Bought a 2009 Mazda 2, Took to Servicing; Mechanic Told Terrible Things. Need Suggestions

L[Deactivated] on 28/08/2019 - 18:13
Last edited 29/08/2019 - 18:10 by 1 other user

Hi,

We bought a used car (2009 Mazda 2) about a month ago. I took it for servicing today. The mechanic told a lot of scary things.

  1. The car has been underserviced, so the the oil was thick and lumpy. He told the engine might fail and suggest engine flush. But he was not sure because after flush it might fail immediately. He said it might be ok over time.

  2. Suggested lots of repairs related to brakes and other things and talk about "auto trans sump leak". Suggested repairs of 1000+ dollars. I guess some of those are because of car age.

We are international student and just invested like $4500 on car + $1000 on insurance. This news is a disaster to us.

What are our options? Should we contact the guy who sold us? Should we invest on those repairs? Because if engine is going to fail, there is no point.

The report from guys who serviced today

UPDATE:
took to second mechanic, recommends engine flush and brake pad changes in 5K. Quoted less than half for brakes pads. Other repairs not required.
Thanks for all suggestions.

Automotive Car Mazda

closed Comments

      • ssquid on 29/08/2019 - 02:29

        They do general servicing as well but charge like wounded bulls. Once gave me a quote for $3000 that I ended up paying $800 for elsewhere.

    • esty on 29/08/2019 - 09:16

      how much you you think is a reasonable /hr fee is you were running a shop? He only charged him 0.55hrs. most places are 1hr or part thereof.
      So he actually did a favour to OP.

      • ssquid on 29/08/2019 - 12:52
        +1

        I think the mechanic I normally use charges $70/hr.

  • Herbse on 28/08/2019 - 22:40
    +1

    Those are completely normal for a car that age.
    The prices he's charged and quoted are not.

  • striker5950 on 28/08/2019 - 22:42
    +3

    bruh relax, this mechanic is trying to milk you, you sound like you dont know anything about cars, we need more info how many kms on the clock? a mazda 2 is not simply gonna have a broken tranny, japanese cars in general are very reliable and they do last along time even if not properly cared for, all the stuff this mechanic listed is bullsh!t. the only thing you need is a oil filter and oil, thats it, go to any fuel station mechanic and let them do it, its usually around 70-80 bucks. its even cheaper if you do it yourself.

    like wtf is there changing of blade wiper seals? is your wiper making a noise while you use it? NO so its not needed.. see its stupid stuff he put on there specially the tranny rebuild sounds like a load of sh!t again its good to get some more info like KM,s on the car. i would definitely %100 percent recommend you take it to another mechanic.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/08/2019 - 22:46

      around 105K
      The things on order section are already done (paid ~250). The ones in suggested repairs are yet to be done. I have no idea of wipers, they were running fine. But repaired today.

      • Hackney on 29/08/2019 - 08:15

        Get a second opinion.Don’t go into panic mode just yet.As other poster said,he might be trying to “milk” you.Find a mechanic you can trust(ask friends if they can recommend etc….) They are a very reliable car,I have a 2005 Mazda 2 Genki,things are literally bullet proof if looked after.Your mileage is also quite low.Good luck!

      • striker5950 on 30/08/2019 - 14:24

        see man this is what i mean, 105k aint Sh!t for a mazda 2 or any other Japanese car for that matter, definitely does not need a tranny rebuild lmao. and you already went through with most of the stuff that the con artist recommended and paid for it which is against what most people told you on here, why post about it and ask opinions and than go do what you wanted to do at the first place,

        they saw a guy walk in and they could tell you didn't know jack bout cars, you probably mentioned from all the excitements that this is your first car. and they saw a walking money bag. they looked at each other and said Fook yeh boys we got one in the bag

    • ssquid on 28/08/2019 - 23:02
      +1

      If the car has been neglected for 10 years (as the state of the oil would suggest) it's completely likely the brake discs need resurfacing or replacing. Wouldn't get it done by someone charging $132/hr though.

