The best car service centres in Canberra

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Tim Thomas, an engine and gearbox specialist from Rusden Europro Automotive, one of Canberra's most recommended mechanics.

Tim Thomas, an engine and gearbox specialist from Rusden Europro Automotive, one of Canberra’s most recommended mechanics. Photo: Rusden Europro Automotive.

While many of us drive cars; few are adept at anything more than a quick refuel or tyre inflation. Indeed, when most of us peer under a bonnet much of the mechanical wizardry is a complete mystery. And now, as we move closer to fully electric cars, the sheer sophistication and level of automation is astounding.

So, when it comes to maintaining our cars a professional service at the hands of skilled technicians is most certainly the way to go. In their simplest form, automotive service centres provide specialised mechanical care to keep your car running in peak condition.

They examine, test, and assess vehicles at regular intervals, adjusting to improve performance as needed. Whether your needs are set servicing linked to timed or clocked kilometres, or a roadworthy issue that has popped up in between, finding a good car service centre is crucial.

With so many makes and models on the market, each requires specialised training and experienced technical know-how.

We’ve done some leg work and have rounded up the best car service centres that Canberra has to offer.

What makes a great car service centre?

Great car service centres make light work of your vehicle repairs and maintenance. They are dependable, professional, and diligent mechanical mavens, that keep your wheels turning safely on the road. To ensure your car is handled by an experienced technician, we suggest you consider the following:

  • Qualified, experienced, and specialised. The best mechanics boast years of experience, the right qualifications, and a specialisation or two. At a minimum, your local service centre mechanical team should all hold a Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology. Many centres will also boast additional training specific to certain automotive models. There are many different car varieties – diesel, 4WD, European – so ensure they specialise in your type of car before booking. For added peace of mind look for car service centres that are members of an industry associations such as the Motor Trade Association of the ACT. Finally, check that your mechanic is an Authorised Examiner and that the centre is noted as an Approved Inspection Station as issued by Access Canberra.
  • Reputable & recommended. When it comes to cars; we have all heard tales of the proverbial lemon. Finding a reputable and recommended service centre is akin to seeking a credible car. It needs to be trustworthy, have built a reputation worth hearing about, and offer service in spades. Often, one of the best ways to land a good car servicing experience is to choose a centre that comes recommended. A personal or professional recommendation offers valuable peace of mind that they have been trusted by a family or friend.
  • Extensive services. Any service centre you choose to work with should be capable of working through your vehicle’s needs from top to bottom. Review all services offered by each centre and consider whether they are extensive enough to address your needs. Finding a centre that can take care of maintenance, repairs, and even upgrades, will be more manageable in the long run. There is a lot to be said for convenience particularly when you consider the length of tenure with your car.
  • Guaranteed. The best car service centres will happily provide a guarantee on their service. For most, this guarantee includes both parts, and labour. Indeed, genuine parts will typically carry their own warranty period, but will fall short without quality installation. Always enquire about service guarantees offered; being sure you understand terms and the steps in which to make a claim.
  • Customer first. While planned regular maintenance can easily be scheduled, unforeseen issues can require urgent attention with a moment notice. And when unplanned disaster strikes, having a customer centric service centre on your side makes the world of difference. The best car service centres are there when you need them most. They welcome the panicked call, the drop in, and the challenge of the unknown. Not only do they find a way to accommodate your needs; they do so promptly. They clearly outline the issues, provide options, and adhere to timeframes. The best will even offer a complimentary hire cars, so you can run around town whilst your own car is being looked after.

The best car service centres in Canberra.

RiotACT’s editorial team has combed through 20 years of on-site comments to compile a list of the most recommended businesses according to you.

To be listed in our Best of Canberra series, each business needs to have consistently received positive feedback on RiotACT and Facebook as well as maintaining a minimum average of 4/5 stars on Google.

Rusden Europro Automotive

The motor vehicle specialists and transmission specialists at Rusden Europro Automotive have been operating for more than 30 years. Its suite of services include mechanic repairs, automotive services, vehicle inspections, vehicle upgrades, tyres, and plasti dip paint. Located centrally in Fyshwick, this car service centre provides courtesy, pick-up and delivery services. Mechanics and technicians are fully qualified and the team includes an ACT Roadworthy Authority Inspector, engine and gearbox specialist, and a gas and electrician specialist. Rusden Europro Automotive is open six days a week and offers free quotes.

