Aussie Tune Dandenong are happy to announce that we’ve recently expanded our services to include ADAS Calibration. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are safety and control technologies found in most European vehicles, post 2018. We offer this specialist service to mechanics, panel shops and our Audi, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Skoda clients.

Any structural work done on a vehicle can affect the alignment of the Cameras and Radar sensors that monitor the surroundings. The ADAS calibration process double-checks that they are in correct working order.

What is ADAS and Why do I need it?

ADAS are designed to enhance safety and driving comfort, and to avoid contact with other cars, pedestrians, and cyclists. ADAS also detects road markings and signs, assisting with lane positioning and ‘following distance’. ADAS activate in an emergency by applying autonomous braking assistance and corrective steering.

Essential ADAS Safety Critical applications include:
• Pedestrian detection/avoidance
• Lane departure warning/correction
• Traffic sign recognition
• Automatic emergency braking
• Blind spot detection
• Adaptive Cruise Control

When does ADAS need Calibration?

Any alteration to the vehicle including windscreen replacement, suspension alteration or spring/shocks replacement, any distortion/damage to the bumpers (front or rear), and changes to the wheel alignment, all require an ADAS calibration. These important safety systems may fail if not properly aligned. A misalignment of only .5 of a degree in pitch or yaw can have major ramifications over a distance of 300 meters.

If you are a mechanic:

Whenever you work on a vehicle with ADAS, we can run the diagnostics to assist you in the care of your own clients and ensure their systems are operating safely and effectively.

If you are a panel shop:

Of all the mechanical trades, you guys see the most instances of ADAS damage. Aussie Tune Dandenong can be your partner in complete driving safety for your clients.

If you are our client:

Rest assured in the knowledge that our specialist mechanics will make sure that, when you leave our workshop, you and your loved ones are driving with the most up-to-date safety standards in the world.

Our highly trained staff at Aussie Tune Dandenong are not only able to calibrate your ADAS but will provide a full calibration report including a certificate of calibration upon completion.

Contact Aussie Tune Dandenong today for all of your ADAS Calibration needs. Our attention to detail and customer care is second to none.

Car mechanics, as an industry, tend to have a bad reputation. People often feel that it’s very easy to be scammed or taken advantage of, and they worry about bringing their vehicle to someone they don’t know.

We recently worked on a vehicle belonging to a female customer whose car was making a strange noise. After calling for advice, she brought her car to the workshop so we could get an idea of where the problem lay. She arrived, three young children in tow, obviously nervous about not being taken seriously, and the potential of being ripped off financially. And she’s, by far, not the only person to feel this way.

People want to feel heard. Our mechanics listen. If a customer needs twenty minutes to explain something, we take the time to do so. Most arguments and misunderstandings usually arise because someone doesn’t feel heard. Listening to our customers builds trust and helps us to get to know each other. It’s important.

At Aussie Tune Dandenong, we step our customers through the process. Initially, we take a look at the vehicle, maybe go for a short drive with the client so we can discuss, feel and hear the issue together. Once we have established a reasonable idea where the problem lies, we book a time for the customer to leave it at the garage. Where possible, our customers can borrow a courtesy car or, alternatively, we can arrange to pick their car up from them.

My overwhelming principle is that everything that I do needs to:

• Honour God
• Honour the customer
• Be good for business and my suppliers

Our customer’s best interests are top priority. It’s their money, not mine, therefore spending it without their approval is theft. It’s important to always be 100% honest so, prior to starting work, we inform the clients what is wrong with their vehicle and what it will cost to fix the problem. And, in the event that something goes wrong, we let them know immediately and do everything in our power to resolve the situation quickly and with as little impact as possible.

Standard warranty on most automotive stuff is 12 months / 20,000km’s. Most of our Aussie Tune warranties are two years / 50,000km’s. And that’s not because the parts come with a 50,000km warranty. If mechanics use the right parts and tools, they will easily last that long, so it’s a pretty easy promise to fulfil. There are exceptions, of course. We don’t extend the warranty on tires, wiper blades and oil changes, for example. But on bigger repairs, if we put in your new water pump or something, then offering this warranty ties into my three guiding principles – and that’s what we hold on to.

Honouring our clients, their vehicles and their money helps to build an open and honest relationship. We want Aussie Tune Dandenong clients to trust us and the work we do for them. The service we provide is more than simply fixing their broken vehicles. From pre-purchase inspections, to carrying out a roadworthy, or repairing a significant issue with their car, sustaining our customers’ comfort and happiness is paramount.

