Macro Auto

Bookings are filling fast for servicing before Easter.

Next to Christmas time, this is our busiest time of the year.

So Book early to get the day that suits you. Give us a call 9874 8744.

Let’s say Good Bye 2020!!

Well after a tough and challenging year, we are all looking forward to a break. Please drive safely and enjoy family and friends.

We are closed from 24th December and will reopen on Monday 11th January 2021.

We will be checking our emails, so please email us. Click Here.

Book early to avoid the rush…..

As we emerge from lockdown, all our clients are looking forward to the freedom of driving. Traditionally Christmas is a very busy period for Macro Auto and will be more so this year as it will be concentrated into about 6 weeks. So please book early so we can fit around your commitments. 

In December we are usually flat out but we will endeavour to fit in all our regular clients. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Please call Macro Auto on 9874 8744 for any assistance you may require.

Maintaining COVID safe practices at all times.

The Victorian Government has clarified the restrictions for service and repair for Melbourne Metro.

Stage 4 restrictions pertaining to logbook and scheduled vehicle servicing have been eased as of 16th September 2020.

If you are outside of the 5km radius from Macro Auto, please give us a call and we will try to help you access maintenance for your vehicle.

Routine maintenance is now permitted as a stand-alone service for safety purposes, including for repairs and safety recalls. Repair and maintenance are still permitted where service providers are providing support to a permitted service or industry, or where it is required to maintain the health and safety of Victorians at home or at work.

“VACC research indicates that Victorian new car dealers saw an 81.1 percent drop in vehicles presented for service between June and August. This, when factoring in motorcycles and trucks, could have led to half a million vehicles missing their regular service ‘window’ by December – if the logbook restrictions continued. Critical repairs may have been missed. This is not only dangerous but would have produced a backlog that was unlikely to be cleared in time for the end-of-year holiday period,” said VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym.

Please call Macro Auto on 9874 8744 for any assistance you may require.

OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

We are open to assist permitted workers to maintain a safe and reliable vehicle.

Most of us are at home but for some work continues.  The health and safety of our clients and their vehicle is our number one priority.

Automotive repair and maintenance are permitted to operate where providing support to a permitted service or industry or where required to maintain the health and safety of Victorians at home or at work.

Please abide by the 5km radius restriction. If you are out of this radius, contact us as we can still help by providing a vehicle pick up.

We have strict hygiene and safety measures in place.

Please stay safe and well.

Please call 9874 8744 for any assistance you may require.

We hope all our clients have stayed fit and healthy during lockdown.

We have noted that a few clients didn’t use their car for long periods and are now experiencing battery problem. To maintain optimal battery life, please try to drive the vehicle weekly especially if your car battery is over 3 years old.

As the restrictions ease, we are very busy with vehicle servicing.

As the school holidays approach and people are preparing to explore Victoria, we would ask for you to plan ahead and give us as much notice as possible to book in your car.

Below are some links to some driving trip ideas:

https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/

https://www.visitmelbourne.com/regions

https://www.tourstogo.com.au/things-to-do/victoria/

https://www.theurbanlist.com/melbourne

https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/travelling/victoria.html

We will maintain our new strict hygiene rules whilst repairing your vehicle.

Please keep safe and healthy and remember to social distance!

Macro Auto’s staff and customer safety is our number one priority.

We are currently classified under ‘essential services’ and will remain open to assist our clients to ensure that their vehicles are safe and reliable.

Customers are permitted to travel to and from their auto repairer. We want to ensure your vehicle is maintained safely as per the log book maintenance schedule.

To ensure we are all protected as much as possible we have taken extra steps for all vehicle bookings. We have initiated increased sanitising and hygienic protocols and are taking extra precautions to keep our staff safe.

We recognise the importance of essential workers during this difficult time. Emergency workers, medical professionals, transport/logistics clients, essential trades and those who provide food services will be given priority service to have their vehicles repaired or serviced.

We are happy to work with each client to only undertake the work that is required to maintain your vehicle as safe and reliable transport for you and your family. We can follow up with true log book servicing and other non-essential repairs at a later date if necessary.

