couple of weeks ago.

top madra

It's raised and has the low range gears plus it has a built in compressor to fill up the tires after some messing about, no but tbh I like fishing etc so I want it to take me off the beaten track but I don't really intend to do the serious off roading.

I would prefer to have a toy for that rather than my daily driver.

Just something to keep me from get from getting stranded on a beach or bush somewhere.

The guy i bought it off recommended that Bluefellows place too.

I need to get out google and start planning!

mandrake04

Stockton is pretty tame it's only sand and there's always someone around to tow you if you get bogged. Also you have phone/internet there as well.

If you like fishing Port Stephan's is the spot.

Newnes and Blackfellows is ok too, can't really go to wrong but if you don't have a radio get a handheld UHF from Jaycar as mobile reception is rubbish.

pete4130

What did you get 4x4 wise?

I've done my advanced 4X4 training with work and drive 4x4's in work up here in QLD every day. I have my old Landcruiser Troopcarrier back in Sydney for some camping and 4WD adventures on m weeks off. If you're keen to do a day/weekend trip sometime let me know.

I've got snatches and other recovery gear too. Post a pic of what 4X4 you got.

A good place to get familiar with the 4x4 is Stockton Beach just north of Newcastle. About 3 hours up from Sydney and you have 32Km's of beach and sand dunes to drive. It's fantastic. Like being on another world. Just remember you need a permit to drive on it ($10 for the day or $30 for the year). Lots to do up there as well. Fishing, sand boarding, quad biking on the dunes, toboggan park, Nelsons bay to rent a boat, fishing on stockton beach, tin city (tin shacks from pre war era, where some of Mad Max was filmed), Seal Rocks just north, free campsite at One mile beach (and MELALEUCA Backpackers campsite across the road has a friendly pet/rescued kangaroo to see).

The Blue Mountains near zig zag railway is really good too. Some extreme tracks that need serious modifications for and some really challenging tracks you could do in a stock 4X4. You'd have no issues with your lift kit.
I got totally lost along blackfellows trail and angus hand trail in the blue mountains. Took about 4 hours to find out way out. Stupidly no maps, no idea where we were going and a lot of the trails were closed to get out.
This is pretty much what we traversed across:



These are taken at the end of the Glow Worm Tunnels road near Zig Zag railway:






Here are a few from Stockton Beach.








Tin City










And one from NYE at Air river campsite way down in Victoria.




Join the Anaconda camping store Adventure club too. You'll get emails about really good deals on camping gear. But be warned….the store is addictive!

You can't camp or drive on Stockton dunes at the minute. They are recovering from storm damage unfortunately. So its more a leisurely drive along the beachfront. Still a good beach drive and not too challenging. Like I said at One Mile Beach here has free camping, good tolets and cold showers to use and a free BBQ! It's right next to a resaurant/bar too and free. One Mile beach is ok for surfing too. It's not to sharky and lots of people night fish there. Stockton Beach itself is a great white shark nursery so best not to get into the water there.

Get some GME TX655 radios if you want something cheap and portable and don't have a UHF mounted in vehicle. They come as a pair and are about $115. They are 1W output which is good for the size of the radio (they are tiny).

Next day trip is Tumut west of Canberra.

pete4130

On a side note, if you need auto electrician work I can't recommend ACE AUTO ELECTRICIAN in Kingsford.
They had my ongoing zircon problem diagnosed in under an hour and fixed within a few days as opposed to the previous auto electrician I had used (Simons auto electric in Marrickville) which spent 6 months and several trips unable/unwilling to diagnose and repair.

mandrake04

Some good photos there Pete, nice night shots your pretty good artistic photographer.

Also nice sky shot, very little light pollution that's pretty thick bush around Newnes without proper map for reference. Was up Bells line today on my way to Orange, you can see where the fires burned seemed like endless supply of fuel wish had my camera with me.

pete4130

mandrake04 wrote: »

Some good photos there Pete, nice night shots your pretty good artistic photographer.

Also nice sky shot, very little light pollution that's pretty thick bush around Newnes without proper map for reference. Was up Bells line today on my way to Orange, you can see where the fires burned seemed like endless supply of fuel wish had my camera with me.

So how about a boards.ie 4X4 day trip?

top madra

Awesome photo's dude!

And thanks loads of info there, I'm only here since the start of Jan so I'm still trying to get my head around it all..

Lol here she is, be gentle I'm a glorified backpacker at the end of the day! Plus don't have much pic's.





I know nobody here at the moment so once I get it checked out and it's running good ya I'd def be up for a run somewhere!

That thing on the side of the roof rack is a canopy that folds out, also got a little chair that sides down when you open the back door
It's my first 4x4 and I just fell for it when I saw the wheels.

mandrake04

pete4130 wrote: »

So how about a boards.ie 4X4 day trip?

I'm thinking of the Great Northern Road and take the Boree track to Finchley.

I think finchley has a camp ground, it would be more than a day trip but you are basically into Hunter.

You ever done that?

pete4130

@Top Madra

The Vitara's are pretty decent and do well off road. It looks pretty well set up for some 4WDing and camping with the awning and rear work light. It's always more fun going in a little convoy when 4WDing. Less stress when/if you get bogged for recovery. Get her checked out and we can organise something.
I get back to Sydney Feb 5th for the week. Might be going canyoning that weekend but if not, even a little 4WD excursion would be awesome.

