AMAs seem to be the cool thing to do lately, so thought I'd give it a try. Have been a mechanic for 15 odd years, worked on everything from Hyundai to Porsche. Recently moved to marine in the last year or so. Will try to answer when I can.
Edit - Wow this was much more popular than anticipated, thanks for the great response everyone, hopefully it's helped a few people out.
Great AMA, thanks for all the effort as it’s been a good read. And one where I’ve got my own question I hope you’ll have an opinion on!
I’ve got an old Tiida runabout. Last year whilst driving, the clutch started feeling a bit off, a bit scratchy, then within a few minutes the clutch went to the floor. Lost all fluid, and topping up would just drain straight back out. Towed to a local independent mechanic and was told it was leaking from the slave.
Since it was all apart, I had him replace the clutch and flywheel on his recommendation with an Exedy dual mass, and ever since it’s been nothing but issues. Taken back at least half a dozen times. Clutch peddle went to the floor and lost fluid a second time, and was told it was bleed nipple popping off. Changed the clutch plate again. Then changed the master cylinder. Tried bleeding the clutch. Same issues. The clutch bite point changes between drives, usually get some shudder when releasing the clutch. Usually gears won’t shift smoothly (took it to another mechanic who suspected wrong oil and I was being locked out of gears, but still the same after a change), and the same mechanic found there was a bolt missing on the transmission/engine mount. On the rare occasion it will drive perfectly fine with none of these issues.
Any thoughts?
Thanks, it's had a bit more of a response than I was anticipating haha.
You have hydraulic issues. It could be that the slave itself is letting air in at times, which would explain why it changes. The concentric slaves can be damaged by people pressing them on the bench perhaps this has happened and damaged the seals? I've done a few Tiida clutches, and while they are a pain to get the box out, haven't had this issue, though they can be a pain to bleed, like all concentric slaves.
Thanks mate, you’ve posted some great responses and if you were still in the game I’m sure there’s no end of people here who would trust you to work on their vehicle.
I’ve found another local mechanic who I trust, but have just been hesitant to have it taken apart again and keep pouring money into the old car.
Thanks mate, appreciate it.
I definately understand your hesitation, especially as they are not a cheap clutch to do, and youve obviously been without it for so long on and off. Has the new mechanic tried bleeding it? I vaguely remember something about having to half unclip the hose that goes into the slave cylinder to bleed it.
I'll bite, 2000 NM 3.5L Pajero (Petrol).
Changed plugs, leads, fuel filter, o2 sensor, fuel pump, iacv, battery voltage fine running and pre-start but the car turns over for ages and drops revs harshly a few seconds after cold start, fine after it's warm and moving.
Reckon it could be the FPR, at my wits end with this thing and it's just a tow car!
Also thanks for doing the AMA, I feel like mechanics cop a lot, everyone thinks most are out to get them when I really don't think that's the case.
A more general question, did you have a "main" trade company like Bursons, how important was your relationship with them?
What voltage does the battery drop to during cranking? These are very voltage sensitive. After checking that perhaps try a battery out of another car, or just use some jumper leads. Next test would be to flick the key momentarily to start a few times, this will prime the fuel system. If it then starts easily, you have fuel pressure leaking down somewhere.
Our main trade supplier was global, then probably hsy. Relationship was very important, as they are the ones who do warranty work, and do the legwork to find odd bits and pieces for you. They always bent over backwards to keep us happy.
Awesome, good things to check, will do.
Didn't actually check the voltage during cranking…
I deal with a lot of trade stuff at Repco even though I am a casual and always try real hard to source stuff. Trade work is really fast paced and requires a decent knowledge of parts, I think Repco needs to hire more car competent people as opposed to retail people as you can't just rely on a manager to pickup every phone.
HSY are great!
Yep the parts people are very hit and miss. Some have a mechanical background and know what youre talking about, others require a full explanation of what spark plugs are, it can be frustrating.
Hsy really are great, never an issue with them and they know their products.
thinking of getting a clio 182 or clio 197 as a daily driver - are these reliable?
It wouldn't be my personal pick, I just can't stand the ergonomics in the things. They have been getting more reliable lately, but parts are fairly expensive if you can't source your own, and they often do weird things like sell brake rotors with wheel bearing as one piece, making then more expensive again. Also depends on how long you plan to keep it.
why does my car leak the oils?
