Car repair and maintenance

[Jamesc]

I quote my favorite philosopher.

Thousands of people service their cars every year

why they all never complain every workshop is out to carrot them?

[Comage]

10 hours ago, Watwheels said:

Anyway it is cheaper to get the car parts direct from a stockist before going to a workshop. It can save you quite a bit.

Amen to that Brother... that was what I did when I got my COE car.

And then, learning how to replace the parts myself - that netted me even more savings. Nowadays I only go back to the workshop for jobs that require very heavy-lifting (ie. car needs to go out of the hoist, or need to disassemble the engine).

@oppyouknowme Burning engine oil is a very common problem especially if you bought it used. There's a lot of possible factors, beginning with your engine model...

- Engine Valve Gasket
- Worn Piston Rings
- Bad PCV
- etc etc...

In my case, I managed to go from needing to top up 1lit engine oil every month, to a full engine oil change lasting me for 6 months.

[Albeniz]

I am working on weekdays and can only service my car at around 6pm or 6.30pm.

Do you know of any good workshops at Bukit Merah or Bukit Batok area which could help to change engine oil or do basic servicing at this hour?

How is your experience with autobacs?

[Beregond]

3 minutes ago, Albeniz said:

I am working on weekdays and can only service my car at around 6pm or 6.30pm.

Do you know of any good workshops at Bukit Merah or Bukit Batok area which could help to change engine oil or do basic servicing at this hour?

How is your experience with autobacs?

pioneer there got 1 ws weekday open till 8 pm if think. 

[teomingern]

Anyone can recommend a good workshop west side? Maybe within the Toh Guan area? My car developed a clunking sound on the right front wheel. I suspect it's a suspension problem. I brought it to an AutoServ workshop at the Shell nearest my place and the mechanic hoisted the car, use his mobile phone torch and looked around. Then he came to me and said just change the entire front suspension. Quoted me $1540 for both sides, shocks, mounting, bumper, cover, link, etc. And he also said cos the car is wet, he can't really tell if the shock was leaking. So I said I come again tomorrow to let you check cos I was not willing to change everything if only 1 part is spoiled. He said ok can just change the link and see if it helps.

So eh... does this smell fishy? Or is this standard for workshops? I used to have a trusted mechanic who will diagnose and just replace the worn part but he's retired... so have to look for somewhere trustworthy... I don't mind paying but I don't want to just change if the mechanic doesn't really do any checking... just visual...

Let me know if you have any recommendations or any thoughts on the encounter above... I have very little experience with workshops cos I always used my old mechanic... so a little handicapped here...

Thanks in advance!

[Volvobrick]

On 10/24/2023 at 8:27 PM, teomingern said:

Anyone can recommend a good workshop west side? Maybe within the Toh Guan area? My car developed a clunking sound on the right front wheel. I suspect it's a suspension problem. I brought it to an AutoServ workshop at the Shell nearest my place and the mechanic hoisted the car, use his mobile phone torch and looked around. Then he came to me and said just change the entire front suspension. Quoted me $1540 for both sides, shocks, mounting, bumper, cover, link, etc. And he also said cos the car is wet, he can't really tell if the shock was leaking. So I said I come again tomorrow to let you check cos I was not willing to change everything if only 1 part is spoiled. He said ok can just change the link and see if it helps.

So eh... does this smell fishy? Or is this standard for workshops? I used to have a trusted mechanic who will diagnose and just replace the worn part but he's retired... so have to look for somewhere trustworthy... I don't mind paying but I don't want to just change if the mechanic doesn't really do any checking... just visual...

Let me know if you have any recommendations or any thoughts on the encounter above... I have very little experience with workshops cos I always used my old mechanic... so a little handicapped here...

Thanks in advance!

Doesn't sound too fishy. Suspension noise sometimes hard to diagnose.  My front left also has noise when cold, replaced shock, lower arm still there! (I asked my WS in the west BTW to replace, not them).

Shock leaking unlikely causes clunking noise, only lowered stance/bounciness. My guess would be worn bushings/mounts. The WS can test with a crowbar to check if loose.

 

[teomingern]

On 10/25/2023 at 12:18 AM, Volvobrick said:

Doesn't sound too fishy. Suspension noise sometimes hard to diagnose.  My front left also has noise when cold, replaced shock, lower arm still there! (I asked my WS in the west BTW to replace, not them).

Shock leaking unlikely causes clunking noise, only lowered stance/bounciness. My guess would be worn bushings/mounts. The WS can test with a crowbar to check if loose.

 

Thank you!

[Stratovarius]

On 10/24/2023 at 8:27 PM, teomingern said:

Anyone can recommend a good workshop west side? Maybe within the Toh Guan area? My car developed a clunking sound on the right front wheel. I suspect it's a suspension problem. I brought it to an AutoServ workshop at the Shell nearest my place and the mechanic hoisted the car, use his mobile phone torch and looked around. Then he came to me and said just change the entire front suspension. Quoted me $1540 for both sides, shocks, mounting, bumper, cover, link, etc. And he also said cos the car is wet, he can't really tell if the shock was leaking. So I said I come again tomorrow to let you check cos I was not willing to change everything if only 1 part is spoiled. He said ok can just change the link and see if it helps.

So eh... does this smell fishy? Or is this standard for workshops? I used to have a trusted mechanic who will diagnose and just replace the worn part but he's retired... so have to look for somewhere trustworthy... I don't mind paying but I don't want to just change if the mechanic doesn't really do any checking... just visual...

Let me know if you have any recommendations or any thoughts on the encounter above... I have very little experience with workshops cos I always used my old mechanic... so a little handicapped here...