As Tony Zhong wrote on Google, “Always get my cars serviced or repaired there. Fair price and detailed explanation on the items done. I have recommended the team to many friends and they never disappoint me.”

Canberra Toyota

Since their establishment in 1988; Canberra Toyota have become as synonymous as the local automotive landscape itself. With four convenient locations in Gungahlin, Fyshwick, Belconnen, and Phillip, they are well regarded as service centres of choice for many Canberrans.

When it comes to servicing capability, Canberra Toyota can handle fuel injectors through to wheel alignments and more. The team can also execute mechanical, electrical, and air conditioning repairs as needed.

Vikki Lawrence shared her experience with the team on Facebook, Staff are always very polite. The mechanics are very thorough with going over the car. And I always get it back sparkly clean, vacuumed and smelling sweet.”

Lexus of Canberra

After first opening their doors over thirty years ago, Lexus of Canberra is home to a beautiful automotive showroom and maintenance facility, making it the service centre of choice for many astute Lexus owners.

Boasting a team of specialised Lexus-trained technicians, the centre carries the full suite of diagnostic equipment designed to read and manage in-car computing and automation systems.

Lexus of Canberra also offers a Lexus loan car or convenient pick-up and drop-off for each service. Furthermore, serviced vehicles are returned with a complimentary exterior wash and vacuumed interior.

Ruth Swinton shared this review on Google, I put my car in for service for the first time at Lexus Canberra and was blown away by the professionalism and standard of service.”

Braddon Service Centre

For many years, Braddon Service Centre has been adding more life to cars. Its team of experienced professionals and specialists offer one-stop solutions with quality workmanship from its location in Mitchell. This car service centre not only handles maintenance and specialised repair services, it sells a comprehensive range of automotive products and provides other services such as professional car washing, cleaning and monthly inspections.

Customer Shiqin Huo wrote on Google, “Fantastic work with affordable price. The reception is really kind and helpful. Highly recommended to all my friends!”

Subaru Canberra

Conveniently and centrally located in Phillip, Subaru Canberra have been the number one choice for servicing Subaru vehicles for over twenty years.

Their consistent levels of superior service are testament to their high standards, with all technicians trained for strict adherence to factory maintenance schedules. Each schedule service includes a top-up of oil, fluids, and coolant, along with a check on hoses, belts, tyres, and brake pads to check for deterioration and ensure safety on the road.

Craig Harvey shared this review on Google, Great service department with good communication.”

Phillip Mitsubishi

As South Canberra’s home of Mitsubishi, Phillip Mitsubishi house a showroom and service centre conveniently located under the one roof. Their expertly trained factory technicians maintain Mitsubishi’s legendary reliability, making them the first choice for Mitsubishi owners.

To keep each Mitsubishi running at its peak Phillip Mitsubishi provides bonnet to boot servicing; offering the peace of mind that comes with knowing each service has been completed to exacting standards.

Elise Mullans shared this review on Google, The team at Phillip Mitsubishi are friendly, attentive and went above and beyond to get my Mitsubishi back on the road. The service centre staff are efficient and professional and work to a high standard.”

For additional car maintenance services check out our articles on the best mechanics and the best mobile car battery repair services in Canberra. And, to maintain that showroom finish check out our articles on the best car washes and the best car detailers Canberra has to offer. Should a new set of wheels be on the cards, be sure to check out this article on the best car dealerships in the region.

Your experience with car service centres in Canberra

Thanks to our commenters who have provided insightful feedback. If you believe we have got it wrong, please let us know.

Have you had experience with any of the car service centres listed above? If so, share your feedback in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a car service centre and a mechanic?

A car service centre is quite similar to a mechanic as they both specialise in servicing your car. However, a car service centre specialises in your car's regular services and check ups, whilst a mechanic will fix and upgrade your car.

How often should I get my car serviced?

You car's handbook should indicate the recommended frequency of car services. However, the lights on your dashboard should take priority as they are programmed to follow your car manufacturer's guidelines. On top of this, you should get your car serviced before you go on a long road trip.