It's bungholio isn't tight enough.
I have a mazda tribute, it leaks oil from the back of the engine. Is this something a no car experience person should attempt?
Is it an early model (2000-2007) with the Ford Duratec V6? If so, it's a common issue with those cars (I owned one up until quite recently).
Sometimes it's just the oil pan which is a fairly easy fix. Mazda updated the pan design around 2004 so that it used a better gasket and it's a direct swap if you order a new pan and the better gasket from somewhere cheap like Rock Auto.
Sometimes it's a valve cover so check if there's oil around those.
In 90% of cases it's the failing crappy RTV silicone that was used to seal the timing cover at junction points which causes the leak. As the engine is transversely mounted it's generally an engine out job to reseal / gasket the timing cover easily. Alternatively if you don't mind the hassle of pulling the right hand driveshaft, intermediate shaft, alternator etc. you can do it with the engine in the car.
It's not a small job. Given the age of the car most mechanics will advise you to leave it and just top it up if you're not losing much oil. Mine would generally use about 200ml every 5000km or so.
@Pantagonist: This, if it's the V6 it'll probably be leaking from everywhere. The leak from the sump, and then there is the upper section of the sump that leaks as well.
@brendanm: I've got no idea how Ford / Mazda avoided some sort of class action over those cars.
In addition to the oil leak woes, by the time the car hits about 200k every plastic connector in the engine bay is so brittle that they break if you try to remove them.
I did the upper and lower intake manifolds in mine to solve a misfire issue about 15k before I sold it and 5 out of the 6 fuel injector clips broke and needed to be cable tied when I put it back together.
The hydraulic engine mount on the right hand side of the engine also crapped itself around the same time.
Lower ball joint boots in the suspension were also completely perished when I bought it at 180k.
EGR valve gave out and caused a no start condition.
Power steering pump leaked like a sieve and required a rebuild.
Water pump seized which melted the tensioner and gushed coolant everywhere.
By all accounts the CD4E auto transmission is a lottery and you'll either get a good one or it'll die prematurely. Mine was good but the fluid was filthy when I first flushed it.
It was a good car when nothing was going wrong but every issue seemed to take the car off the road. Can't imagine how much I would have spent if I didn't do all the repairs myself.
@Pantagonist: On top of all that the fuel economy is absolutely woeful! I had to drive a neighbour's into work for some repairs, and I couldn't believe how much it drank. I still can't believe people buy them used nowadays with the internet and all its info. The 4 cyl was a good thing though.
@brendanm: Yeah, mine usually managed about 13L/100km on the highway. Stop start in the city was usually north of 15L/100km. Worse if my ex was driving.
Hey Brendan!
Thanks for all your help so far :)
I've got an Audi A3, base model. I wanted to know whether or not independent servicing would be advisable over the dealership. Especially at the 45k 60k mark where the costs are generally around 2k at dealerships. While it's still well over 1k at independent mechanics, it seems like a significant saving. Thoughts?
@jaystea - A good mechanic is always better than the dealership as it will be significantly cheaper.
I personally don't think dealership adds any extra resale value or does anything better than a Euro specialist.
Why are you getting such high prices at 45 and 60k? What year A3 and what engine and trans?
Sorry, 45km and 60km
2019 a3 35tfsi.thats what I've been reading around :( but I could be wrong.
There is no reason that I can think of that the service price would be that high at those points. Seems very odd.
Jeep cops a lot of crap. How bad are they in your opinion? Did they often need a lot of work?
I’d love to get a Wrangler JK with a petrol engine to use for overlanding/light off-road and as a daily. Thanks in advance!
They are not good. Wrangler is the best of the lot, least electronics to go wrong. 3.8 is pretty average, 3.6 isn't ok. I personally wouldn't pick a wrangler for a daily or light off road though. Have you driven one?
I’ve never driven one! Are they lacking?
Shame they look so great 😅
Thanks for the info!
I've driven a fair few and owned one for a very short time. They feel like they are going to fall over on the highway, heck even on normal suburban roads. When they have big lifts and tyres they are downright scary.
You're a legend brendanm for this AMA.
What are your thoughts on servicing for cars that only travel about 2,000 km a year?
