Son has just driven up to Gladstone Qld to live closer to his gf. Took his 2002 TJ in for a roadworthy today.

Here's the list:
Interior light non functioning
Washer jets non functioning
Front seat belts not fully retracting
Steering wheel. (The soft cover hasunglued from the inner frame at the top and moves around when gripping firmly.
No Park lights
No rear brake lights
Engine oil leak
Drivers side engine mount faulty
Small star in windscreen.

Obviously some of it is probably easy fixes, but he doesn't have the slightest when it comes to cars. The outfit that did the roadworthy has a labour rate of $143 ph. Seems pretty high to me. Does anyone know anyone in Gladstone or Rockhampton they can recommend to have a look at the car that would be trustworthy and better value? Also a small star in the windscreen is a fail? You could get it replaced and get another the week after!

Cheers

Son has just driven up to Gladstone Qld to live closer to his gf. Took his 2002 TJ in for a roadworthy today.

Here's the list:
Interior light non functioning
Washer jets non functioning
Front seat belts not fully retracting
Steering wheel. (The soft cover hasunglued from the inner frame at the top and moves around when gripping firmly.
No Park lights
No rear brake lights
Engine oil leak
Drivers side engine mount faulty
Small star in windscreen.

Obviously some of it is probably easy fixes, but he doesn't have the slightest when it comes to cars. The outfit that did the roadworthy has a labour rate of $143 ph. Seems pretty high to me. Does anyone know anyone in Gladstone or Rockhampton they can recommend to have a look at the car that would be trustworthy and better value?

Cheers
Wow, labour rate in Wollongong is $50, $60 tops :/
For what it is worth though, the issues you mentioned aren't too major, users on here provide more than enough information for Magna maintenance, except for maybe the engine oil leak, it's one big home job :)

Yep it seems they are blazing new frontiers up North. Down here a dealer is around $110 ph, you have it good in Wollongong at that rate. I agree the issues arent major and the oil leak is probably just the usual valve cover. If I was there it would be no problem but I'm now 5500 kms away hands are tied.

$143/h is very pricey. i haven't seen many places in the SEQ area that go over $80/h and i'd say the inflated prices up north would be due to possible "miner's tax" that gets slapped onto prices for areas near quarries and mines. might be world posting a question in the north QLD thread to find out what the crew up there has to say.

Turns out he went to a stealer so there could be much truth in what you say about proximity to miners. They wanted the car for two hours to 'prepare a quote' at $143 per hour. I've never heard of paying for a quote before especially when they had just inspected the car! He complained and they gave him a ballpark of $2000! The washers turned out to be a need for water............. An interior light is a roadworthy feature? How can they say it needs a new windscreen for a small star crack, probably half the cars in Queensland have those. Good suggestion about the North Queensland thread, I'll look it up. Thanks.

Labour rates vary wildly here in Mackay, a little north of Rocky, everything from $88 through to your $140 ph. And, even then you're taking a bit of a gamble up here as far as a "quality" mechanic goes.

Sounds like a whole lot of dead fuses really.

The steering wheel could be a simple as a trip to the wreckers... same with the seat belts (if thats legal?)

Engine mount is easy... when you do it right.

The oil leak is a standard Magna feature. It'll be the rocker cover gaskets/sparkplug seals and/or the distributor o-ring or thrust cap o-ring. All easy to fix with quality parts.

If the damage to the windscreen is in the drivers line of site its deemed a hazard.

Here's the list:
Interior light non functioning $2 globe
Washer jets non functioning $13.80 each from mitsubishi for 380 ones, pop out from under the bonnet, quick swap
Front seat belts not fully retracting Wrecker job
Steering wheel. (The soft cover hasunglued from the inner frame at the top and moves around when gripping firmly.) wrecker job
No Park lights $2 globe or 30c fuse
No rear brake lights $2 globe or 30c fuse
Engine oil leak Rocker cover gaskets or distributor cap o ring most likely. They can do that.
Drivers side engine mount faulty wrecker job
Small star in windscreen. Obrien or similar $150 to repair


A few comments in red. I think I've cut it down a bit.

Hey Im up in Rocky and can have a look if need be?

I recommend Gary Lenz Mechanical, 111 Hanson Rd Gladstone (07) 4972 3512. Used him for years and found the the customer service & prices very good. BUT, maybe his rates have gone up since the recent mining and gas boom.

Thanks very much guys. I have been caught up in something else so sorry for the late acknowledgement. Bennieboi I will bear your helpful offer in mind if he can't find someone in Gladstone and dreggzy and MTH thanks for your suggestions. At the moment he is working through the electrical and the brake lights are going with new globes, but looks like he has bought a dud circuit tester, it's not even lighting up across the battery so back to Supercheap.