# Help about car maintenance (tyres and suspensions) for our roadtrip



## dpde (Jan 21, 2018)

Hi all!

Not sure if I'm posting in the correct section but hope someone with good automotive skills can help.

My girlfriend and I have a 1997 Honda Legend 3.5L V6 that we love and that is very well looked after. We use it to commute to and from work every day.

In May we will start our very first roadtrip around Australia, departing from Warrnambool, arriving at Uluru/Ayers Rock, Alice Springs and finishing in Cairns. We will drive on sealed roads only, but we would like to include the Mereenie Loop in our journey; this loop has a stretch of 200km of unsealed road. We might also include other small sections of unsealed road in the trip but of course we will never go off-road with our 2WD. We will be travelling in Autumn, so the road shouldn't be flooded and the heat shouldn't be extreme.

Our car needs some maintenance, especially new tyres and new suspensions (they are really worn out). We would like to mount new ones that are suitable for the everyday commuting, as well as for a trip like the one I have just described, that can include a little bit of "rough" terrain. We also don't want to spend a fortune on it and we don't want to buy a new car, either.
The plan is to change tyres and suspensions, have the alignment done and eventually have the car serviced (oil, filters, belts, hoses, brakes, .... and change what has to be changed).

Now the question is: given our needs (commuting and a little bit of "adventure" we don't need a 4WD for), can anyone recommend some specific tyres and suspensions for our car? This will be the first time we have to change these parts in Australia and don't know anything about what is reliable and affordable down here. Moreover, we don't really trust the guys at the spare part place that just want to sell you what is good for them and not for you...

Thanks to anyone that will give us his/her advice!

Cheers


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## MandyKA (Feb 19, 2018)

By now you've probably left for your trip, but if it helps we have found that getting referrals to good mechanics by locals is always a win. Letting the mechanic know that you have a budget to work with could avoid the higher priced options, but also, these guys know their trade, more than you, so it is worth trusting their opinion. Have a great trip, Australia is a big place and there are many beautiful spots. If you have a chance, check out the horizontal falls the Kimberleys - that might need to be for another trip though.


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