For a European, can you stretch things like timing belt changes, etc
Once a year will be fine. I don't recommend stretching belt intervals, as the rubber decays with age/heat as well as use, and makes a very expensive mess if they fail.
Hi Brendan.
I need NOS and overnight parts from Japan.
Can you assist?
Ok vin diesel
Hi Op, i have a half cabin with 10hp 4 stroke Yamaha outboard connected to steering. How much should I look for upgrading to a bigger motor? If I buy the motor second hand myself is it a good idea?
No idea on price sorry as I'm not really up on used outboard pricing. If you get another Yamaha it should basically be a straight swap, controls etc will be usable on the new engine.
What do you think of VALVOLINE ENGINE ARMOUR ENGINE OIL 15W40 for an EL Falcon? At $12.99 for 5L seems like a bargain? Synthetic tecnology…I suppose blended synthetic and mineral.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/453599
Yep good price and would be perfect for the Falcon mate, I wouldn't hesitate to use it.
A) I'm thinking of buying a used ~2015 Skoda 135TDI VRS wagon when i can get my hands on one and am comforted that you have a Passat and are looking to get a Toureg. Is there anything worth knowing about the car im looking at and also what are your thoughts on Petrol VS Diesel?
I really like the peppy feel of turbo diesel and good economy, is there anything im missing?
B) If you don't mind me asking what are the realistic salaries for a mechanic - apprentice (how long does that last?), 5 years out, 10 years out?
is the aim to get into luxury car servicing where it pays better?
im super ignorant about this entire field, but love cars and have been mentally toying with switching careers from healthcare, but the pay is pretty good from where im at, at the moment, even if i hate the work.
Also thanks heaps BrendanM for the AMA, much appreciated!
If you do very short drives the dpf can get upset, maintanemce is a little more expensive. I'm the same as you, love the drive of a turbo diesel, and the extra cost is worth it, and made up for in the fantastic fuel economy. My Passat averages around 5.5l per 100.
Apprenticeship is meant to be 4 years but they are rushing them through nowadays. Luxury car dealers don't actually pay better strangely enough, the best money is at indys, as you are payed more if you are worth it, rather than the dealers where they don't actually care. The pay is much better in Sydney for example, but here why I am where pays are generally known as quite average I'm getting about $73k plus super. What do you hate about healthcare? The grass is always greener ;)
Thanks for such a prompt response! amazing AMA.
and the DPF things should be ok, as i do occasional Freeway driving, but will have to read up more on that later.
i think ill bite the bullet and go for it. now to work out if its worth interstate shipping.
I suppose its that im not really passionate about what i do (maybe just a bit burned out as you get after 10 years in any field)
You really get to see the flaws of the system. public healthcare can be inefficient and any changes take a collosal amount of time and may not even be that effective. I work in radiology, and i find it broken, in that a lot of diagnostic tests are ordered out of defensive medicine. ie if i can check this (that i know is fine) i can systematically not be sued, which leads to a higher workload. then there is a great deal of patients that just don't give a shit, and sad as it is to say another lot of patients where the kindest thing to do would be to make them as comfy as possible and let them go, instead of more tests and treatment.
and when you are the middle man between doctors that dont care and patients that don't care. it can be very frustrating and demoralizing. but it pays the bills. apologies about the rant, im sure you have had similar feels.
I think you will enjoy the Skoda if you get it, my wife is hassling me to get her a yeti for some reason haha.
My wife actually works in health care and says similar things. There is so much bureaucracy its mind boggling, all the money goes to absolute rubbish and the patients get nothing. I know why you would feel the way you do!
Love the AMA.
I drive a Diesel 4wd, 1hz 80 series. Can you use kero as a Alpine diesel substitute, and what percentage?
No idea sorry, I've never lived anywhere cold enough to have to know.
Hi brendanm, thanks for the AMA.
Just wondering who is making the big bucks on car parts in Australia? I'm assuming it's the suppliers and not the mechanics. I just find it kind of crazy that there seems to be at least a 10x markup compared to me buying parts directly from a US website like Rock Auto. For example, an exhaust manifold gasket set for for my D21 is about AU$3 from Rock Auto. At Repco the same thing is $30.
Also, is there a reason why mechanics get pissed off when dealing with customers who have a modicum of mechanical/electrical knowledge? I work in a different trade and always ask my customers about any prior work that's been completed on things that I'm about to repair so that I know what to look out for before I dive in, yet most mechanics don't want any background at all.
