Tips for common car makes

Audi

Audis are generally really well built cars. The newer audis tend to only have problems due to lack of maintenance. Make sure you get your timing belt replaced when it is due, otherwise you will have a big bill if it breaks ($4000 or more).

Common problems
Electrical component faults – brake lights staying on, burnt out electrical components, leaky water pumps and timing belt failures. Soft disk rotors mean the brakes wear out fairly quickly.

At Shire Tune & Service we can help you fix any problems your Audi may have, whether new or old

BMW

BMWs have well earned their reputation as beautiful, classy cars. As with most modern cars, newer BMWs should be very reliable as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Oil leaks, Radiator leaks, soft disk rotors, water pump failure, noisy timing chains (sometimes), electrical problems. Air flow meters and oxygen sensors commonly have problems on BMWs.

At Shire Tune & Service we can help you fix any problems your BMW may have, whether new or old.

Fiat

Fiats are reliable cars as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Intermittent starting problems (Punto).

At Shire Tune & Service our mechanics can help you fix any problems your Fiat may have, whether new or old.

Ford

As with most modern cars, newer Fords should be very reliable as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Transmission failure, noisy wheel bearings, burst hoses, leaky water pumps, radiator problems, noisy diff, inlet manifold gaskets & worn out diff bushes (on later models). Brake shudder from warped front disk brake rotors is especially bad, and regularly need to be machined. The XR6 turbo manual suffers from transmission rattles, this may be reduced by installing a heavy duty clutch. Also, early XR6 turbo manuals with 5 speed gearboxes experienced some transmission problems, beacause they were too weak. These cars can be upgraded to a 6 speed gear box.

At Shire Tune & Service we can help you fix any problems your Ford may have, whether new or old.

Holden

Holdens are one of Australia’s most popular cars. As with other modern cars, newer Holdens should be very reliable as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Brake shudders, engine stalling. Holden V8s tend to be weak in the clutch, due to a weak pressure plate. The clutch slave cylinder tends wear out quickly. Holden LS1s suffer from vacuum hose problems around the inlet manifold. Holden LS1s could benefit from a heavy duty clutch kit, which fixes the problem. We can supply you with an organic clutch (not a button type) which is easy to use around town. This type of clutch is used by people who have done performance modifications to their Holden, and are quite a bit cheaper than button clutches.Some of the very first LS1 motors had weak rings and incorrect sized pistons. The 6 cylinder versions suffer from power steer leak, heater taps break, they often need engine mounts replaced when they collapse. Otherwise, they are pretty good cars.
The VZ 3.6V6 quad cam engine suffers from timing chain failure which causes the enging to go into ‘limp home mode’ which causes the engine to lose power until the timing chains are replaced.

Shire Tune & Service can help you fix any problem your Holden may have, whether new or old.

Honda

As with other modern cars, newer Hondas should be very reliable as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Transmission failure (Honda Civic, Accord), cracked exhaust manifolds, premature brake wear (Honda Accord).

The mechanics at Shire Tune & Service can help you fix any problem your Honda may have, whether new or old.

Jaguar

Jaguars are classy, and are also reliable cars as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Fuel delivery system problems have been experienced by some Jaguar owners.

At Shire Tune & Service our mechanics can help you fix any problems your Jaguar may have.

Mazda

As with most modern cars, newer Mazdas should be fairly reliable as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Transmission failure, rotary engine failure (RX 8). Engine mounts are sometimes a problem.

At Shire Tune & Service, in Kirrawee in the Sutherland Shire, our mechanics can help you fix any problems your Mazda may have, whether new or old.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishis offer both good looks and also pretty good performance.

Common Problems
Transmission problems, clutch problems (leaking slave cylinder).

At Shire Tune & Service our mechanics can help you fix any problems your Mitsubishi may have.

Nissan

As with most modern cars, newer Nissans should be fairly reliable as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Brake pedals defects, excessive oil consumption (Nissan Altima). A lot of Nissans tend to use a bit of oil. Most cars hold 4-5L of oil, but smaller Nissans only hold 3L, which means that if they burn a bit of oil, they can get low on oil really easily.

At Shire Tune & Service our mechanics can help you fix any problems your Nissan may have, whether new or old.

Subaru

Subarus are made in Japan. They have a good reputation for performance and reliability.

Common Problems
Engine coolant leaks, air flow meter faults

Our good mechanics at Shire Tune & Service can help you fix any problem your Subaru may have, whether new or old.

Toyota

Toyota are one of the best, most reliable types of car. They normally just need regular servicing.

Common Problems
Some of the late model Corollas with manual transmissions seem to have occasional gear box failure, but normally Toyotas are really reliable. The Camry V6 engines run very hot, and need regular servicing every 7000-10,000 km. We can use a fully synthetic oil for people who want a longer service interval, but in the V6 engines it is a good idea to change the oil more regularly than specified.
Some of the earlier Aurions have been having failures with their oil feed hoses – some that go to the cylinder heads and also the hoses from the oil filter housing area which need replacing to avoid engine failure.

At Shire Tune & Service in Kirrawee, in the Sutherland Shire, we can help you fix any problems your Toyota may have, whether new or old.

Volvo

Volvos pride themselves on being safe, and they are also reliable cars as long as they are maintained and serviced regularly.

Common Problems
Automatic transmission failure, water leaks, dashboard indicator defects. Volvos frequently need disk rotors replaced when the brake pads wear down. Timing belt failure may occur if it has not been replaced at the scheduled service. Some electrical components (e.g. oxysensors etc) are very expensive, if a non genuine replacement is unavailable.

At Shire Tune & Service our mechanics can help you fix any problems your Volvo may have.