Thanks in advance!

I dunno what car you driving but sounds ex to me for 1 pair. Usually that price can get a full set. 

For absorber, if 1 gone I will change all as likely the rest will start to leak too. Do check if parts are original or OEM. 

[teomingern]

On 10/25/2023 at 12:18 AM, Volvobrick said:

Doesn't sound too fishy. Suspension noise sometimes hard to diagnose.  My front left also has noise when cold, replaced shock, lower arm still there! (I asked my WS in the west BTW to replace, not them).

Shock leaking unlikely causes clunking noise, only lowered stance/bounciness. My guess would be worn bushings/mounts. The WS can test with a crowbar to check if loose.

 

Thanks! Yeah I think it's the shock mounting... cos it occurs only when going over uneven grounds at slow speeds but at high speeds I don't hear it... all the bushings look good actually, none of the covers are torn or broken...

Edited October 25, 2023 by teomingern

[teomingern]

On 10/25/2023 at 7:55 AM, Stratovarius said:

I dunno what car you driving but sounds ex to me for 1 pair. Usually that price can get a full set. 

For absorber, if 1 gone I will change all as likely the rest will start to leak too. Do check if parts are original or OEM. 

Yeah I also think so... I bought my rear shocks from the stockist and it cost <$400 per pair... now the workshop is charging me $400 per shock... original shock lar... but can't be so expensive...

[Volvobrick]

On 10/25/2023 at 1:57 PM, teomingern said:

Yeah I also think so... I bought my rear shocks from the stockist and it cost <$400 per pair... now the workshop is charging me $400 per shock... original shock lar... but can't be so expensive...

Simi shocks 400 each? I went for full set Koni Active shipped to Sg also less than 1K.

[inlinesix]

On 10/25/2023 at 1:57 PM, teomingern said:

Yeah I also think so... I bought my rear shocks from the stockist and it cost <$400 per pair... now the workshop is charging me $400 per shock... original shock lar... but can't be so expensive...

The markup is really Singapore

Edited October 25, 2023 by inlinesix

[Columbian78]

In singapore, aftermarket parts and services also go up with COE.

[Beregond]

On 10/24/2023 at 8:27 PM, teomingern said:

Anyone can recommend a good workshop west side? Maybe within the Toh Guan area? My car developed a clunking sound on the right front wheel. I suspect it's a suspension problem. I brought it to an AutoServ workshop at the Shell nearest my place and the mechanic hoisted the car, use his mobile phone torch and looked around. Then he came to me and said just change the entire front suspension. Quoted me $1540 for both sides, shocks, mounting, bumper, cover, link, etc. And he also said cos the car is wet, he can't really tell if the shock was leaking. So I said I come again tomorrow to let you check cos I was not willing to change everything if only 1 part is spoiled. He said ok can just change the link and see if it helps.

So eh... does this smell fishy? Or is this standard for workshops? I used to have a trusted mechanic who will diagnose and just replace the worn part but he's retired... so have to look for somewhere trustworthy... I don't mind paying but I don't want to just change if the mechanic doesn't really do any checking... just visual...

Let me know if you have any recommendations or any thoughts on the encounter above... I have very little experience with workshops cos I always used my old mechanic... so a little handicapped here...

Thanks in advance!

Undercarriage sound not that easy to pinpoint directly.  Cos all the parts are link together. 

But absorber spoil should not have that sound u mention. 

If u want try and error. Can replace the linkage first. Then the linkage bushing. (Coffin bush) 😂

Normally the most common sense way is replace the cheap parts first. 

If lower or upper arm ball joint break should be able to spot quite easily.

[abstrax]

Hi. Anyone can recommend a workshop to recondition Nissan Serena e-power battery? TIA.

[teomingern]

On 10/25/2023 at 5:06 PM, Beregond said:

Undercarriage sound not that easy to pinpoint directly.  Cos all the parts are link together. 

But absorber spoil should not have that sound u mention. 

If u want try and error. Can replace the linkage first. Then the linkage bushing. (Coffin bush) 😂

Normally the most common sense way is replace the cheap parts first. 

If lower or upper arm ball joint break should be able to spot quite easily.

Yeah thanks for the advice.... the suspension link was quoted as $60 per side... suspension mounting at $80, suspension bumper at $110, and I can't remember what else now... I also think it's just too expensive...

I have a feeling that it's the suspension mount... cos the sound only comes on when the wheel drops over a hole in the surface. There's no sound when the wheel hits a bump and the suspension compresses... for example when I go very slowly through a road hump, the compression phase, no sound, when I allow the car to gently roll over the hump, also no sound... but if I were to approach the same hump at an angle so that my left goes over first and as the right side dips over, the sound is heard... it is most pronounced going over those brick roads where it's also undulating as you drive slowly in the access roads in HDB car parks..

[teomingern]

I'm at Fix Auto SG workshop now... they took off one side of my front tires and showed me a cracked lower suspension arm bushing, grease leakage at the lower arm, steering link grease leakage, likely suspension mount crack, shock absorber leaks, my bonnet shocks also weak, top engine cover slight oil seepage... slightly lower than normal coolant reservoir level... wah... going to be one expensive repair...

[Beregond]

On 10/26/2023 at 10:17 AM, teomingern said:

I'm at Fix Auto SG workshop now... they took off one side of my front tires and showed me a cracked lower suspension arm bushing, grease leakage at the lower arm, steering link grease leakage, likely suspension mount crack, shock absorber leaks, my bonnet shocks also weak, top engine cover slight oil seepage... slightly lower than normal coolant reservoir level... wah... going to be one expensive repair...

Pioneer there?