What happens if I miss a car service?

A good car service centre will be able to get your car back on track, if you've missed a service. But don't leave it too long! The longer you go without services, the more problems you are likely to encounter.

Should I get a used car checked by a service centre before buying it?

Yes! To ensure a used car is roadworthy, you should always get it checked by a mechanic or car service centre.

What is the difference between a major service and a log book service?

A log book service is when your car is serviced in accordance with vehicle manufacturer specifications based on kilometres driven. A major service involves a thorough assessment by a qualified mechanic, and any maintenance issues or repairs that are outside of the log book requirements will be recommended.

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I reckon you can’t go past Gordon at Mechanical Care in Belconnen. I have limped my car in to them and they have fixed tiny things on the spot for me. They understood when my partner left his car dead on their doorstep at night, to be dealt with in the morning.

The quality of their work is consistently good, they don’t treat customers like idiots, and they don’t overcharge.

This thread is two years old but taking the advice I couldn’t be happier with JAWS in Phillip, they are straight up with their advice and are great communicators , can not recommend highly enough

4wdElectrical8:07 pm 30 Oct 15

Hi

I stumbled across Lonsdale Auto Electrical and had a really great experience. Initially I drove out to them in Braddon with a dodgy battery / alternator. Parked a street away. Couldn’t get the truck started when I turned it off. I walked to them and Gordon walked back down with me, and between trying a battery and then his car, he got mine started again. He also gave me an approximate quote for what I needed. No obligation at all.

When I got the opportunity to go back and book in with them, their service was prompt, professional and helpful – they explained what they would do, and why. They never tried to oversell. I have no idea if they are the cheapest for electrical work, but their customer service and professionalism are stellar.

ArcherKindley9:10 pm 30 Jul 15

Hey friend! Thanks for asking for responses. I am also a Toyata user and I know better how the servicing costs for it. Really it’s too expensive to maintain such brands. It’s true that certified service centers would charge a lot for it but that doesn’t mean that you need to go for an ordinary repair center. You can find cheaper care centers that provide good service. I prefer: http://www.upscaleauto.com/vehicles/toyota/
You may visit it but remember always for a reputed care center rather an ordinary one.

Hi Ringer ,

Would certainly recommend getting the car serviced from a local mechanic instead of one of those fancy franchisee model repair mob.

We get our cars repaird from Adrain at Ultimate Tunes.

Good mob, honest advise and has been kind to accomadate even at the last min.

Adrain
4 Bellona Ct, Phillip ACT
(02) 6281 1821
http://www.ultimatetunes.com.au/

My 2 cents.

lenticularis4:49 pm 23 Jun 15

Looks like I am revising an old thread!

I have a very strong recommendation for International Car Repairs in Dundas Court, Phillip (6282 5868). I have used them for a number of car services (2 different cars). They provide old-fashioned careful, meticulous, polite and good-value service. They are solidly busy for good reason.

I also have used the following with good results:

TechWorkz Automotive in Tuggeranong ( a clutch replacement on a 2006 Subaru Liberty)

Lonsdale Auto Electrics, now located in Fyshwick.

MD-Automotive in Monash

EvanJames said :

Deref said :

I’ve been using Repco City Car Care in Braddon for years. They’re excellent.

Hmmm. I’m trying to be enthusiastic too but casting around for other options, again. What is it about them that you’re really happy about?

The quality of the service, basically. They’re conscientious, always helpful and do a good job. I’ve got confidence in them. 🙂

Deref said :

I’ve been using Repco City Car Care in Braddon for years. They’re excellent.

Hmmm. I’m trying to be enthusiastic too but casting around for other options, again. What is it about them that you’re really happy about?

Ben_Dover said :

Call me Mr Contrary, but I have used the Kmart garage in Hawker for servicing my cars for many years, and am more than happy with the service.

Herin lies the danger of labelling all franchises with the same brush. Just because one doesn’t measure up doesn’t mean they all will as Ben Dover points out from his own experience.

Especially as many of the Shell servos the garage portion are separate small business people who just happen to rent space in what Shell in their wisdom have called Kmart Tyre and Auto, due to their co-branding exercise with Coles.

