RedVYIISS
23-12-2006, 08:15 AM
Well, the last month or so has been interesting....
I managed to get 17,000 km out of the auto trans, then it deteriorated pretty rapidly. Over the next two weeks 1st & 2nd were slipping extremely badly and it was an effort to get the speed high enough to get it to change into 3rd, though once in 3rd it was OK.
Booked it into Belmore Transmissions & Automotive (same people that built Nirvans's box) for Wed 29/11, job was to take 2 days (Wed & Thurs) and I thought middle of the week, gave them Friday if there were any probs. Was quoted $2950, 1 year warranty, they suggest a BMR deep sump for the auto, another $350 odd, increases trans fluid volume, better cooling, I say go ahead. I hired a car from Herz on Wed morning to go back to work etc.
I call BTA Thurs arvo, it wont be finished, no worries another day car hire. Same Friday arvo, no worries, I drive down from the Coast Sat morning, drop off the hire car and head over to BTA. Car is still on the hoist, I sit around for more than a few hrs, car's finally being re-assembled, BTA not happy with exhaust running beside the trans cooler lines, blah, blah, blah, wont be finished.... Go back to Hertz to pick up car again, Herz are closed, Avis to the rescue!!!
The folowing Tuesday, all should be good, drop in mid arvo, car still on hoist, test driven about 5-30, they're not happy with it, drive home 140? km to Central Coast.
I check in every day, finally Friday arvo 8 December, all's go, drop off hire car, back to Belmore about 6pm, handed the keys and bill. Expecting around $3,400 plus, bill is $5834-00 (plus of course now 10 days car hire)... oil's $359 extra, $330 exhaust mod, $595 extra HD oil cooler, $300 cooler lines, $180 cooler line fittings, $75 cooler mtg kit, $650 labour to fit oil cooler & cooler lines. Not happy, but relieved to finally get my car back. Told to change manually for the first week while everything beds in. Check engine light is on, Belmore couldn't diagnose though did have one of the O2 sensors disconnected and test drove it without zorst fitted
On the way home, notice 2-3 change seems a little soft though didn't think too much of it at first, noticed A/C doesn't work.
During the course of the next week drove it like a manual, all seemed Ok, then did a couple of moderate throttle runs letting it self shift.... not happy as it's flairing (badly) in the top of 2nd and the 2-3 shift is like mush.
Dropped by Sonny's, he checks the 'check engine' code and it's one he hasn't seen before and is air con related. I assume the Belmore boys have bumped an electrical connection somewhere. While at Sonny's I book in for a service, I know the car's going back to Belmore so book service for Friday morning 22/12.
Car is dropped back to Belmore Tues arvo and test driven, they agree it's not right and book it in for Thursday morning 21/12.
Coming to work on Wed morning 20/12 I come off the F3 onto Pennant Hills Rd and come to a halt behind traffic. A Nissan Patrol pulls up behind me, stops then sees an opening in traffic in the middle lane, goes for it and proceeds to drive up my ar$e. Doesn't hit me hard but his bull bar dents rear bar, boot and scratches spoiler and number plate panel. Damn!!!!
I drop off car to Belmore Thursday morning as arranged, phone Thurs arvo and speak to one of the young guys, it's just been finished so at 4pm I head off from Castle Hill to Belmore. I'm at Bankstown (most of the way there) and get a phone call, car's not finished, they'll need to keep it over night and they're about to close up. I've no option but to turn around and head home. I ring Sonny to let him know that I wont be able to make my a.m. appointment at Marrano's for my service. He tells me that if I get it back early enough to drop in and they'll do an oil change at least, then do the balance of the service in the new year.
Well it was finished approx 3:30 pm, so I thought way too late to get the service done, however as Marrono's wasn't far out of the way on my way home, I dropped in on the off chance that he may be able to drop the oil and do an oil change, the rest of the service could wait till after Christmas.
Arrived at Marrano's at 4 pm yesterday, the Friday before Christmas, the shop is full, and Sonny says to the boys, "let's get going, it needs an 80K full service".... and it was done!!! The guys finished it about 6pm, all mechanisms greased, car inspected top to bottom, fuel filter, oil change and filter, plugs and leads, air filter, loose sway bar link pin repaired, test driven... and probably some other stuff I can't think of.
Absolutely fantastic service.... I know why I travel so far to get my car looked after... it's worth it if you want the best.
And all though it's been a long and painfull gestation period, my auto trans feels fantastic. The Belmore guys couldn't find a prob with the A/C so I still have the check engine warning displayed so still need to get that sorted... as well as the smash repair, but at least I'm mobile... and the car feels awesome even though it looks a bit shabby!!!!