  • maxedoutcc on 28/08/2019 - 23:33
    +2

    Japanese cars in general are very reliable. If you have the know how or have some good friends, they'll most likely know how to change engine oil and oil filter at home for a fraction of the cost of a mechanic.

    When driving the car, if it doesn't make any weird sounds, or blow smoke it's a good sign your car is still in good condition. You'll just have to invest a 200 (give or take) on engine oil, oil filter and engine flush for the next 2000km to be safe.

    Engine flush is an additive that is added to engine oil when cold, let the car idle for 10min and drain out the old oil. Once all the oil is drained, you top up with new oil. Drive it 4000km or so and repeat it again. This time, the oil should look cleaner and you can service again at usual 10,000km interval.

    Never ever trust what a mechanic says. End of the day, they need to make ends meet.

    Disclaimer: I personally bought private cars and have done home servicing on any 2nd hand car. I got car once with bad engine oil. After the steps as above, it drove fine. Look after the car and it looks after you.

  • Zuba on 29/08/2019 - 01:08
    +3

    Give it an oil change and you'll be fine. This mechanic is trying to rip you off. Welcome to car ownership.

  • trienchieu12 on 29/08/2019 - 02:03
    -1

    With that bad condition, how it passed the safety test to transfer to new owner

    • Jugganautx on 29/08/2019 - 06:51

      Dont know where OP is but SA doesnt require roadworthies

  • Zeusy on 29/08/2019 - 04:59
    +2

    I once took my Toyota Aurion to Sydney City Toyota Dealership at Waterloo in NSW for a service and made the mistake of telling them I neglected to service it for 18 months. I was told that the fuel tank needed to be dismantled to be cleaned due to blockage and it would cost $2000. I took it away and went to Rockdale Toyota instead. Rockdale Toyota Recommended a $50 fuel flush and by the way did I know my water tank was cracked? To access and replace it they needed to dismantle the engine and it would cost $1200. I said no to the water reservoir replacement and no it wasn’t cracked. I concluded Toyota dealerships either were ripping off customers or doing research at customer’s expense. Don’t trust mechanics is what I learnt.

  • t_c on 29/08/2019 - 05:25

    Why dont you pay insurance monthly?

  • Worf on 29/08/2019 - 06:37
    +3

    What city do you live in? I can show you how to do a few things and have a look if you live on the gold coast?

    • ccrap on 29/08/2019 - 06:57
      +3

      Ditto. If in a sydney I have someone for you but you’ll need to turn on PM

    • [Deactivated] on 29/08/2019 - 17:53

      Canberra. thanks for generous offer.

      • AG_ACT on 29/08/2019 - 20:02
        +2

        Hey mate

        Not sure why I can't PM you, but I was going to send you the name and number of a mechanic in Canberra City (scrivener St in O'connor). He's really honest, and one of the cheapest mechanics I've ever used, and helps that he really knows his stuff too.

        That all aside, I'm not sure what other's would recommend, but I certainly wouldn't recommend an engine oil flush. Personally, I would suggest that you find a reasonably priced oil that is acceptable for your car, and change it every 2000km or 2 months until it clears up. When I was a student, I bought a car that hadn't been serviced in the last 60,000ks and had 140,000km on the clock when I bought it; the first few services had really black oil, but it gradually lightened up. When I sold it, the engine oil used to come out almost the same colour as it went in. Not saying it will happen for you, but I personally wouldn't risk the flush, as that will dislodge a lot of particles that you may not want floating around your engine bay, and removing crud that might be protecting your seals from leaking probably is a real possibility too.

        • [Deactivated] on 29/08/2019 - 20:30

          I've enable PM. Thanks

  • Pantagonist on 29/08/2019 - 07:36

    Is there a logbook with service history in the glovebox or elsewhere in the car? Paperwork from the mechanic suggests that there is as they apparently updated it.

