Servicing & Maintaining Imported Vans

[segreen]

I imported a new L/H drive 2005 Dodge SXT Braun Entervan from Florida. After getting it over here I had a few simple hand controls fitted, namely a push/pull brake and accelerator, electric handbrake and a tetra grip. I've always had it serviced and maintained twice a year (approx annual mileage 8000) at my local garage and never bothered having the adaptions serviced seperately other then with my local garge when the van came in for it's service.

What do you guys do out there? Do you service and maintain them with your local Chrysler/Dodge dealership or do you go back to the conversion company that has supplied your van ie. Steering Developments, Alfred Bekker etc or do you just go to your local garge?

What's everyone's take on this? Local garage, Authorised dealer or Conversion company?

Steve

[Burgerman]

Well I use my brain, and a volunteer for everything inc servicing. Garages suck. They cause more damage than they fix.

[segreen]

Shold of known you'd do your own John!

[Burgerman]

I cant physically do it, but I have good volunteers that listen.

For rollx parts I can buy direct from Rollx. For Chrysler parts I can buy locally. So far needed very little.

[rustyjames]

I do the same as the B-Man, and I'm very selective as to who touches anything that I operate. If something needs repairing I'll do the research and recruit a friend to do the work. It's not related to saving money, I just don't trust many shops anymore due to past experiences.

[Burgerman]

I am at a bit of an advantage over most. I used to build race engines for a living, and custom cars for fun. 3 or 4 hundred horsepower bike engines for myself and various customers engines, and my own 1.6 litre 4 cylinder car had a polished blueprinted V8, 5 speed manual box, and 2 stages of nitrous injection fitted... By me of course! Seemed rude not to because everyone told me there was no way it would fit... And I had a busy comercial rolling road for engine tuning work, also home designed/built in the 80s.

So the basic mechanic stuff is a little basic to me. Just meccano.