Does your servicing go far enough?
It’s easy for drivers who aren’t ‘‘car people’’ to think servicing is much the same at every workshop and the oil, filters, brakes, tyres and other parts will get the same attention everywhere.
Unfortunately this isn’t the case, says Burnside Motors owner Nathan Clark, and what passes for servicing can vary greatly from place to place.
An oil and filter change barely scratches the surface, he notes.
At Burnside Motors, the team of car and 4WD experts take pride in welcoming people of any knowledge level to their Wairakei Rd workshop and to cater to their varying needs have developed three different options for servicing.
Nathan loves to share his passion for the automotive industry so is especially pleased when people choose the ‘‘Standard’’ servicing.
The middle of the three, it is the option that puts owners most firmly in the driver’s seat, so to speak, by giving them a comprehensive overview of their vehicle’s condition that helps them better understand their own vehicle.
Designed to be affordable and wide-reaching, the ‘‘Standard’’ servicing is a step up from the simple oil and filter change of ‘‘Economy’’ but it doesn’t leap in to make changes to a vehicle. Instead, a report of performance in a range of areas is provided, with owners then able to choose to deal with an issue on the spot or chance it until their next visit.
‘‘The Standard service is a really good, economical way of seeing how it’s all going. If something needs looking at, we note it on the invoice, which we can also pull up in the future if the car comes back in,’’ Nathan says. ‘‘We pride ourselves on being as genuine and straight up as possible and we get quite a few positive letters from customers about that. The servicing is part of that approach.’’
The ‘‘Elite’’ servicing, meanwhile, gives total peace of mind by fitting all new replacement parts automatically.
Nathan says one area that shouldn’t be neglected in any car is coolant, which due to its anticorrosive is as important in summer as it is in winter. ‘‘If it’s looking all rusty, the radiator could be getting blocked up and not working as well as it could be. You’re more likely to notice that on a hot day,’’ he says.
Transmissions also deserve attention because if fluids are left too long what might have been a simple flush and refill can end up as an expensive repair.
Burnside Motors provides full mechanical repairs and warrant of fitness testing, and has long specialised in suspension and modification work for 4WDs.
It is now also gaining a reputation for its work on race cars, too.
Nathan says racing aficionados, like many customers, are hearing about the workshop from friends who have been impressed by the fast, high-quality work of a team that gives its full attention to every job, no matter the size.
❚ Burnside Motors is located at 449 Wairakei Rd, Burnside, beside the Z service station. It is open weekdays 8am-5pm and on Saturdays 8am-12pm for while-you-wait WOFs. Phone 03 359 8060.