Well done Austral motors

[Scallops]

Hello Folks,

Some of you might be aware that Grover had developed a funny "Grooing" noise heard when driving below 60km/h. Well - the short story is that MR determined it was a rear prop shaft harmonic - and that I should get it looked at by Land Rover.

So I took it into Austral - the mechanic there came for a drive with me and could also hear the noise - so it went it to be fixed.

Well, I've got it back now - complete with the 2009 edition "nippleless" :eek: prop shaft. Bloody hell - I don't know what else they did, but the thing drives like a Bentley now! :cool: Very quiet - no drivetrain slop - it's totally transformed the vehicle - and the Grooing noise is gone - very happy.:clap2:

And as the dealers often get a bad wrap - maybe because noone bothers to post when they do a good job, I thought I would - So well done Austral - I appreciate your work to fix my truck and turn it into the world's first Defender/Bentley morph. :banana:

[DiscoTDI]

I have bought my last 2 discoveries from them (Southside/Austral, same company) and know the sales manager quite well, to the point I used to drive from Moranbah to Brisbane to have my vehicle serviced there.

When I buy my next one, it will be from there and I will probably drive there to get it serviced as well.:cool:

[dullbird]

can you ask them about what they did

It really annoys me that we have been telling our dealer.....we can not get our gearbox to go into 3rd without a clunk..its really hard without being super super gentle on the clutch. To me that is not right as it does behave like that in any other gear.
BUT according to the dealer its fine and there is nothing wrong with it. It has done it from new.

Also the dreaded engine rattle is back......and the surging is geting worse :BigCry:
its has been over a year (18mths) they have been chasing this rattle..we only have just over a year left in warranty

However I'm not unhappy with the dealership in some respects they have been very good and very helpful. I'm just unhappy with the fact they can't find my problem and we have to hire a bloody courtessy car when ever we take our car in for warranty work:mad:.warranty work that they cant fix

[Scallops]

can you ask them about what they did

It really annoys me that we have been telling our dealer.....we can not get our gearbox to go into 3rd without a clunk..its really hard without being super super gentle on the clutch. To me that is not right as it does behave like that in any other gear.
BUT according to the dealer its fine and there is nothing wrong with it. It has done it from new.

Also the dreaded engine rattle is back......and the surging is geting worse :BigCry:
its has been over a year (18mths) they have been chasing this rattle..we only have just over a year left in warranty

However I'm not unhappy with the dealership in some respects they have been very good and very helpful. I'm just unhappy with the fact they can't find my problem and we have to hire a bloody courtessy car when ever we take our car in for warranty work:mad:.warranty work that they cant fix

Sorry to hear that, dullbird - it seems to me that Defender ownership is such a blend of frustration and exhilaration - I hope you can get everything ironed out soon.

As to what Austral did....

1) Replaced rear prop shaft with the new type shaft.
2) Loctited the splines (in rear diff?) to eliminate a click noise, heard when reversing up an incline.
3) Removed clutch pedal assembly and lubricated all moving points to fix clutch squeak.

When the propshaft is replaced, I guess you're also getting new Uni joints and having the shaft bolts tightened. At any rate - the vehicle has been transformed - seriously, it didn't drive this smoothly even when it was brand new.

But to get yours fixed, and as the dealer hasn't been able to resolve your issues - I'd take it to a Land Rover Specialist - like Graeme Cooper. Get them to write a full mechanical report on these issues. Then take that report to the dealer and ask them to fix them as per the report. This is what I had to do. Initially, Southside Land Rover dismissed my concerns about the grooing sound as being - "normal". When you own a vehicle and drive it every day, you know when something has changed. I knew my truck had developed this strange noise. So I didn't take no for an answer - I took it to MR. Sure, I had to pay for this - but I got a real diagnosis which Austral could then fix. And to Austral's credit - they did a great job.

Best of luck - I feel your pain - it's the ultimate in frustration when you own a vehicle that's still under warranty - only to be told by the dealer that there is nothing wrong - you know there is. Graeme Cooper might be able to help.

[VladTepes]

This is a red letter day.
I reckon this must be the first PRO Austral thread on AULRO !

[scarry]

This is a red letter day.
I reckon this must be the first PRO Austral thread on AULRO !