If you have a warning light on, please contact us ASAP to diagnose the issue.

As we are open, we welcome regular log book servicing and repairs as usual.

Please let us know if someone has travelled in your vehicle that may be unwell or if you have been in contact with anyone who has had COVID-19. Car cabins can harbour bugs and we like to be prepared.

We are currently maintaining regular business hours: Monday- Friday 8.30am – 5.30pm, other times by appointment.

Please keep safe and healthy. Remember to social distance and together we will overcome this situation we are all experiencing.

Thank you,

Nick and Kylie Macrokanis

Macro Auto Services  PH: 9874 8744

Email: info@macroauto.com.au

Toyota and Lexus recall for fuel pump.

Renault for faulty wipers, faulty exhaust system or parking brake assembly.

Mercedes Vito Vans for incorrect head restraints.

Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, Passat, Polo and Caddy auto transmission faults.

BMW M6 Gran Coupe for faulty brake light.

Please see Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for a full list of vehicles under recall. https://www.productsafety.gov.au/

If the fuel pump fails, the engine may not run smoothly, resulting in the engine stalling and being unable to restart. The failure will also be accompanied by warning lights and messages on the instrument panel. A pump failure may result in a loss of power while driving, increasing the risk of accident causing injury to occupants and other road users.

Renault has issued recalls for wiper issues, exhaust and parking brake faults. The wiper defect relates to linkage between the front windscreen wipers and motor which may fail.

If the linkage fails, front windscreen wipers may not operate as intended, resulting in obscured driver vision in rainy conditions and an increased risk of accident causing injury to occupants and other road users.

Renault faulty exhaust system – the case of the pipe cracking, drivers may experience stalling of the motor when driving, loss of engine braking assistance and the possibility of fuel leakage. This may increase the risk of accident and injury to occupants and other road users.

Renault Australia reports that if the parking brake fails, the vehicle may not remain stationary when parked, increasing risk of an accident resulting in injury of vehicle occupants, other road users and pedestrians.

Mercedes-Benz Australia recall relates to incorrect head restraints being fitted to the vehicle’s rear bench seat. Notches in the head restraint rods used for height adjustment are not adequately spaced, resulting in a reduced amount of height options and increased chance of an incorrect head restraint height being set.

Mercedes-Benz Australia reports that if an incorrect head restraint height is set, there is an increased risk of neck injury in the instance of an accident.

Volkswagen Australia has issued a recall Gold, Jetta, Passat, Polo and Caddy models affected by an issue with their seven-speed dual clutch automatic ‘DSG’ transmission.

Volkswagen Australia reports that the fluid loss can result in a loss of pressure within the transmission, reducing the vehicle’s drive functionality and increasing the risk of an accident that may cause serious injury to occupants or other road users.

BMW recall – the defect related to the third (high) brake light fitted to the roof at the rear of the vehicle may loosen or detach from its fixture. BMW Australia reports that if the brake light detaches it may cause an accident resulting in injury to road users.

SOURCE: CARADVICE.COM.AU  Author – Liam Murphy, April 2020

Victorians driving cars that still have defective Takata airbags could be deregistered. 

Hundreds of Victorians could be stripped of their car registration if they fail to replace a deadly, faulty airbag.

The state government is giving owners of cars fitted with the defective Takata alpha airbags one last chance to have them replaced and is contacting every individual car owner.

The faulty airbags can kill or maim when deployed and there have been 29 reported deaths and 320 injuries worldwide, including one death and one serious injury in Australia.

The government, through its licensing authority VicRoads, will take make this last-ditch attempt after multiple attempts by manufacturers to contact owners of affected cars through letters, phone calls, emails and door knocking. 

Two years after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued a national compulsory recall of cars fitted with the Takata alpha airbag in February 2018, 400 registered cars in Victoria still have the defective airbags.

Minister for roads, road safety and the TAC Jaala Pulford says the government does not want to “suspend or cancel anybody’s registration”. “But we will do whatever is necessary to get these potentially deadly airbags off our roads. 

“Despite concerted and ongoing efforts by vehicle manufacturers, we still have more than 400 vehicle owners who have not responded to the recall order,” she says.