Will be interesting to see if the co-branding exits after shell offloads their retail assets.

I’ve been using Repco City Car Care in Braddon for years. They’re excellent.

Call me Mr Contrary, but I have used the Kmart garage in Hawker for servicing my cars for many years, and am more than happy with the service.

Add me to the list of people who’ll tell you never to go to Kmart for a car service. I used the mob in Manuka twice, the second time I knew I was making a mistake. Their upselling is pathetic, the service on both occasions was poor, second time the car came out with a squeak that it has to this day. They’re the one Braddon outfit I won’t be trying.

Postalgeek said :

Whether the vehicle is under warranty or not, something anyone can do is go to an auto shop and buy oil, oil filter, fuel filter, and air filter suitable for their vehicle. Check your service book and it’ll let you know what you need. Leave them on the front seat and let the auto service know they are there for the service.

Maybe just give them a ring first to much sure they’re okay with you supplying consumables.

The mark-up on consumables can significantly add to a bill.

You are under NO obligation to go the dealer for servicing. You can go anywhere you want and they are not allowed to void your warranty.

Rollersk8r said :

Well I have nothing to gain by defending them. However, I know what a warranty is and the car was out of warranty when I had the $1100 steering issue fixed.

Plus 15,000km is the standard service interval for most Toyotas – but of course the logbook and Toyota themselves recommend you go in every 7500. It’s not that big a deal.

Fair enough, but two points, most Toyotas are actually 10,000 service intervals but they, the dealers suggest getting the oil changed every 5,000. The Camry and Aurion (since at least the mid 2010 facelif) and maybe now some of the newer model imports are 15,000.

Where it is a big deal as I mentioned is where the fools cannot even get their computer systems to recognise what their OWN maintenance schedules are and then send out reminder sms’s that are incorrectly timed and borderline threatening and against trade practices laws.

As for warranty clearly this will surprise you as you know what one is apparently, but if the manufacturer finds a fault that can be traced to a manufacturing or design issue, regardless of their advertised warranty they are actually obliged to fix it at their cost no matter how old or how many KM’s the car has been driven.

The advertised warranty covers abnormal/premature wear to parts where the wear or fault is not an inherent design or manufacturing issue.

So if your fault was a known issue, then clearly it was a design or manufacturing problem so even if
your car was “out of warranty” then they are still obliged to repair it for free. They then simply bill Toyota Australia. So don’t think that in itself is a sign of good service.

The same applies to more or less everything you buy actually.

dtc said :

Mordd said :

Never ever go to Kmart tyre and auto – see my post above – they are the worst possible option for a good mechanic ever.

Why?

Your post doesnt say anything other than you have found someone else is good. Who is no where near where I live or work.

I did go to Kmart for new tyres once and had a very bumpy ride. I connected the pressure gauge and found they had been blown up to 41 PSI (recommended pressure 29PSI). The name is a giveaway. Going to Kmart and expecting a good service for your car is like going to Maccas and expecting fine dining.

Ringer said :

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I enquired Jaws automotive and the quote is a lot cheaper than Toyota. That really helped me with my tight budget. Thank you!

Hey that’s great, I am sure you will be really happy with their service. Any issues just always speak to Jay – he is the best one to deal with there (his other mechanics are great mechanics but he has the best customer service being the boss – hey not every mechanic can be great with customers too lol – it’s a skill to learn). Do let us know what you think afterwards, I am very confident you will be very satisfied with them though.

Just to add to what i said before, this is my sad car story:

My mum gave me her old Ford Festive Trio which had always been serviced by Kmart tyre and auto in wanniassa and always passed services no issues. In order to change the rego, I had to spend 1 grand on replacing the muffler/exhaust due to leaks in it, replacing all four tires with new, and replacing the windscreen to repair a crack on the drivers side. I thought this was a reasonable investment at the time.