    I'd be looking in there to see when it last had an oil change and any other servicing, if it's been recorded.

    Modern oils have detergents in them which help to keep the internals of the engine clean. An alternative to the engine flush would be to have the oil changed more regularly than the specified interval suggests for the next few changes which should clean out your engine more gradually than a flush (if, in fact, it's even that dirty to begin with).

    Brakes are a no brainer. If they're almost worn out you need to have the pads replaced.

    Less than $500 to reseal the transmission sump doesn't sound too bad to me. Probably wouldn't worry about it immediately unless you're losing a lot of fluid. Being a 2009 I assume there's a dipstick in the engine bay that you can check to make sure the level is OK.

    If you're a student / don't have much money I'd definitely suggest developing some skills around how to do basic fluid checks on your car to identify potential issues before they turn into worse problems. Google should have plenty of advice.

  • Tobias on 29/08/2019 - 08:25

    At 10yrs old and 105k, your car is due some bigger services. Many people sell their cars at this milage for this exact reason.

    Clean wiper blades yourself and if they're noisy etc. on a wet window, replace.

    Definitely: Change engine oil + new filter, change brake fluid, and replace worn belt.
    Get 2nd quote on gear box. Do a full flush + filter service.
    Get 2nd quote on brakes. They're probably due and most likely originals.

    I'm surprised mechanic didn't list radiator flush given they need doing every 5yrs and this car is 10yrs old. Spark plugs might need replacing if not already replaced at 90k by previous owner.

  • backpaqer on 29/08/2019 - 08:37

    Get the oil sorted first, check the price of his oil change to a regular place (eg ultratune/Kmart tyre & auto etc). Get the brakes done by a brake specialist… Brakes also have "telltales", if they start "screeching" with a metal on metal sound, this is usually means there is less than 2000km in them. If you paid your insurance in one lump sum, I'd cancel it and go with a monthly plan to soften the hit and free up some cash for repairs. I got a policy through ubicar which turned out a lot cheaper for my p-plater daughter (though do your homework, it's not the usual policy you'll be used to as you have to install an app so they can track and rate you as a driver).

    • Ozpit on 29/08/2019 - 09:22
      +1

      “Brakes also have "telltales", if they start "screeching" with a metal on metal sound, this is usually means there is less than 2000km in them.”

      Err… it usually means the brakes are rooted, including the rotors.

      “… this usually means there is less than 2000km in them.” Yes, how about 0km.

  • [Deactivated] on 29/08/2019 - 08:56
    +1

    $4500 is not much for a car, $1000 for your 4500 car is not much, refer to my username

  • frostman on 29/08/2019 - 09:01

    Thanks for the suggestions, learnt a lesson. I'll probably keep it and repair brakes and hope engine wouldn't fail.

    Dont "hope" anything.

    Take the car for a 2nd opinion to another mechanic and see if the results marry up.
    If the 2nd mechanic also advises of issues, then you need to fix them.

    Australian metro roads are already clogged with traffic due to avoidable break-downs, we don't want you stuck on the Sydney M5 holding 10km of traffic because you're hoping

  • H E B on 29/08/2019 - 09:07
    +1

    Relax.

    Oil sludge is not completely uncommon for a 10 year old car. If it's not blowign smoke, sounds fine, isn't having any other noticeable problems. Just keep on top of annual servicing it should be driveable for some time. Modern engines are built to last!

    It may be an upsell for the mechanic but from the sounds of it an oil flush may not be a bad idea. I wouldn't do it on a much older or higher mileage car though just keep on top of it every 3/6months.

    Any leak I'd be worried about and get that checked out before you have liquids all over the place. If it's minor than see how you go.

    But honestly this is not surprising for a $5000 second hand car. Sometimes you get a lucky, sometimes you get very unlucky. To me, this is somewhere inbetween so not the worst news.

  • kaleidoscope on 29/08/2019 - 09:12

    take to another mechanic or two and get their opinions and fix the issues that are critical or safety related.

