Seeking Advice on Service/Repairs in Melbourne

[choice]

Hello There, I'm a n00b and looking for advice about repairs/service.

Last week I noticed a whistling kind of sound coming from the engine, seems to be from the driver's side, hardly noticeable when idling, but increases with the revs as it goes through the gears, would anyone have an idea what it might be based on a similar experience?

As far as getting someone to inspect it or carry out repairs, I had an Accord V6 prior to the Euro, and took it to Yarra Honda in Melbourne for a service and unfortunately had a negative experience that put me off going back there. Looking at the google customer reviews of the other Honda dealers in Melbourne I'm not convinced that any of them would be any better, so, would anybody be able to recommend a good mechanic in the south/eastern suburbs?

Cheers

[antony]

I have had excellent service from Astoria Honda in Bentleigh over the past 6 years,when I bought a new Accord Euro there.

[Fredoops]

no need to go a honda dealer who usually rips you blind.

quite a few indies you could use around melb depending on where you are

as to the whistling noise from drivers side. I used to have it, it's from the drive belt being too loose.

[choice]

I have had excellent service from Astoria Honda in Bentleigh over the past 6 years,when I bought a new Accord Euro there.

antony, thanks for your reply, much appreciated, the plot thickens, see my reply below to Fredoops for more details!

[choice]

no need to go a honda dealer who usually rips you blind.

quite a few indies you could use around melb depending on where you are

as to the whistling noise from drivers side. I used to have it, it's from the drive belt being too loose.

Fredoops, thanks for your reply, yep definitely sounds like it could be the loose belt. I agree about the dealers tending to charge like the proverbial wounded bull, that's what happened when I used Yarra Honda for a service on my old Accord. I had an experience this morning that's worth sharing.

As a coincidence, I'd recently got an airbag safety recall letter from Honda and last week received a call from Yarra Honda, so thought no problem, I'm not paying for it, so I'll take it there, maybe ask them to give an assessment on the noise at the same time, I also needed to arrange a loan car.

When I made the appointment for this morning, the girl I first spoke to said they wouldn't have a loan car for Monday (yesterday), but Tuesday they would. So I turn up this morning, only to be told that I 'wasn't in the system'. So what's obviously happened is between speaking to the girl, who put me through to the service department to arrange the loan car, and speaking to the guy from the service department, they've got the days mixed up. The guy this morning said we had you down for yesterday, but yesterday I didn't receive a call asking where I was or if i was still bringing the car in. Unfortunately I didn't have an email from them to prove that I was booked on for today. I can understand there was a mix-up, but the attitude was that they couldn't give a toss. I've since called Honda and given them feedback about Yarra Honda's poor customer service and re-arranged for the airbag to be done at John Blair. My last 3 cars have been Honda's and I've got very strong loyalty but I'm reeeally disappointed in the dealer experience. I live in South Melbourne so I'm looking for any mechanics in a radius of there.

[Fredoops]

Sounds like a dealership to me.

I got my Accord Euro brand new 13 years ago (2003, MY2004) from Larke Hoskins Honda. We got charged an aircon regas @$400 on our 20k km service... Imagine that.... new car and all

Thats was 10 years ago now, since then I knew a lot more about cars.

The mechanics id go to are all out in the burbs Im afraid.

they are:

HondWorld (Clayton): the honda wrecker who's been around for 25 years
Exalt'd Automotive (Nunawading): they used to be called "DHSC" (dedicated honda service centre) at Nunawading, used to be run by a ex-honda dealer mechanic
Sleeping performance (Dandy): run by a young ex-subaru/honda dealer mechanic.