Good to see they have improved,but i wonder how Scallops would have gone if someone else had not diagnosed the problem.......

Junior scarrys Defender sat there for eight days in some sort of mixup last week & nothing much was done:(,but i will admit they were extremely helpful once they realised there was a mixup.



Don't want to put a dampener on the thread,but i havent been to them for 3yrs,after putting up with nonsense for the previous 6 yrs.I wish i had known about MR years ago.

[DiscoTDI]

They have improved because they shutdown Southside Land Rover and moved all the good people over from there:D

[scarry]

They have improved because they shutdown Southside Land Rover and moved all the good people over from there:D

Dunno,over that 6 yrs i used Southside as well,well no better.

Umm,by the way juniors MY09 Puma,is Nippled,on all the uni's,not the slide joints.

[lro11]

They have improved because they shutdown Southside Land Rover and moved all the good people over from there:D

70000KM service, cam seal needed replacement
80000KM service, cam seal needed replacement again & left the filler plug out of the transfer case and lost it, I drove for two weeks before I found the problem. Then it had to go back a third time because the oil filter seal was not put on so it leaked more oil.
now coming up to 90000KM and you guessed it cam seal leaks again
I feel sorry for those people who have spent a bomb buying a RR and get that sort of service.
And I won't even mention how they fixed the hand brake rattle (the word starts with F)
very sloppy work
They need to go across the road and get a clue from BMW

[Scallops]

Dunno,over that 6 yrs i used Southside as well,well no better.

Umm,by the way juniors MY09 Puma,is Nippled,on all the uni's,not the slide joints.

I understand fully what you are saying - I too I have been underwhelmed in the past in my dealings with both Southside and Austral, to put it mildly! :( - but I felt credit where credit due - this time they did a good job.

As to whether or not they would have been able to sort this without MR's diagnosis - well, that's academic - we'll never know. I'm just happy it's fixed. But I guess it would be true to say that I'll be taking Grover to MR though for all work bar warranty issues.

I'll leave it there - cos if I go any further I might as well not have posted the thread in the first place!!! :D

PS - It's just the rear prop shaft that was replaced - I couldn't see any nipples on it - might be wrong. I'd expect the Uni's to be nippled - didn't check.

[scarry]

i recon your right,have heard the very latest tailshafts dont have nipples,sounds strange.Hope this doesnt cause problems,re D2 front driveshafts...
None of the workvans i have,have nipples on tailshafts,but then they dont go 4WDing,through mud,slush,etc....

[inside]

I use Austral as well for my FL2, the other day LR sent me a letter asking to complete an online survey about my experience there. Although it was fairly general it is nice to see that they are looking for feedback so they can improve things.

[scarry]

I use Austral as well for my FL2, the other day LR sent me a letter asking to complete an online survey about my experience there. Although it was fairly general it is nice to see that they are looking for feedback so they can improve things.

Got one of those once,sent it back with an extra page added......

They then rang back with lots of apologies,and told me they were changing their procedures,etc.
This was over 5 yrs ago.
I had already decided to go elsewhere....

[JohnR]

I too have good things to say about Austral / Southside. They have made there share of mistakes on my vehicle but anybody who knows anything about running a large workshop will know that people both senior and junior will make mistakes. I'll give you two examples:

1)
I had a clunking sound in the suspension that I thought was coming from the rear. The car went in they said they could hear it, did a wheel alignment and problem solved, NOT. So back it went, they did a FULLnut and bolt check (why they didn't do this the first time I do not know?) and problem solved? NOT!! I had one of my guy's crawl under it and have a lok and he easily spotted a loose nut on the rear trailing arm!!! So I went back, calmly got the service manager and the forman for the workshop outside and in very simple terms showed them the loose nut. I told the Forman that I didn't blame him BUT one of his guy's that had told him they had done a complete nut and bolt check had let him down. I then told the service manger that it was all OK but he was going to look after me VERY well from now one. Which he has, to his credit :D