Fast forward a few months and car starts conking out all the time. Due to a faulty oil light and my inferior engine knowledge at the time, I thought it was completely out of oil and ended up over filling it with oil, which resulted in all the gaskets and seals bursting and oil pouring out all over the place. I took it to kmart tyre and auto in wanniassa where it had always been serviced, $300 later they replaced all seals and gaskets, oil filter, air filter, and the oil and tested it and told me all was fine. They couldn’t do the rego check though (i got pinged by roads inspector with oil leaking all over engine and got yellow slipped – truly bad luck) so I took it kmart tyre and auto in phillip who charged me $120 for the rego (they claimed there was still oil on the underside of the car and that had to be cleaned as well to pass rego meh) and I drove it away thinking all was fine, only to have it start conking out on me again about 5KM out from woden.

Drove it home and rang kmart tyre and auto in phillip again, who told me they couldn’t get it back in for a week but recommended Jaws in phillip, which is how I first heard of them. Went in there after calling them and being told to bring in right in straight away (no waiting! this was the first of good experiences with jaws) and told Jay @ Jaws my sorry story. He told me he would get to the bottom of it, and true to his word, called me 24hrs later to tell me I had what i’ve heard termed “major blowback / major blowby” or in laymans terms, a major blockage in the engine that keeps forcing oil up and out where it shoudn’t go causing the pressure in the engine to go too high and making it conk it.

Now at this point Jay could have charged me good money to tell me my car engine was f****d and I needed a new engine, instead he turned around and said: I can’t fix it, and you’ve already sunk a lot of wasted money into the car, so I won’t charge you anything. That blew me away, could this be an honest mechanic I thought? So a few days later I went hunting for a new 2nd hand car from the dealerships around the place, and found what is now my current car at sale in a dealership in phillip. Took it into Jay and he gave me 25% off the full inspection check on the car then gave me a very honest report on the condition inc. taking time to explain some things in laymans terms for me so I understood properly being not a big car person to start with which I really appreciated.

I ended up buying that car and have been very happy with it since. Paid Jaws for a full service on it as it was needing one, and compared to the other quotes I got at the time Jaws was among the better prices and faster service than the others even though I was going to go with them anyway. On top of that, I have had had 2 minor situations, one where I closed the boot too hard and it got stuck shut, and he fixed it for me for free even though it took them almost ten minutes to do it, the other being a flat tyre I took in to have repaired, it couldn’t be repaired so he gave me 10% off a replacement he had in stock which happened to be identical to my other tires which was nice.

Since getting my new car I have educated myself a bit better on engine stuff through some net reading and long chats with friends who are more experienced, and I have come to see how rare it is to find a good mechanic like Jaws, and my mates who are car-heads agree with me. I hope you have such a pleasant experience with them as I did, the one thing I learnt as Jay told me is that Kmart Tyre and Auto will just take your money and not tell you your car is actually f****d whereas Jay told me that for free even though he’d just spent hours working out what was wrong with the car, that’s really good service in my book any day of the week.

dtc said :

Mordd said :

Never ever go to Kmart tyre and auto – see my post above – they are the worst possible option for a good mechanic ever.

Why?

Your post doesnt say anything other than you have found someone else is good. Who is no where near where I live or work.

yeh, I wrote a really long post that for someone even though submitted twice kept dissapearing from the pending post queue, I emailed admin about it and he is going to manually post it for me, it will make sense once you read it, it was originally posted before that comment I made about see post above because it *should* have posted before that comment but yeh….

Mordd said :

Never ever go to Kmart tyre and auto – see my post above – they are the worst possible option for a good mechanic ever.

Why?

Your post doesnt say anything other than you have found someone else is good. Who is no where near where I live or work.

dtc said :

towerofsoup said :

I have almost the exact situation Ringer! Except my Toyota has only done 65k, and Toyota belconnen is trying to make me do the 80k $750-1000 expensive service! Anyone got a recomendation for a good mechanic on the northside?

Dynotune in Mitchell are good.

If you just want a standard service (ie oil change, filters etc) then most places will be fine, Kmart in Braddon or Ultratune in Belco etc etc.

Never ever go to Kmart tyre and auto – see my post above – they are the worst possible option for a good mechanic ever.

JC said :

Rollersk8r said :

Well I’ve tried a couple of other places in Belconnen but have ended up going back to Toyota. You might pay a bit more but their customer service is well ahead of most places – and I once had an $1100 job done for free because it was a known defect. Plus I’ve always been able to pop straight in to get minor stuff looked at.

Is it Aprils fools day?