  • POTATO10 on 29/08/2019 - 09:14

    It all looks like a normal service that you have been quoted for, the brake pads and machining looks a bit expensive thou.got mines done for less than $300

  • Normalise on 29/08/2019 - 09:17

    Just like any major purchase like a car, house or even computer, do your research.

    With this, definitely get another mechanic to give you an opinion and bring the report with you just so they can be verified as well.

    But how did the car feel when you bought the car assuming you didn't have it towed back to your place?

  • Desmond out on 29/08/2019 - 09:18

    When u change oil use oil recommended for diesel only engines n same grade like 5 w 30 or 5w 40 do it for a couple of service n the engine will clean itself as they have powerful detergents to clean than using engine flush which will damage seals n accumulate residue which can block the pick up do this before fixing the leaks

  • esty on 29/08/2019 - 09:25
    +7

    I find it funny how people call rip off that a mechanic would charge $15 for wiper blade, yet they go to a bar and pay $10 for a G&T and its fine.

    Theres an unfair stigma to mechanics, the extra costs is converted from the convenience to you, so you don't have to do it yourself.

    Why go to a restaurant when you can cook at home for 1/2 the price
    Why go to a bar when you can make the drink at home for 1/2 the price
    Why pay $12 delivery when you can pick it up yourself.

    And clearly no not many people have read the post and cost breakdown properly, and are jumping to conclusions.

    OP paid a total of $250 for a service plus wiper change, air filter change, and sump gasket change. A little in the pricey side, perhaps. But definitely not ripped off.

    • [Deactivated] on 29/08/2019 - 10:00
      +1

      Because when you walk into a fancy bar, the price expectation is there. If you refuse to pay, you don't get a drink.

      At a mechanic, you can never be sure what the final bill is as there are many variables. Also, it's hard to gauge the pricing based on the appearance of the establishment. If you refuse to pay the final bill, you may not get your vehicle back.

      I still agree, many independent tradies unfairly cop a lot of crap. Then again, my usual tradies establish a network of clients and do not take on new ones so a lot of the bad tradies going around are the same people who are there to make a quick buck and move on.

  • kolorijo on 29/08/2019 - 09:35

    I would recommend https://www.toponeauto.com.au/ if you are based in Sydney for a second opinion of your car. He has been looking after my car for years and never try to up sell me for anything.

  • Skramit on 29/08/2019 - 09:37
    +3

    I definitely wouldnt pay $1000 comprehensive insurance on a $4500 10yo car. Get 3rd party only. You can always cancel the comprehensive and you get a refund pro-rata and take out 3rd party only.

  • wayfastwhitie on 29/08/2019 - 09:55

    You may find replacing oils creates more problems. Fresh oils will also clean the engine and possibly remove debris/oil that are blocking up potential oil leaks. with the transmission, the trans fluid could be whats keeping it going as clutch material and gritty oil could be the friction material keeping clutch packs together.

    As mentioned its could be time to pass it on…

  • Polo89 on 29/08/2019 - 09:58
    +1

    if oil is thick but the motor is not sludgey yet on the inside then you're safe. If you're in brisbane i can have a look for you

  • nikey2k27 on 29/08/2019 - 09:58
    +1

    engine will clean itself out replace oil no flush give few good hwy drive buildup will be clean in no time.

  • HeWhoKnows on 29/08/2019 - 10:34

    Dear OP

    We have a saying in Australia when it comes to cars…

    BUYER BEWARE

    Thats why its important to carry out a mechanical check BEFORE you buy the car.

    As your mechanic said the car has been under serviced so there will be lots of "catch up" servicing to be done.

    Hopefully this underservicng has not resulted in any damage.
    If no damage then there is no tragedy!
    Its not unusual with cars being sold as it comes to the point where owners dont want to spend any more money on them so one needs to watch out for it and factor these costs into their offer price.

