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Work shops & Mechanics in QLD???

zzsprade

By zzsprade,
in Queensland

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zzsprade Enthusiast

zzsprade

Posted
Posted

G'day guys!

I am a little lost as to mechanics etc. to go to in Brisbane/Gold Coast, having lived in melb for the past year (where I also bought my r33).

In particular, I was hoping someone could recommend a place where I can have a quote done for a passenger side window to be installed (as well as glass cleaned out etc), to reatch my console and for the install of a new head unit. Thanks to some "wondeful" people in Melb my car was broken in too and I need to have this work done as I am sick of driving around without a window as I have been doing for the last month or so. Fortunately, it should all be covered under insurance.

The second thing I needed done was to have a general service. So far I have heard Gavin from Auto Tech and Chapman & Chapman as two good places. Is there anywhere else someone could recommend? Do you think it would be possible to have all the work done in one place at the same time?

Cheers again guys! Its a pleasure to be back home in the sunny state.

-Alex

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qikr33 Collaborator

qikr33

Posted
Posted

mate where do i start,windows i would go to any good window place maybe windscreens obrien.I think your console could be done at a smash repair shop not sure but as for service mechanics ...if its a simple service i would do it myself but if you dont want to any place can do it i can tell you that i am sure there is a bad story about everyplace in bris what i would do is ring around and go with someone who wants your business and not just a place with a name.Depends on you are you a guy who wants to tell everyone that gavin woods changed your oil or do you just want the job done ..i still dont understand why anyone would take their r33 to a performance shop for a service.Most car enthusiast i know ,like their cars and get pleasure from doing their service themselves,thatwayif it ever breaks down or something aint right you know whats happening and are familiar with whats under the bonnet.I have used chapman and chapman for timing belt, I used charlies for new head and i used apc for dyno tune alll great

predator Grand Master

predator

Posted
Posted

I'm with qikr33, difficult/involved work or performance tuning at a performance shop, easy stuff or servicing learn to DIY. I'd tend to stay clear of general service shops unless they specifically know about turbos or skylines specifically. To them the fluid that works in 95% of the cars they have to service, may not be that suitable for a skyline. All the best advice is on here I think!

but any of those places will probably do a service, its just the cost that I'd be worried about. In Melbourne over the years I gradually become more and more disillusioned with just basic servicing. Cost me arms and legs, now i DIY my servicing. Sure if I missed something a service could have picked up it may mean more $$$ but i still don't think it would equal the money saved in time by doing the basics myself.

NismoGirl Grand Master

NismoGirl

Posted
Posted
Depends on you are you a guy who wants to tell everyone that gavin woods changed your oil or do you just want the job done ..i still dont understand why anyone would take their r33 to a performance shop for a service.

.... I would rather take it to a mechanics to have a service done because not only do they do a service... they also inspect the car for any other mechanical failures that might be starting to show :)

By this I mean, for instance, how would by just doing a service myself that my radius arm bushes needed replacing because they were split. Or that my diff was going to cark it in about 5000k's and needed to be rebuilt. Or that some ****er had stuffed with the wiring and my abs and speed sensor and hicas weren't working.

Does that make me less of a skyline enthuisiast because I like to look after my car and get someone who works on skyline every day of his life to do a service and check the car over for anything else that may be wrong?

We have another car that we that is a shitter that we do servicing on ourselves.

How dare I go and get someone to service my car because I care enough about it to give it the attention it deserves :O

Spook's_Skyline Mentor

Spook's_Skyline

Posted
Posted

yar, i have zero car fixing skillz and no tools so theres no way id even attempt to service my car myself

id much prefer to have someone who knows what they are doing and what potential problems to look for do it

ive used chapman and chapman to service my car since i got it

they have been ok, id be prepared to try elsewhere (not down the coast however), but no where else really got a good rap, so i guess ill stay there

51OOO Enthusiast

51OOO

Posted
Posted
yar, i have zero car fixing skillz and no tools so theres no way id even attempt to service my car myself

id much prefer to have someone who knows what they are doing and what potential problems to look for do it

ive used chapman and chapman to service my car since i got it

they have been ok, id be prepared to try elsewhere (not down the coast however), but no where else really got a good rap, so i guess ill stay there

i go JACK beadams performance exuasts at redcliffe they do just about everything except pannel beating!! they do shocks mechanics,exaust everything!

GREAT SERVICE AND ALWAYS ON TIME, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING TOO. Couple of the guys there have jap cars,very nice people!

GTRman1992 Proficient

GTRman1992

Posted
Posted

I've been using Mike Vine Turbo's at Capalaba for about 10 years. First on my Starion now on my R32 GTR. His knowledge and no nonesense approach is second to none. It have been running approx. 450Hp for two years now faultlessly. He has a race background so he understands reliability.

Revhead Grand Master

Revhead

Posted
Posted

I've always done as much as possible for myself - it saves you money and gives you the satisfaction of doing it yourself. That said, if you're not 100% confident, don't try it, because cars can be very expensive to fix if something goes wrong.

I've been pretty lucky, my dad owns a workshop so I have a hoist, tools, fabrication equipment, and he's there to guide me through anything I hadn't done before, but I learned by crawling around on the dirt/grass under my Commodore...

  • 2 weeks later...
Nrage33 Community Regular

Nrage33

Posted
Posted

I heard ChipTorque were a bit arrogant on the whole...they would like you better if the work requires heaps of money. I tested it out n went to them to ask for installation of an S-AFC with dyno tune, n they didn't look so accommodating. Something along the lines of: if u dunno how to fix that simple stuff, go n learn. They want the big projects where your car comes out like a beast...but not all of us have that kinda cash. Guess they're a bit like Subzero.

Gavin Wood is still my service man...hands down

NismoGirl Grand Master

NismoGirl

Posted
Posted
Yea I called up to get the standard R32 ECU reprogrammed and all they did was try and flog me full ECU replacement.

Does anyone know anywhere else in Briz that will reprogramme the R32 ECU ?

Gavin has a flyer on his wall about either remapping or chipping an R32 ecu. Maybe ring him and enquire about it. I remember it being pretty cheap compared to a new computer :D

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