At Aussie Tune we service most makes and models but specialise in European Vehicles specifically Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes servicing and repair. To chat with Nigel, Aussie Tune’s European vehicle specialist, call (03) 9794 0997.

‘Navigation’ is the best word to describe this year. Covid-19 and its accompanying restrictions have challenged our business and customers on a professional and personal level. Like so many Melbournians, we’ve steered our way through lockdowns, curfews, mask-wearing, constant sanitisation and learned to adapt our business model to keep ourselves, our mechanics and customers safe.

Adapting to the constantly changing rules was a definite challenge. Every day we read so many emails in an effort to stay abreast of the regulations. Sometimes it was confusing. Could people enter the office or workshop? What repairs were considered ‘emergency’ or ‘critical’? Trying to work out what we were allowed to do, and what would put people at risk or incur fines, was difficult. The continual updates from the VACC interpreting the government rules were, at times, baffling. The change was constant.

Obviously, from a business and financial perspective, it was important to keep the workshop open. But, more importantly, we recognised very early on that we had an obligation to stay open for the sake of our mechanics and customers.
Not knowing was the hardest aspect to navigate at the beginning. Like so many people, we didn’t know how long we would be living with restrictions. The covid-19 lockdown was so difficult for everyone, but we wanted to continue to help our customers by keeping the workshop running and being available, not just to fix cars, but to talk and share the experience with our community.
In hindsight, we struggled most with the lack of interaction brought about by Stage Four restrictions. Contactless delivery was tough – on us and our clients. We like to talk to people and build relationships with our customers. The joy of our service, of simple human interaction, was taken away during that period.

Communication was the key to keeping our business running. We added a Covid-update page to our website and posted on Facebook every time there was a change in restrictions. Speaking to people on the phone was also important, particularly as Stage Four was longer than any of us initially expected. We contacted people who were due to get their vehicles serviced and explained the situation, listening to their stories and helping where we could in the event of an emergency. Could we have done more? Possibly. But we navigated the ups and downs as best we could with the information we were given at the time.

As business owners, we had a responsibility to keep our workplace and employees safe. It was imperative that we manage potential transmission, mask wearing and sanitation to avoid the invisible threat of the virus. During the months of lockdown, people expressed their views and experiences differently. While it was important to us to respect people’s opinions, we were conscious of the need to maintain stringent health controls to protect our staff, customers and business.
Other than the risk of falling ill, there was an additional overriding threat hanging over all our heads. From an industry perspective, we struggled with what we were allowed to do when it came to fixing vehicles. Just as people were dobbing in their neighbours for having people visit at home, word on the street was that businesses were reporting others for potentially ‘doing the wrong thing’. We certainly didn’t want to break any rules but it was tough, at times, to know what repairs were considered ‘critical’ or ‘essential’. And we were so wary of the threat of fines if we did, inadvertently, get it wrong. Constantly checking government regulations and VACC recommendations were the only way to stay on top of our role during the pandemic.
In our view, maintaining your car service schedule is vital for so many reasons. As a result, when services were banned, we did spend time lobbying and writing to MP’s to demand re-instigation of the right to service cars. Luckily, Stage Four did come to an end, and we were quickly able to resume business as close to ‘normal’ as possible.

This year has been filled with ups and downs. We’ve had good days and bad but, overall, it could have been a hundred times worse. There were times when we had no cars in the bays and it was hard to stay motivated, but we all managed to get through it in one way or another. Communication and support have been a vital part of this experience. Our government did try to assist businesses. Maybe it wasn’t perfect, but they tried, which is a positive aspect of this year. Talking to our clients, and sharing stories with other business owners has also been a huge plus. There’s a lot to be said for communities banding together in difficult times.

For us, navigating 2020 was all about perspective. Running a business is a seasonal experience, particularly in regard to economics, and we are aware that we are lucky to have enjoyed a long Summer of prosperity. But Autumn had to come. In March when the pandemic hit us properly, we ‘shed our leaves’. We reduced our expenses, where possible, and looked at what was important to help us get through the uncertain months that lay ahead. During the Winter of restrictions, we held on, practised gratitude and looked ahead. Now that Spring is here, it’s the perfect time to evaluate the lessons we have learned during 2020 and prepare for future bumps in the road.

Thank you to our customers, old and new, for sharing your experiences with us. We are so very thankful for your support and understanding during this year. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. Cheers to 2021 being amazing for you all!