    But let me also tell you that NEW CARS can cost $600 to $800 to service and nothing wrong with them! So dont know why you think $1000 is a tragedy. You certainly need an education in cars by the sounds of it.

    I run engine flush through my cars regularly and so give it my blessing.
    It thins the oil and clears out all the sludge and then helps with effective draining of the old oil.
    Its an excellent preparation for an oil change.
    The engine flush is ony about $10-$15 a bottle and only needs to be poured into oil and engine left running for about 15-20mins so minimal additional cost to your service but a good investment.

    Anyway before you spend too much fixing the car do an engine flush and change the oil and then have your mechanic run a compression test to check the internal condition of the engine.
    If it comes up with bad results just sell the car.

    Bottom Line.

    There is no such thing as a cheap car or bargain buy when it comes to used cars. Cars being offered cheap are done so for good reason! So best avoided. If you must then ALWAYS approach with great caution and suspicion. Basically treat any cheap car as GUILTY until proven innocent.
    In fact same can be extended to any used car.

    The cheapest car to buy is one with only 1 or 2 owners and one you can see that has been serviced regularly and backed up with a long service history (receipts)

    • brad1-8tsi on 29/08/2019 - 11:00
      +3

      Flush is great if the car is serviced on time and the engine isn't badly sludged. If it's bad then flush is a nightmare. It will dislodge the chunks and they will block the inlet screen to the oil pump.

  • wannagrababargain on 29/08/2019 - 10:41
    +1

    I am in the boat of not using any kind of "flush" chemical product inside the engine. Who knows where that dislodged sludge will end up? The sludge has built up slowly over time and aggressively removing it could cause the engine to fail straight away as the mechanic suggested. The sludge itself could be taking the place of certain seals too. After flushing you might have oil leaks. Your mechanic is actually being as honest as he can here and giving you the options.

    The best method for heavily built up and caked on sludge is probably to remove the valve cover and oil sump and manually remove as much sludge as you can, then refill with oil and drive.

    If the sludge hasn't built up too much inside the engine but the oil is just old/thick/lumpy then you could do a couple of oil changes back to back (~1000km apart) to try to get it back to a semi-normal state. This is probably the most cost-effective and least aggressive option.

    • HeWhoKnows on 29/08/2019 - 10:52

      Always a possibility with underserviced cars but little choice for OP.

    • brad1-8tsi on 29/08/2019 - 10:57

      I agree. Flush is bad if your engine is badly sludged.

      My new brother-in-law hasn't serviced his Corolla in 5 years. It's the worst I've seen. I just put clean oil in it (there was none showing on the dipstick) and no filter and then changed the filter 3 months later assuming it had filled up by then.

      Ongoing I'll just change the oil & filter every 12 months. Anything beyond letting it gradually desludge is asking for trouble.

  • brad1-8tsi on 29/08/2019 - 10:53
    -1

    Name the mechanic so i can work out if they are retail style up-sell place or a genuine bunch.

    Those charges look retail up-sell place to me. The service is fair enough but he really stung you for the wiper blades and air filter.

    While the seller appears to have been parsimonious with the truth, you are equally to blame for not carrying out some basic checks. I'm not sure why you feel school teachers would be more honest than others but this is Australia and the white part started out as convicts.

    Sludgy oil (why isn't it mentioned on the invoice?).
    i don't recommend flushing chemicals as they can loosen too much sludge and block the pan strainer.
    Either take it back in 1000-2000km and get the oil and filter changed again or learn to DIY as it will probably need a few changes to come good (or fail). Just keep driving until it breaks because I feel if you sell it and buy another you will just buy more rubbish because you are a bit wet behind the ears.
    Pro tip: sludge occurs due to lack of maintenance, numerous short trips and not getting the engine up to temperature. Increase the maintenance (oil changes) and consider walking or public transport if the journey is less than 20 minutes.

    Worn serpentine belt: normal wear and tear for 10 years old.