I managed to get 17,000 km out of the auto trans, then it deteriorated pretty rapidly. Over the next two weeks 1st & 2nd were slipping extremely badly and it was an effort to get the speed high enough to get it to change into 3rd, though once in 3rd it was OK.
Booked it into Belmore Transmissions & Automotive (same people that built Nirvans's box) for Wed 29/11, job was to take 2 days (Wed & Thurs) and I thought middle of the week, gave them Friday if there were any probs. Was quoted $2950, 1 year warranty, they suggest a BMR deep sump for the auto, another $350 odd, increases trans fluid volume, better cooling, I say go ahead. I hired a car from Herz on Wed morning to go back to work etc.
I call BTA Thurs arvo, it wont be finished, no worries another day car hire. Same Friday arvo, no worries, I drive down from the Coast Sat morning, drop off the hire car and head over to BTA. Car is still on the hoist, I sit around for more than a few hrs, car's finally being re-assembled, BTA not happy with exhaust running beside the trans cooler lines, blah, blah, blah, wont be finished.... Go back to Hertz to pick up car again, Herz are closed, Avis to the rescue!!!
The folowing Tuesday, all should be good, drop in mid arvo, car still on hoist, test driven about 5-30, they're not happy with it, drive home 140? km to Central Coast.
I check in every day, finally Friday arvo 8 December, all's go, drop off hire car, back to Belmore about 6pm, handed the keys and bill. Expecting around $3,400 plus, bill is $5834-00 (plus of course now 10 days car hire)... oil's $359 extra, $330 exhaust mod, $595 extra HD oil cooler, $300 cooler lines, $180 cooler line fittings, $75 cooler mtg kit, $650 labour to fit oil cooler & cooler lines. Not happy, but relieved to finally get my car back. Told to change manually for the first week while everything beds in. Check engine light is on, Belmore couldn't diagnose though did have one of the O2 sensors disconnected and test drove it without zorst fitted
On the way home, notice 2-3 change seems a little soft though didn't think too much of it at first, noticed A/C doesn't work.
During the course of the next week drove it like a manual, all seemed Ok, then did a couple of moderate throttle runs letting it self shift.... not happy as it's flairing (badly) in the top of 2nd and the 2-3 shift is like mush.
Dropped by Sonny's, he checks the 'check engine' code and it's one he hasn't seen before and is air con related. I assume the Belmore boys have bumped an electrical connection somewhere. While at Sonny's I book in for a service, I know the car's going back to Belmore so book service for Friday morning 22/12.
Car is dropped back to Belmore Tues arvo and test driven, they agree it's not right and book it in for Thursday morning 21/12.
Coming to work on Wed morning 20/12 I come off the F3 onto Pennant Hills Rd and come to a halt behind traffic. A Nissan Patrol pulls up behind me, stops then sees an opening in traffic in the middle lane, goes for it and proceeds to drive up my ar$e. Doesn't hit me hard but his bull bar dents rear bar, boot and scratches spoiler and number plate panel. Damn!!!!
I drop off car to Belmore Thursday morning as arranged, phone Thurs arvo and speak to one of the young guys, it's just been finished so at 4pm I head off from Castle Hill to Belmore. I'm at Bankstown (most of the way there) and get a phone call, car's not finished, they'll need to keep it over night and they're about to close up. I've no option but to turn around and head home. I ring Sonny to let him know that I wont be able to make my a.m. appointment at Marrano's for my service. He tells me that if I get it back early enough to drop in and they'll do an oil change at least, then do the balance of the service in the new year.
Well it was finished approx 3:30 pm, so I thought way too late to get the service done, however as Marrono's wasn't far out of the way on my way home, I dropped in on the off chance that he may be able to drop the oil and do an oil change, the rest of the service could wait till after Christmas.
Arrived at Marrano's at 4 pm yesterday, the Friday before Christmas, the shop is full, and Sonny says to the boys, "let's get going, it needs an 80K full service".... and it was done!!! The guys finished it about 6pm, all mechanisms greased, car inspected top to bottom, fuel filter, oil change and filter, plugs and leads, air filter, loose sway bar link pin repaired, test driven... and probably some other stuff I can't think of.
Absolutely fantastic service.... I know why I travel so far to get my car looked after... it's worth it if you want the best.
And all though it's been a long and painfull gestation period, my auto trans feels fantastic. The Belmore guys couldn't find a prob with the A/C so I still have the check engine warning displayed so still need to get that sorted... as well as the smash repair, but at least I'm mobile... and the car feels awesome even though it looks a bit shabby!!!!