Recently I had an electrical issue with my AC (low speed fans weren't turning on). Auto sparky poked around but couldn't identify the issue. I offered to bring in the actual FSM that I bought off eBay which has complete wiring diagrams but this was refused. Was told that the only thing it could be was a faulty PCM. He wired up some crazy additional relay system which made the fans turn on (high speed only) whenever the AC compressor did. I took the car home and spent half a day with an Android scan tool and the FSM and found a faulty relay. A trip to the wrecker and $30 later it was fixed. Went back to get a partial refund and the guy wouldn't even come out of his office to talk to me. He just yelled at his receptionist to give me $300 back.
Most people know enough, and only from forums/internet, to make silly suggestions or things that aren't relevant. You sound like you are far above this level, so I'm not exactly sure why that guy did that, the first thing to do normally is to consult a wiring diagram, and go from there. At least you got $300 back :)
Prices in Australia are just stupid for everything. I personally get stuff from rockauto as well, got a head gasket for a Mitsubishi ASX for $17, here my trade price was $150 or so for the same brand.
Hi brendanm, thanks for the AMA
What is the best way or method to install rear wiper in a car where company does not provide one?
Thanks
Not to. It would be a very large amount of work and cost for not much gain.
Hi Brendan.
Been wondering what mechanics use for looking up specific parts across brands? I've noticed that a lot of places like SCA / Repco Spares box use some kinda of Make/Model/Year/… system and it populates and cross checks part numbers. Been having problems locating a wheel bearing part number for my "french" car..hehe
Cheers
We normally use the proprietary trade software provided by Repco, bursons, global etc. As well as that, a knowledge of what cars share what parts comes in handy. Haha for a French car, check with the dealer and get their genuine number, then simply google that number will probably give you some alternatives
Again thanks for the excellent AMA.. Quick one with Beemers.. Are Mann oil filters ok and have you heard of this beemer online part store called Clickable.
What do you think of their parts in terms of quality?
Mann filters are genuinely regarded as being very good, and I've never had an issue with any of them. Never heard of clickable sorry, just the name sounds a little dodgy to me.
clickable is pretty good. My reliable BMW indy mechanic knows about it, but refuses to buy from there as they're OEM parts not BMW genuine. Hence he can't provide guarantee (or maybe he gets some markup there which he can't if you supply parts from clickable)
read the reviews and you'll understand they're genuinely good. Don't judge by the name
I've used https://www.schmiedmann.com/ Schmiedmann in the past to order parts for an X5 (EGR valve, EGR cooler, various other bits and piece), about half the price incl EMS from Denmark to Aus. Very easy to use catalogue and if they don't have it in stock can do so relatively quickly. Offer Genuine and OEM options.
That seems like a very strange reason not to use them? He would get trade price from BMW, so can sell the parts at retail and make the markup.
I'll check them out 👍
I wonder what your views are on capped price servicing.
From a consumer point of view, it looks good on the outside, but the dealerships may want to sell you additional service items (which may not be necessary).
Would you think that it is better to go back to dealership for capped price servicing or stick with your local mechanic?
Capped price is literally built into the price of the car when you buy it. At every service they will likely try to sell you fuel conditioner, a/C cleaning, wheel alignment etc. The dealers are paid the difference in servicing from corporate, at least they used to be with Toyota at least. If you have a good mechanic, use them.
Good to know. How to avoid it for new cars as it voids the warranty.
No it doesn't
You can service your car at any mechanic and maintain your warranty, definately do not have to use the dealer if you don't want to.
@brendanm: I remember for my RAV4 extended warranty, it had a clause to get it serviced from the same dealer. It was paid dealer warranty.
G'day Brendan,
Cheers for the AMA.
Noticed you said you've one VW, now looking for a second.
I've a V6 Amarok, with the DPF.
What're your thoughts on a DPF & EGR Delete + tune? Lots of people say it's the go, but that's everyone who's done it, as well as the mechanics who sell them. Not seeing much input an independent who doesn't sell them.
Always assumed a tune is a great way to shorten the life, until after the VW dieselgate issue, where those who took their cars back to be reflashed lost a lot of power, to lower their emissions. Now I'm thinking they detune them for emissions reasons and so they can release more powerful versions as needed (550 V6 -> 580V6)
All this for a purely Offroad vehicle, of course.