2)
The other issue I had was a squeeky clutch pedal. I went in for a new bush or something. When I went to pick it up it was late. We got talking the two service managers and myself so I didn't hop into my car till after 6pm. Within seconds of starting the car and applying the clutch pedal I realised something was wrong. So I asked them to feel it and tell me what they thought. Daniel picked up on it straight away that it was wrong. All the mechanics had gone home by now but to Daniels credit he grabbed some tools with the other service manager and In their white ****es and ties they stripped it down and fixed the problem. It took them a good hour to do so but I guess they could have given me a loaner and sent me home but they didn't. Top marks I say:D. And they promised they were personally going to punish the mechanic that had done the job :twisted: (and I believe them:D)

Bottom line, I believe we are dealing with large dealerships that in some cases the employees don't give a **** BUT I you can build a good relationship with the people who looks after you, then they will go the extra mile. There is no point in getting angry and bitter at them as they are just employees, so why not work with them and make the most of the situation. Smile as you insult them it always works for me :D

Cheers,

[DiscoTDI]

70000KM service, cam seal needed replacement
80000KM service, cam seal needed replacement again & left the filler plug out of the transfer case and lost it, I drove for two weeks before I found the problem. Then it had to go back a third time because the oil filter seal was not put on so it leaked more oil.
now coming up to 90000KM and you guessed it cam seal leaks again
I feel sorry for those people who have spent a bomb buying a RR and get that sort of service.
And I won't even mention how they fixed the hand brake rattle (the word starts with F)
very sloppy work
They need to go across the road and get a clue from BMW

Its funny, because whenever my vehicles went in for work, they would fix things I didn't point out, for example there was some fraying on a seat belt which was from a booster seat and they replaced the seat belt without question. Everything I told them about was seen to and my vehicle was washed and vacuumed before it was returned. I seriously do not have a bad word to say about them. North Queensland on the other hand well I have already had my bitch about them and its the reason I do not currently own a Land Rover.

[Desert Traveller]

I have excellent service from Southside at the Gabba, mainly due to Daniel, he always went the extra mile so I'd mind the cost. ALL my concerns and a couple I hadn't even detected were fixed.

[The ho har's]

Scallops should be along shortly to tell his latest breakdown and will be visiting Austral very soon I would expect:(


Mrs ho har:angel:

[Scallops]

Scallops should be along shortly to tell his latest breakdown and will be visiting Austral very soon I would expect:(


Mrs ho har:angel:

Yes - the ol' brake vacuum pump decided to let go on the combined LR club trip to Kenilworth - Thanks to Harry, I had enough oil to get Grover home. He was flatbedded to Southside this morning as Land Rover assist take 'em to the nearest dealer.

At least I will now have a complete 09 spec 07 Defender! :D

[dullbird]

told you it would go sooner or later :D

[solmanic]

I notice that one of the Ho Har's photos from the Kenilworth Homestead trip has Grover with his bonnet up and a nice black smear across the underside. :p

[Scallops]

I notice that one of the Ho Har's photos from the Kenilworth Homestead trip has Grover with his bonnet up and a nice black smear across the underside. :p

I can't find this - got a link please? It's OK - found it!

[rainman]

I'm not sure if this is considered "high jacking the thread", but on the subject of nippleless (or non serviceable) drive shafts......

The E30 BMW (3 series from '82 to '92) has them. When the uni-joints went on mine the options were to (a): buy another complete drive shaft to the tune of about $2000 from Brisbane BMW, or (b): have later model serviceable uni-joints grafted onto the shaft. I went for option (b) because it was half the price, and it would mean greater longevity.

The uni-joints lasted 170 000km on the E30; how long are they going to last on a vehicle that is regulary submerged in water and covered in mud? It sounds like a backward step by Land Rover if that is what they have switched to.

[The ho har's]

Yes - the ol' brake vacuum pump decided to let go on the combined LR club trip to Kenilworth - Thanks to Harry,(that would be the ho har variety) I had enough oil to get Grover home. He was flatbedded to Southside this morning as Land Rover assist take 'em to the nearest dealer.

At least I will now have a complete 09 spec 07 Defender! :D


not a prob only helping mate out

[Stuck]

Bottom line, I believe we are dealing with large dealerships that in some cases the employees don't give a ****
And in a lot of dealership cases the employees (read mechanics) would like to give a **** but they can't because they're getting pushed to fit as many paid service hours into an 8 hour day as they possibly can.