    Brake fluid: Normal. Should be done every 2-3 years. I doubt it's burnt but it might be overloaded with moisture (brake fluid is hygroscopic)

    Brake pads 20% sounds normal. I'd just monitor. It's taken me 190,000km to get to 20% so I've still got 20,000+km left

    Auto trans leak: these things happen It's a 10 year old car that you didn't check before buying.

    Get another quote from an honest workshop.

    Welcome to Australia

    • HeWhoKnows on 29/08/2019 - 11:03

      I dont think so. You havent even seen the full list of required repairs.
      How on earth can you even suggest that?

      Another one with no idea!

      Looking at what OP has mentioned the costs are very reasonable.

      Engine service, brakes, transmission etc all all up.

      • redslert on 29/08/2019 - 11:13

        Agree the costs listed are all very reasonable.

      • brad1-8tsi on 29/08/2019 - 11:19
        -1

        What don't you "think so"?

        I think I have a small clue. I'm a qualified motor mechanic and ran a workshop for 8 years before I started fixing aircraft and still work on cars on the side.

        WESFIL WA1185 are $22 posted and they charged $29 - more than 30% markup and $26 to change it. Money for jam in that.

        tridon 6mm wiper blade refills are $11/pair at SCA

        • esty on 29/08/2019 - 12:17

          then you would best understand that the mechanic is entitled to his mark-up.

          and imo, a 30% mark-up is low.

        • Pluto88 on 29/08/2019 - 14:47

          Yeah seems pretty reasonable, I remember someone posting on here that were charged 50 bucks for a filter

    • ssquid on 29/08/2019 - 12:57

      It says Bridgestone on the report.

      • brad1-8tsi on 29/08/2019 - 23:48

        I would describe that as a retail style shop. I was at Goodyear for 5 years. We upsold like crazy. It's the business model so yo can pay for the corporate structure above you.

  • SpendLess on 29/08/2019 - 10:54

    Where are you located? find a highly recommended mechanic is the next thing i would do tbh
    u already got screwed over by the car seller you dont want to get screwed over again by a mechanic

    if you are in the Ringwood area these are really good. Had some really good experience with James. Was recommended to him by a close friend of mine.

    http://www.htpautomotive.com.au/

    also if you a worried about breaking down there is always RACV roadside assist its $110 a year. Or you can wait till your car is stuffed and get it over the phone for $150 or so and you can use it straight away.
    Our car broke down the other week and a tow would have costed around $160. Joined up and they sent over a mechanic to have a look and it got a towed to my mechanic

    • HeWhoKnows on 29/08/2019 - 11:04
      +1

      I think his mechanic has things under control.
      OP is not complaining about the mechanic.'
      Just the state of the car

      • SpendLess on 29/08/2019 - 14:08

        Only mentioned this because people are saying the quotes of things the mechanic has listed looked a bit suss

  • idonotknowwhy on 29/08/2019 - 12:50
    +1

    Found you on Ausfinance lol
    https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/cwhtw1/bought_a…

    • SpendLess on 29/08/2019 - 14:09
      +1

      now we can review what the OP has upvoted and judge him

  • Bid Sniper on 29/08/2019 - 13:02

    10 year old car needs maintenance my gawd outrage. Seriously how have you survived this long?

    Anyway all looks legit and normal. Surprised tyres were on there too. Got to pay to play

  • JimB on 29/08/2019 - 13:27

    It's an old car so all of those issues are not unexpected.

    The only think that surprised me if this mechanic was truthful is the brakes.

    Either this mechanic or the mechanic who did the Roadworthy is telling lies.

    It wouldn't have passed Roadworthy if brakes were at 20%.

  • happirt on 29/08/2019 - 13:52

    $1000 on insurance on a mazda2…. but why?