Thanks mate,
I may or may not have dpf delete, EGR block and tune on my pathfinder ;). I have the flashing hardware to do it myself, VW's are harder though as you have to remove and open the ecu for the first flash.
Factory tunes are primarily for emissions. A mild tune with dpf delete will likely extend rather than shorten the life of the engine, as without the dpf you can run normal oil with a decent amount of zinc etc in it. You also don't have the overly rich, overly hot state you get during a regeneration.
You are also correct regarding the different power levels, a lot of engines are the same just with different tunes.
I have the same question for my 2007 NS Pajero 3.2 DiD with DPF and considering a DPF delete exhaust, EGR blank and mild ECU tune. Your answer above covers it though. Either that or sell my NS and get an NW (or early NX with no DPF) with more factory power and torque and no DPF. I love the Paj so definitely sticking with a Paj.
The 3.2 is a bit of a gem, apparently with the pajeros even with the tune it will still force a regeneration every X KMs, not sure how true that is.
Hahaha, perfect. Just what I wanted to hear haha.
Was your tune done on a dyno? or just a safe one from someone who created the file with a dyno? most Amarok suppliers only offer one tune from a guy in QLD, I was always told if you're tuning, run it on a dyno.
Thanks
Just safe basic tune. I have modified my tune for my car, as in a certain year band they pulled out all the timing in the cruise range for emission, which destroys the fuel economy, putting the timing back in gets a whole heap of economy gains.
Is the guy crispmods? I know he has a 4 cyl Amarok he was getting great power out of, and a good reputation.
For most gains a dynonis great, for dpf delete and basic power tune it's not really necessary. You have inbuilt EGT sensors on your engine you can use to keep it safe as well.
I asked my VAG independant about DPF deleting and he said it's not worth it as it's a $10k on the spot fine if caught and the police know what they're looking for now to see if a DPF is deleted - the DPF on the VAG 3.0 TDI engines is a noticeable at the back of the engine bay so it'd be obvious it was removed.
It's very easy to make a delete pipe that looks identical to the dpf if you are that way inclined.
@brendanm: Do you think insurance could be voided if the DPF is deleted?
How easy is it to restore the factory tune + DPF when time comes to sell?
@maybeamacy: No, has nothing to do with insurance really.
Very, simply refit the pipe and flash back to stock, though most people would be happy to buy with dpf deleted.
Cheers for the AMA. What's your favourite type of fish?
To look at or eat?
To fish for then eat.
I try, but am not a particularly good fisherman, so the standards of whiting, snapper and flathead.
Timing belt on my grandfather's 2000 Mitsubishi Magna is due to be changed - 90000km. Got 3 quotes. One says must replace water pump also. Another says its not necessary. And 3rd says he'll advise once he's looked inside during belt change. So are water pumps generally replaced or not? Or is it model/car specific? Or something else. Thank you kindly
Generally you replace the water pump as part of doing the timing belt change if your water pump is driven by the timing belt. Basically it's a risk minimisation strategy.
A water pump is considered a part that will generally need replacing at some point, and if it's part of your car's engine timing and it fails then you'll be up for more than just the cost of a new pump if it does. This is because most modern engines are interference and if the timing system fails then you're likely to end up with bent valves requiring an engine rebuild or replacement.
If it's not part of the timing system but is easy to replace as part of doing that job then that may be why it's been suggested.
Would really need to know what engine your grandfather's Magna has in it to provide further advice (e.g. 2.4, 3.0 or 3.5 litre). The fact that one mechanic says he needs to "look inside" suggests that the pump may be integral to the timing system. There's no way that I'd stick an old water pump back into a car that runs it with the timing belt.
Nomadesque is again on the money, crazy not to replace a wear itme while you are in there, I assume it's the 3.0 V6?
Thank you brendanm & Nomadesque
Used to own a 1997 3.0 V6 Mitsubishi Diamante (similiar to your Magna).
Replaced water pump, all belts, pullies etc. each time cambelt was done.
Tip: Whilst the mechanic is there and the engine is pulled apart, replace the spark plugs because they might be inaccessible without pulling the engine apart. They were inaccessible on my Mitsubishi.
Iridiums on the rear bank should be common prcatice.