Well I have nothing to gain by defending them. However, I know what a warranty is and the car was out of warranty when I had the $1100 steering issue fixed.

Plus 15,000km is the standard service interval for most Toyotas – but of course the logbook and Toyota themselves recommend you go in every 7500. It’s not that big a deal.

Useful info here. I’m running out of places to try in Braddon, so the mention of CWC at Ainslie Village was a good reminder. Jaws at Phillip also gets added to the list.

towerofsoup said :

I have almost the exact situation Ringer! Except my Toyota has only done 65k, and Toyota belconnen is trying to make me do the 80k $750-1000 expensive service! Anyone got a recomendation for a good mechanic on the northside?

Dynotune in Mitchell are good.

If you just want a standard service (ie oil change, filters etc) then most places will be fine, Kmart in Braddon or Ultratune in Belco etc etc.

Whether the vehicle is under warranty or not, something anyone can do is go to an auto shop and buy oil, oil filter, fuel filter, and air filter suitable for their vehicle. Check your service book and it’ll let you know what you need. Leave them on the front seat and let the auto service know they are there for the service. Maybe just give them a ring first to much sure they’re okay with you supplying consumables.

The mark-up on consumables can significantly add to a bill.

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I enquired Jaws automotive and the quote is a lot cheaper than Toyota. That really helped me with my tight budget. Thank you!

Richard Bender said :

NRMA in Tuggeranong did the major service on my Aurion for $500. That was two years ago, so it might be a bit more now.

Rollersk8r – was your known defect perchance a VVTi oil line? $1100 is highway robbery, but if it was the oil line, at least you got Toyota to acknowledge it was their fault.

ha, yeah they were doing repairs on that as standard, but trying to keep it quiet. It was technically a recall, but they decided to let it be repairs at service intervals instead. It’s itemised on invoices as ‘VVTI Upgrade” because they replaced the plastic part with something more robust.

JC said :

Rollersk8r said :

Well I’ve tried a couple of other places in Belconnen but have ended up going back to Toyota. You might pay a bit more but their customer service is well ahead of most places – and I once had an $1100 job done for free because it was a known defect. Plus I’ve always been able to pop straight in to get minor stuff looked at.

Is it Aprils fools day? By the post above it looks like. Customer service yeah right only place I know of where you book a car in for something specific to be done and rather than ringing to see if you wish to go ahead and have it repaired they tell you when you pick it up then ask if you want to book it in to get it done. So yeah great customer service.

Services, I have a Camry that by their own book has a 15,000km or 9 month service interval but every 6 months they send me an SMS advising it is time for a service and then claiming the world will end and the car will be zapped up by the good ship enterprise if I don’t get them do it. I emailed them about it to be told the system doesn’t know my model has a 15k service interval. After the 3rd time it happend I called Lisa Grey and had a discussion about the wording, suggesting it was a tad over the top and borderline against the trade practices act. They stopped after this of course. The only reason I kept going back was the car was covered by a fixed price service plan, at $130 a pop so quite reasonable.

As for getting a ‘free’ repair because it was a known defect, well ummm one can but hope that was the case. It is called a warranty job (and Toyota themselves pay). I had them fix a known dash rattle on my car, took 3 attempts and lasted 1 month before it started again. For my efforts I can see where they used screw drivers to pry the window frame trim pieces off.

The remote are a pain and expensive for sure, but you know it is that die, just that the battery goes flat. Toyota of course in their wisdom made them sealed units. You can get replacements from the key cutting shops much cheaper and instructions for coding them to your car are freely on the net.

I thought Canberra Toyota is a rather expensive injector clean. A bottle of injector cleaner is much much better.

PS I am now done with them, my car has had its last fixed price service and its last visit to Canberra Toyota.

I had it with that mob too.
I am still waiting for the “free” movie tickets from a service deal 4 months ago. I don’t know if it is a scam but they repaired a puncture while it was there without referral. They claim the car had a flat tyre when it arrived which it didn’t – it was inspected by the reception guy in the driveway. Also quoted for $1200 of repairs and charged a bomb for a service that was really an oil change.
I later had the same repairs done for $400 by LubeMobile at my home less than 24 hours after I phoned them.
Don’t know why I haven’t used LubeMobile before but I will be from now on.