  • Cave Fire on 29/08/2019 - 14:58

    Some of the newish first gen Mazda engines have a problem with sludging. If the service interval of 10,000 kms is missed then they can get sludge. Usually, if the sludging is not too bad, you just do more frequent oil changes. Oil is $17 at Woolies, so this can be put in and then changed a couple times + an $11 or so filter each time. Oil drain pan is like $5? If you check the oil dipstick and it gets dirty quick you can change or at every 5000kms. Brakes are kind of expensive too? Close to the price of front and rear? If the sump is leaking, just tightening it might help… lol, common problem on old cars.

  • funnysht on 29/08/2019 - 15:50

    Always buy a car with a few months warrantry if you have no experience in cars mechanics etc
    Thus you can buy a 2.5yrold toyota yaris prob for around 5-6k not sure check.
    Usually there isnt any major faults.

    • BartholemewH on 30/08/2019 - 08:55

      Love the advise re: Yaris with a price guide approx. half their value. If a 2.5 year old Toyota was 5k I don't think people would be buying 10 year old Mazdas.

      • funnysht on 30/08/2019 - 13:20

        yeah lol i havent really checked the prices though

  • ChatCPT on 29/08/2019 - 16:02
    +1

    thick and lumpy
    ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

  • sgtdanny69148 on 29/08/2019 - 16:10

    See sometimes that's the problem about buying used cars especially those with a lot of miles/kilometers, they may be cheap initially but its a big open invitation to a lot of problems and sometimes become an endless money pit.

  • Pluto88 on 29/08/2019 - 16:20

    The price quoted for the leaking transmission pan gasket seems reasonable, it is high because they are recommending a full service not just to repair the leak which is the correct course. So labor + oil which can be up to 8 - 10 liters for a full flush and a new filter which is only accessible by removing the oil pan anyway.

    As for brakes it's not really clear if the quote is for just machining the old rotors only or replace and machine the new ones which is pretty unnecessary. Not worth the price if there going to use the old rotors.

    It's usually a good idea to change the brake fluid anyway when changing pads and rotors and the price of the replacement serpentine belt on a transversely mounted engine is reasonable due to the limited accessibility (can be difficult without a hoist).

  • dufflover on 29/08/2019 - 17:21
    +1

    Did they also tell you that they can't do a wheel balance cos of the clunking sound it made when he hit the tyres?
    But that's ok - they got me for the whole road king package …

  • WaveZero on 29/08/2019 - 19:26
    +1

    I wouldn't stress too much about the engine, just service the engine oil regularly and use engine oil flush next time.

    A mate of mine was given a Toyota Echo with 150K KMs on it, it had a seized engine due to poor engine oil maintenance. After he fixed it by replacing the oil and doing whatever he did to unseize the engine, the car ran for another 150K (10 more years) before he traded it in for a Kia. All he did was replaced the oil every 10K KM. Japanese engines are very reliable as mention by the other posters. As long as it's not making any weird sounds, vibrations, or smoke, you should be ok.

  • mini2 on 29/08/2019 - 19:38

    Congrats and thank you for buying insurance.

  • fozzie on 29/08/2019 - 20:44

    Unfortunately there are some dishonest mechanics. We have just found a fantastic mechanic, who is so honest compared to previous! And he is a mobile mechanic too!
    Well done for getting a second opinion. Enjoy your new (old) car

  • [Deactivated] on 30/08/2019 - 00:33

    My brother Vinnie will sort it out for you, no problem.

  • [Deactivated] on 30/08/2019 - 04:39

    Should we contact the guy who sold us?