Yes, they are due at around the same time as the timing belt, I generally did them all at once, even though you don't need to pull the intake manifold to do the timing belt, you do have to remove some of the same parts, so it saves labour cost to do it all at once.
I would do cam and crank seals too while you are there. Also obviously replace the tensioner…
Thanks for the AMA brendanm, I have a 2008 RAV4 with a 2AZ-FE engine and have noticed that its starting to burn oil. I'd say that it would drop below the dipstick level every 3-4 months or so. You have probably encountered this specific issue as it is a well known design flaw with this Toyota engine.
Other than the hassle of refilling the oil every now on then, does this have any major impact or cause any major wear to the engine down the line? Should I aim to get rid of it?
Thanks mate!
How many KMs ok it? It may carbon up the inside a little and will probably eventually kill the cat, but that takes a long time.
its about 115k kms. Where would the carbon build up? Within the combustion chamber or on the valves?
Appreciate the reply buddy!
On both. Unfortunately to rering it is quite a big job as those engines are annoying to get out. Probably not worth doing for the value of the vehicle, even with the low KMs.
Why does my Mechanic insist on changing the light blinker fluid every service?
Its expensive and surely it doesnt need it every 5000 ks!
duplicate
Great AMA. My daily drive is an 1988 Porsche 928 S4. 255k Km's on the engine. It has an excellent maintenance history including a $15K engine out refresh with all the usual big ticket items addressed including belts, water pump etc etc just before I purchased it. What are your thoughts on the reliability of the 5.0 V8 engine long term as a daily driver. It's been pretty flawless for me over the past 3 years but always a bit nervous about the long term proposition as a rebuild would be big money if it were required in the future. I'm tossing up whether to keep it long term or sell and buy a new Toyota Corolla hybrid as my daily drive instead. I've got an aircooled 87 911 Carrera 3.2 for the weekends anyways :)
I honestly have no idea, but being a decent capacity V8 it will likely have a good bit of life left in it still. If it does go, people are swapping ls into those ;) That would be a nice daily. Love the air cooled 911s!
Are there any indicators to when a battery is going to die ? What can I look out for ?
I have had me battery die on me twice till now and I would have appreciated a warning.
2013 Camry.
If it sounds like it's labouring a bit when you crank the engine then that can be a sign that it's getting a bit long in the tooth.
The more scientific way to do it is to buy yourself a multimeter and do some tests. Figures vary between cars, but generally when the engine is off the battery should read around 12.6V across the terminals. With the engine running it should be 13.7-14.7 volts or close to it. While you're cranking the engine it shouldn't drop much below 10V. Numbers outside of those suggest that the battery isn't healthy.
Sometimes there is no warning, but …
With engine off, my previous battery sat at 12.3v for over four years (think it was 8-9yrs old) - checked it every 1-2 months. Then I noticed in March it was slightly less keen to start. Battery was 12.13v & green indicator had turned black. Battery got replaced.
Check voltage as you crank the engine. Shouldn't drop much below 10v for a healthy battery. Some will literally just drop a cell and die with no warning though.
any impression on Volvo v40's? looking at one second hand..petrol r design 2013
I'm a fan of Volvo's, reliability is generally really good, and they are safe. Interior and exterior styling is not to everyone's taste.
Hi Brendanm, I have an 2008 Astra CDX Coupe and whenever I am stationary and have the A/C on it makes this really really loud and embarrassing squealing noise. it only does it when i have my foot on the break and while people are crossing the road looking at it in disgust. Everything still works fine but I'm think it may be the Compressor? I am looking to sell it very soon and figure i need to get that sound fixed before i do. Any ideas on what you think? Thanks
Screeching or squealing under certain conditions is generally a slipping belt.
Pretty sure the Astra uses a single belt with a spring-style automatic tensioner that drives the water pump, alternator and AC if it's got the 1.8l Ecotec engine.
Easy thing would be to take the belt off and inspect its condition. If it's got cracks or ribs missing then replace it, especially if it's the original one from 2008. While the belt is off, spin the pulleys to check that there's no noise or roughness from the driven components.
If you're not comfortable doing this yourself then it would be a pretty quick job for a mechanic to do.
I'd be surprised if the AC compressor itself has an issue, especially as the noise doesn't get worse when there's more load on it during acceleration.
@brendanm: Thanks. Many helpful advice and tips on this thread