We will do whatever is necessary to get these potentially deadly airbags off our roads.
The threat of registration sanctions applies to certain Honda, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Mazda and Lexus models manufactured between 2001 and 2004.

VicRoads will soon write to owners telling them it is their last chance to act before being penalised.

Owners of affected cars should contact their local authorised brand dealer immediately to organise a replacement airbag at no cost. 

The compulsory recall of the Takata alpha airbags has been followed by the voluntary national recall of 80,000 cars fitted with another potentially deadly airbag, the Takata NADI (non-azide driver inflator) type 5-AT propellant airbags. 

To check if your car is affected visit ismyairbagsafe.com.au.

If you have any questions, please call Macro Auto PH 9874 8744

SOURCE: RACV Author: SUE HEWITT January 2020

From learner drivers to safe P platers, these are our top tips for teaching kids to drive.

Kids grow up so fast. One minute you’re showing them how to tie shoelaces, and the next you’re teaching them to parallel park. While the thought of your child driving solo might be sickening it’s a key milestone for any young person. A shiny new P-plate will give them freedom and independence, but it also puts them at huge risk. Over the past 10 years, more than 300 drivers aged 18 to 25 have died on the state’s roads.

RACV driving instructor Jeremy Azzopardi shares his tips for creating safe, secure P-platers.

How can we make our young people safer on the roads?

“We need to train them properly,” says Jeremy, a passionate advocate for raising safe young drivers. “Start by finding a good instructor and make sure you help your child gain plenty of practice in all conditions.”

Do I really need a professional instructor to teach my child to drive?

“No, parents can teach, as long as they do it in the right way,” explains Jeremy. “Some parents are good teachers, and their kids just need a few lessons to put the finishing touches on their skills before their final test. The majority of kids who do really well have parents who join us in the car for a few lessons and pick up some good teaching techniques. It helps them learn what to do, and also reduces stress for everyone.”

What makes a good driving instructor?

“It’s important to have someone who’s calm and relaxed, not someone who gets angry if the learner does something wrong. Mistakes will happen – that’s all part of learning. The last thing you want is someone stressed.”

“The most important thing to remember when teaching young people to drive is to ask questions, not tell them what to do. A good instructor will form instructions by using questions. For example, ‘Is it safe to move away from the kerb?’, ‘What’s the speed limit on this road?’ or ‘What’s coming up in the mirror?’ Most parents tell kids what to do, which leads to problems when making decisions for themselves. Then they get to a roundabout with five exits instead of four, they panic and make the wrong move. Learning to drive is more than just passing the test, it’s about being able to make good decisions.”

What else do parents need to be aware of?

“Many people pass on some really bad driving habits without even knowing that they’re doing it. I see young people who’ve copied Mum or Dad and are driving with one hand, or they’re leaning on the centre console or the car door. Some even drive – and teach their kids to drive – with two feet, one on the accelerator and one on the brake. It’s just so dangerous.” 

 I ask kids to imagine they’re driving their best friend in the car and how they’d feel if they hurt them.

How can I help my child find a good instructor?

“Make sure any instructor you choose has a Working with Children Check and a valid Police Check. They must also have their Driving Instructor Authority displayed in the car for them to conduct the lesson. If they’re missing any of these things, I wouldn’t even get in the car.”

How many lessons will my child need?

“The average is usually between five and 10 lessons but it really varies, some people need many more than that. Learners need as many lessons as it takes to become a safe and confident driver, not just to pass the test.”

“Learners need to complete 120 hours of supervised driving before their test. That’s a lot of driving. But sometimes, families make the time up on the same route every day. Practising in all conditions and on country roads and freeways is crucial, even if you think you’ll just be driving to the same place every day. And as we know, Melbourne weather is crazy! You really need to be prepared for anything.”

Any other tips to improve driving safety? 

“Every day I lose count of the people I see on their phone or speeding. I ask kids to imagine they’re driving their best friend in the car and how they’d feel if they hurt them. Get them to think about worst-case scenarios. It’s important to understand that if you make a bad decision you could end someone’s life.”

SOURCE: RACV – Author:  LUCY CLEEVE  June 2019