    If you bought it from a proper car dealer, contact them (you have some rights there like a warranty) .
    If you bought car directly from some person you don't know, it is your responsibility to check car out etc, and as far as I know, you have no rights after purchase to return car or claim anything back from them . If you bought car from a friend or something, you could go and talk to the friend, Maybe they will take it back.
    You should also go to a 2nd or 3rd mechanic just for free quote on what work it really needs . There is a good chance the things you're mechanic mentioned on, although they probably might happen, they also might not. With a car of relatively low value (such as yours) you have to start thinking, well is it really worth spending say $2,000 , on a car that is only worth $5,000 , spending all that money on extra mechanical work for something that "might fail" .
    Any car under $5,000 , I would mostly just be spending at the mechanics on basics, things that are significant in keeping my cars safe, keeping them on the road (passing rego checks in NSW) . If I was to spend on anything extra, it would be a bit like a luxury spend.
    As long as my cars stays safe, stays running, stays registered (and roadworthy) , if a mechanic told me spend this or this might fail 1 day etc, I cannot afford those luxuries atm. Worst comes to worst, it's often cheaper to sell, and buy a vehicle without issues, rather than throwing more and more money into a lemon. Just my humble opinion based on experiences.

    Edit: I just realised the year model. I would be looking into whether these came with a 10 year warranty option. Maybe it's still under warranty ?
    The seller may have had issues with the car just out of warranty, and sell the lemon to OP. Just as likely though, nothing major wrong with the car at this time, and mechanic is mentioning the expensive extra options so he can have more work and more $$ for himself.

    For minor leaks, you can buy many things from super cheap auto store . They have things to save money on repair of minor leaks. A mechanic repair it best (but expensive) vs stop leak additives (cheap, but can cause issues later) . They also sell the stuff there to flush engine oil.

  • gstfree on 30/08/2019 - 08:41
    +1

    I sent my car to service using a Groupon voucher, the meachinc looked very honest and told me over the phone:
    1. Belt crack- very bad very dangerous and car can broken down on your way home.
    2. No brakes pads left, must replace.
    3. Front light cover needs polish
    All up cost $900

    I told him I don't have 900 budget, he said brake pads were priorities. When I said no, he changed and advised belts were more important.

    The following day I sent my car to another garage near my workplace, the mechanic told me belts looks Okay- not due to be changed.

    Only front break pads may need replacement but Okay to last another 10k without safety concern.

    • TheOtherLeft on 30/08/2019 - 12:45

      Well the original mechanic has to recover the $5 Groupon minor service charge somehow.

      • gstfree on 30/08/2019 - 17:17

        I paid more than $100 to Groupon for the service. I understand everyone has to make money to live, so I didn't choose the low price providers.

    • ssquid on 30/08/2019 - 18:43

      Every belt, unless it's practically brand new, will have cracks and/or be "worn". But they rarely break and usually are only replaced when they've stretched too much.
      Even if they break it's not really dangerous. Worst case you lose power assisted steering, brakes will still work fine.

    • Cave Fire on 30/08/2019 - 19:53

      yeah those groupons are there to get people in to dodgy placces. Once you have paid "something" you are likely to spend more. Which was their whole plan all along. A real mechanics doesn't need gimmicks to bring people in.

  • sasukewa on 30/08/2019 - 21:34
    +1

    Honestly don't panick. Change the engine oil first then again after 1000km or 1 month whichever comes first. Keep doing it until the oil is clear when you change. Shouldn't take long. Engine oil only $25 for decent semi synthetic ones. Brake pads cost about $200 to change all 4. I have a Mazda 2 2008. Are you in WA?

    • [Deactivated] on 01/09/2019 - 06:24

      Good advice.
      And oil filters sometimes < $10 online or even auto stores if you shop around. Pretty easy to change with new oil.

  • [Deactivated] on 01/09/2019 - 06:16

    Maybe get a RAC or other professional mechanical check now to ease your mind, as you probably should have done prior to buying.

    Car yards have some warranty over a certain price I think, so if you've made every rookie mistake in the book, please learn now how to buy a car for non mechanics.

    A cheap engine oil replacement can be done by any competent amatuer for less than say $50. And brake shoes get quotes. Kmart quoted me $1290, a workshop 300 meters away did the job on front and back for $180 cash.

    Good luck.

  • deme on 04/02/2020 - 12:51

    A lot of people hating on OP and offerting no advice, poor form.

    OP take your car to NRMA and see what they say.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join