Richard Bender8:34 pm 06 Feb 14

NRMA in Tuggeranong did the major service on my Aurion for $500. That was two years ago, so it might be a bit more now.

Rollersk8r – was your known defect perchance a VVTi oil line? $1100 is highway robbery, but if it was the oil line, at least you got Toyota to acknowledge it was their fault.

Over the last five years or so, I’ve taken my two Subarus up to Nat & team at CWC (Ainslie Village)(http://canberramechanic.com.au/), and both thrived ! (Well, the first one thrived until I buried it into the back of someone else’s car, but that wasn’t Nat’s fault ! ). And they have free courtesy cars.

For the Tuggeranong side of town, I’ve been quite happy with Kambah automotive and exhaust centre

Rollersk8r said :

Well I’ve tried a couple of other places in Belconnen but have ended up going back to Toyota. You might pay a bit more but their customer service is well ahead of most places – and I once had an $1100 job done for free because it was a known defect. Plus I’ve always been able to pop straight in to get minor stuff looked at.

Is it Aprils fools day? By the post above it looks like. Customer service yeah right only place I know of where you book a car in for something specific to be done and rather than ringing to see if you wish to go ahead and have it repaired they tell you when you pick it up then ask if you want to book it in to get it done. So yeah great customer service.

Services, I have a Camry that by their own book has a 15,000km or 9 month service interval but every 6 months they send me an SMS advising it is time for a service and then claiming the world will end and the car will be zapped up by the good ship enterprise if I don’t get them do it. I emailed them about it to be told the system doesn’t know my model has a 15k service interval. After the 3rd time it happend I called Lisa Grey and had a discussion about the wording, suggesting it was a tad over the top and borderline against the trade practices act. They stopped after this of course. The only reason I kept going back was the car was covered by a fixed price service plan, at $130 a pop so quite reasonable.

As for getting a ‘free’ repair because it was a known defect, well ummm one can but hope that was the case. It is called a warranty job (and Toyota themselves pay). I had them fix a known dash rattle on my car, took 3 attempts and lasted 1 month before it started again. For my efforts I can see where they used screw drivers to pry the window frame trim pieces off.

The remote are a pain and expensive for sure, but you know it is that die, just that the battery goes flat. Toyota of course in their wisdom made them sealed units. You can get replacements from the key cutting shops much cheaper and instructions for coding them to your car are freely on the net.

I thought Canberra Toyota is a rather expensive injector clean. A bottle of injector cleaner is much much better.

PS I am now done with them, my car has had its last fixed price service and its last visit to Canberra Toyota.

Well I’ve tried a couple of other places in Belconnen but have ended up going back to Toyota. You might pay a bit more but their customer service is well ahead of most places – and I once had an $1100 job done for free because it was a known defect. Plus I’ve always been able to pop straight in to get minor stuff looked at.

Having said that, the cost of some genuine Toyota bits is absolutely outrageous. My remote has died and they want close to $300 for a new one. The stereo doesn’t work very well either – and they told me not to even bother investigating a fix, just go to car stereo place and replace the whole thing…

I have almost the exact situation Ringer! Except my Toyota has only done 65k, and Toyota belconnen is trying to make me do the 80k $750-1000 expensive service! Anyone got a recomendation for a good mechanic on the northside?

Ringer, I can recommend the guys at Metro Car Care in Mitchell.

They’re about as good as you will find in Canberra for price, and always busy, and come well recommended by a few work colleagues. I have had them do work on my Commodore, and they always do what is required, and don’t do work that isn’t required. They’ll also show you the fault, if visible, and will even return your old parts if you want.

5/19 Essington St, Mitchell ACT 2911
Phone: 6241 7029

Personally, I cannot recommend anyone more highly than Jaws Automotive in Phillip – they are a family friendly mechanic who will actual give you real honest advice, and doesn’t charge through the nose to tell you something can’t be fixed. They have saved me hundreds of dollars on servicing my old car the past year and a bit and you will not find anyone more reliable, trustworthy and competent on the southside. Call and ask for Jay – he is the boss man and the best to deal with.

4 Salamander Ct, Phillip ACT 2606 – (02) 6285 3455

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