Why a mobile mechanic suits Canberra
Canberra is laid out as separate districts, each around its own town centre, with parkways between them. Live in Gungahlin and work in Woden, and the workshop near home is no help during the day while the one near work is no help at night. A mechanic who comes to the car removes that problem.
It also suits a car that won't start. RACV says batteries are more likely to go flat in winter and in long cold spells, and frost is common here through the winter months. A car that won't crank on a frosty driveway is a job for someone who comes to it.
Where the car is, or at a workshop?
| Where the car is | At a workshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Logbook or general service | Usually | Yes |
| Battery test and replacement | Usually | Yes |
| Car that won't start | A sensible first call | If it needs towing in |
| Wheel rotation and balancing | No, it needs a hoist | Yes |
| Clutch, gearbox or major engine work | Rarely | Yes |
| Pre-purchase inspection | Often, at the seller's place | Older or rare cars |
What can be done in a driveway
RAC WA says its mobile mechanics do the same logbook service items as a service centre, but wheel rotation and balancing have to be done on a hoist at a fixed site. That's a fair picture of mobile work generally: routine servicing and batteries travel well, and anything that means lifting the whole car usually doesn't.
Before a mobile mechanic comes out in Canberra
Somewhere flat and off the road
For its own mobile inspections, RAA asks for flat ground away from the public road with room for a trolley jack. It's a sensible standard for any mobile job. A sloping driveway or a narrow street is worth mentioning before they set off.
Basements and work car parks
If the car sits in an apartment basement or a car park at work, check the building is happy for a mechanic to work there, and mention a low ceiling if there is one.
Dark, frosty mornings
With July minimums averaging 0.3 degrees, a call-out for a flat battery can mean frost on the windscreen. Note what the dash did when you turned the key, and stop cranking once it's clearly not catching.
Licences on both sides of the border
The ACT licenses motor vehicle repairers, and in NSW the licence covers mobile repair businesses too. If the mechanic is based in Queanbeyan, which is in NSW, ask which register to look for them on.
If it were our car
We'd choose mobile for a service, a battery or a car that won't start, and say exactly where it's parked: driveway, street or basement. If the mechanic thinks the job needs a hoist, we'd want to hear that on the phone, before anyone drives out.