Preparing Your Vehicle for a Major Service: How to Get the Most Out of Your Appointment

Regular servicing is one of the best investments you can make in the longevity and reliability of your vehicle. Whether you drive a daily commuter, a touring 4WD or a work ute, keeping up with scheduled servicing helps prevent small problems from becoming expensive repairs.

While our technicians carry out comprehensive inspections as part of every service, there are a few simple things you can do before arriving that help us provide the most thorough and efficient service possible.

Preparing your vehicle isn't about making our job easier—it's about making sure we don't miss something that's important to you.

1. Make a List of Any Concerns

It's surprisingly common for customers to collect their vehicle and then remember the noise they meant to mention.

Before your appointment, take a minute to think about anything you've noticed recently.

For example:

• A new vibration
• A squeak over bumps
• Poor fuel economy
• Hard starting
• Warning lights
• Steering pulling to one side
• Brake noise
• Air conditioning not cooling properly

Even if the concern seems minor, mentioning it gives us the opportunity to inspect it while your vehicle is already in the workshop.

2. Tell Us When the Problem Happens

One of the most valuable pieces of information you can give us isn't just what the vehicle is doing—it's when it happens.

Examples include:

• Only when the engine is cold
• Only after driving for an hour
• While towing
• During heavy acceleration
• At highway speeds
• When turning left or right
• Over rough roads
• During braking

The more accurately you can describe the conditions, the easier it is for our technicians to reproduce the issue and diagnose it correctly.

3. Let Us Know About Any Upcoming Trips

Planning a caravan holiday? Heading interstate? Taking the vehicle off-road? Tell us.

If you've got a big trip coming up, we'll pay particular attention to components that could affect reliability, helping reduce the risk of unexpected issues while you're away.

4. Tell Us About Any Modifications

Modern 4WDs are often fitted with accessories that affect how they're serviced.

Let us know if your vehicle has modifications such as:

• ECU tune
• Suspension upgrades
• Bullbar
• Winch
• Dual battery system
• Driving lights
• Canopy
• Long-range fuel tank
• Airbag suspension
• Electric brake controller

Knowing what's been fitted helps us inspect the vehicle more thoroughly and understand how it has been configured.

5. Leave Your Wheel Lock Key in the Vehicle

If your wheels use locking wheel nuts, please leave the wheel lock key somewhere obvious.

Without it, we may not be able to remove the wheels if they're required for inspection or servicing.

A simple step like this can save unnecessary delays during your appointment.

6. Bring Your Service History (If You're a New Customer)

If this is your first visit to Stealth Installs, bringing any available service records can be extremely helpful.

Knowing what's already been replaced—or what may be due soon—allows us to make more informed recommendations without duplicating previous work.

If you don't have the records, don't worry. We'll still carry out a comprehensive inspection.

7. Remove Valuable Items

Although we take great care with every customer's vehicle, we recommend removing valuables before your appointment.

Items such as:

• Wallets
• Cash
• Laptops
• Cameras
• Important documents

This simply provides peace of mind for everyone involved.

8. Don't Ignore Small Problems

That small noise you've been living with for six months? Mention it.

Minor concerns often provide important clues that allow us to identify developing issues before they become major repairs.

Fixing a worn bush today is often far cheaper than replacing multiple damaged suspension components later.

What Happens During a Major Service?

Every vehicle is different, but a major service typically includes:

• Engine oil and filter replacement
• Comprehensive vehicle inspection
• Fluid level checks
• Brake inspection
• Steering and suspension inspection
• Tyre inspection
• Battery testing (where applicable)
• Drive belt inspection
• Diagnostic scan (where appropriate)
• Manufacturer-scheduled maintenance items

If we identify anything requiring attention, we'll contact you before carrying out additional work.

There are no surprises.