A good site for off road advice is here . They explain pretty much everything you need to know, terminology and equipment, off road driving techniques etc…

I'd be more than happy sharing my knowledge/experience too.

@mandrake

That sounds like a good plan. Thats west of Budgewoi area on central coast, right? google maps is pretty bad with locating the 4x4 tracks. I'd be more than keen for an overnight, campfire, beers, 4WD excursion. This is what google maps is giving me here

Never been that way I don't think. So I'm keen to check it out for sure. Maybe we should start a new thread for this? See what other boardsies have 4x4's to meet up with?

mandrake04

pete4130 wrote: »

@Top Madra

The Vitara's are pretty decent and do well off road. It looks pretty well set up for some 4WDing and camping with the awning and rear work light. It's always more fun going in a little convoy when 4WDing. Less stress when/if you get bogged for recovery. Get her checked out and we can organise something.
I get back to Sydney Feb 5th for the week. Might be going canyoning that weekend but if not, even a little 4WD excursion would be awesome.

A good site for off road advice is here . They explain pretty much everything you need to know, terminology and equipment, off road driving techniques etc…

I'd be more than happy sharing my knowledge/experience too.

@mandrake

That sounds like a good plan. Thats west of Budgewoi area on central coast, right? google maps is pretty bad with locating the 4x4 tracks. I'd be more than keen for an overnight, campfire, beers, 4WD excursion. This is what google maps is giving me here

Never been that way I don't think. So I'm keen to check it out for sure. Maybe we should start a new thread for this? See what other boardsies have 4x4's to meet up with?

There is supposed to be some great aboriginal paintings at finchley, I am interested in that sort of stuff plus it's supposed to be a great panoramic view.

This is the best I can find.

http://www.greaterbluemountainsdrive.com.au/downloads/notes-great-northern-road.pdf


There's a map shop in Parramatta that has great maps, I just take a GPS fix and plot it off the map bit old school but Google cars don't go down these types of roads and you can't rely on iPhones as it's too remote to get data reception.

It might be a couple of months tho, I am on call for work one weekend in 4 (like this weekend) and have something on for the next couple. Great weather and water sports eats up my weekends and the wife want me lay new paving and deck.

pete4130

Thats cool. After my initial Blue Mountains escapade I'm all sorted with handheld GPS, map files, downloading other peoples routes from 4x4 forums to know the best way to go, recovery gear, "snatch bags" for emergencies…the works!

Regarding iPhones. Get CoPilot app or something similar. It doesn't need a signal to get location and uses AGPS chip in the phone.

With working away my week off is pretty intense. I'd be looking at let feb or mid-late march before I'd have a free week on my time off.

In the mean time…I've got 2 spare surf boards and wetsuits..any takers?

mandrake04

I have a 2009 Prado it's bog standard as it's my wife's car, but I got a bit of gear for going off road can't do anything too hairy when she's with me she a bit of a panicker.

pete4130

You'll get through anything with the Prado! We'll be looking to you for getting us out of bogs.

top madra

pete4130 wrote: »

You'll get through anything with the Prado! We'll be looking to you for getting us out of bogs.

I contacted your mate he's calling in a few days, thanks dude.

pete4130

top madra wrote: »

I contacted your mate he's calling in a few days, thanks dude.

Oh Awesome! Russell is really top guy. Down to earth, honest and just a nice bloke. Always try to catch him a week or so earlier than you need him in case he's busy for services etc. Like I've said he's always been 100% for me and gone out of his way to sort me out.
I need to hit him up, my car is due a service about 300km ago.

Once it's all been checked out, we need to get off road!

top madra

pete4130 wrote: »

Oh Awesome! Russell is really top guy. Down to earth, honest and just a nice bloke. Always try to catch him a week or so earlier than you need him in case he's busy for services etc. Like I've said he's always been 100% for me and gone out of his way to sort me out.
I need to hit him up, my car is due a service about 300km ago.

Once it's all been checked out, we need to get off road!

Ya def dude once I get the all clear, I reckon it needs a small bit of work though.

I drove up to Morisset park yesterday, looks like there was a few trails there too but I mostly just went up to see Skippy and have a bbq!

Don't wanna do anything until he looks it over, we drove back down along the coast, some serious views!

pete4130

Did you get it looked at? I ended up taking a spin up to Stockton on Friday with a friend thats visiting. Blasted on the beach, hit up a few dunes on the sly, BBQ, beers and stargazing on a beach at night. Some sand boarding and tobogganing thrown in too.

I'm next off work Feb 27th for the week. If you guys are keen to organise something then I'm up for it.

mandrake04

pete4130 wrote: »

I ended up taking a spin up to Stockton on Friday with a friend thats visiting. Blasted on the beach, hit up a few dunes on the sly, BBQ, beers and stargazing on a beach at night. Some sand boarding and tobogganing thrown in too.

I'm next off work Feb 27th for the week. If you guys are keen to organise something then I'm up for it.

I was in the area all weekend, went up Friday night to Fingal bay but was flat out on the water not the sand. Today the wind wasn't to bad and about 5 of us cruised outside and around the headland to Samurai beach, plenty of 4WD there and a camp also. One of the lads with us is local and he says there is a tricky enough track from Gan Gan road to the beach and no problem access to the Dunes at the North end. I had a quick look around it today and the dunes look good (not as big as stocky) but must also warn you it's clothing optional beach.