Ballarat Roadworthy Centre

Ballarat Roadworthy Centre Ballarat Roadworthy Centre - Bus Safety Specialists, Fleet & Car Servicing Our core values:

•Be leaders in vehicle safety. Keep learning.

If the answer is not known research & share the answer.

•Respect everyone. Respect will be given to everyone we encounter.

•Commitment to Customers. We develop relationships that make a positive difference in our customers' lives.

•Teamwork. We work as a team not an individual, we seek and give help when it is needed.

•Ownership of actions. Own your actions every day, good bad or ugly. Lear

n and move on if mistakes are made.

•Pride. Take pride in yourself and the company every day, be the best you can possibly be.

06/09/2026

Just finished driving? Don't turn that engine off straight away! 🏎️💨

If your car is turbocharged, turning the engine off immediately after a drive can end up costing you thousands in repairs.

Here’s why:

Your turbocharger spins at upwards of 200,000 RPM and runs at blistering temperatures. While the engine is running, fresh oil is constantly pumped through the turbo to cool it down and keep it lubricated.

When you shut the engine off, that oil pump stops instantly. But the turbo doesn't stop—it keeps spinning on momentum with zero oil pressure. Even worse, the oil trapped inside the red-hot turbo bakes onto the bearings, turning into a hard, gritty carbon buildup called "oil coking."

Over time, that baked oil starves the turbo, destroys the bearings, and leads to total turbo failure.

What to do instead:

After a highway drive, towing, or hard acceleration, let your car idle for 1 to 2 minutes before switching it off.

This gives the oil time to flow through the turbo, carry away the intense heat, and let everything cool down safely while still lubricated.

It takes 60 seconds, costs $0, and can save you a massive repair bill down the track.

Got questions about your turbo or engine care? Drop by the shop or give the team a call!

🔗 Tap the link www.ballaratroadworthy.com, give us a call on (03) 5335 8920 or shoot us a text on 0488 825 361.

04/09/2026

Got a quick minute? Go check the side of your tyres! 🛞👇

Ever looked at those random numbers and letters stamped on the side of your tyre and wondered what they actually mean? They tell you two massive things: what size you need, and how old the rubber actually is.

1. Finding Your Tyre Size:
Look for a code that looks like 205/55 R16.

215: The width of the tyre in millimetres.

75: The height of the sidewall (as a percentage of the width).

R16: Fits a 16-inch wheel.

2. Finding the Tyre's Age (The Hidden 4-Digit Code):
Look for the letters DOT and find a 4-digit number inside an oval box (for example, 2221).

The first two numbers = the week it was made (22nd week).

The last two numbers = the year it was made (2021).

Even if a tyre has heaps of tread left, rubber naturally hardens, cracks, and loses its grip as it ages. If your tyres are more than 5 to 6 years old, they won't hold the road properly in the wet, especially on cold or slick roads.

Go check your tyres tonight! If you're not sure how old yours are or if the tread is safe, drop into the workshop—we’ll inspect them for you in two minutes flat.

📞 Give the team a call on (03) 5335 8920, shoot us a text on 0488 825 361 or head over to www.ballaratroadworthy.com to book in!

02/09/2026

Think you’re an "easy driver"? Your car manufacturer probably disagrees. 🚗👇

Most car logbooks have two different service schedules: "Normal" and "Severe."

Most drivers assume "severe" means towing a heavy caravan across the Outback or thrashing a 4WD through deep mud. But in reality? The way most Aussies drive every single day counts as severe driving.

What actually counts as "Severe Driving" in Australia:

Short trips under 10 minutes (dropping kids at school or popping to the local shops)

Constant stop-and-start traffic on your daily commute

Driving in cold winter weather or extreme summer heat

Frequent short trips where the engine never reaches full operating temperature

When an engine doesn't get hot enough for long enough, unburnt fuel and moisture build up inside the engine oil, breaking it down twice as fast.

The Fix:
If your daily routine looks like short local runs around town, don't wait for your kilometre milestone. Service your car by time (every 6 months) to keep your engine clean and protected.

Have questions about your car's service schedule? Drop by the shop or give the team a call—we’re always here to help.

🔗 Tap the link www.ballaratroadworthy.com, give us a call on (03) 5335 8920 or shoot us a text on 0488 825 361

Got a caravan or trailer resting in the driveway? Let’s get it road-ready! 🙌BRC and BASC are now taking bookings for car...
31/08/2026

Got a caravan or trailer resting in the driveway? Let’s get it road-ready! 🙌

BRC and BASC are now taking bookings for caravan and trailer servicing. Whether it's routine brake maintenance, fresh bearings, or a complete safety inspection, our team has you covered.

📍 Give us a call on (03) 5335 8920 or tap the link to book: www.ballaratroadworthy.com

30/08/2026

Turn down the radio... that squeal is trying to tell you something! 🛑🔊

We’ve all heard it in the supermarket car park—that loud, high-pitched screeching sound when a car first starts up on a cold morning.

A lot of people just turn the music up and ignore it until the car warms up, but as a dad, I’d never let my kids leave the driveway if their car sounded like this.

That noise means your fan belt (or serpentine belt) is slipping. That single rubber belt controls your alternator (which charges your battery) and your power steering. If it's slipping, it's wearing out fast. If it snaps while you're driving? You lose steering assist and your car shuts down completely.

Don't wait to get stranded on the side of the road. If your engine is singing a high-pitched tune, give the team a call on (03) 5335 8920 or drop by the shop. We’ll tighten or replace it in no time.

28/08/2026

Steering wheel giving you a hand massage at 100kph? 👁️👄👁️

If you hit the Western Freeway and your steering wheel starts vibrating the second you hit highway speeds, do not just ignore it and hope it goes away.

A vibration that only happens at specific speeds almost always means one thing: your wheels are out of balance. It usually happens when a tiny, clip-on wheel weight falls off after hitting a bump.

It might feel like a minor annoyance, but that constant shaking is putting massive stress on your front suspension, wheel bearings, and shaking the life out of your tread.

The good news? It’s an incredibly fast and affordable fix.

A smooth drive is a safe drive. If your commute is feeling a little too shaky lately, book a quick wheel balance with the team today. Let’s get it riding like new again.

🔗 Head to the link in our bio to book online!

23/08/2026

I’d never let my teen drive on dark country roads with cloudy headlights like these. 💡👁️

Most modern headlight lenses are made of polycarbonate plastic. Over time, UV rays from the sun bake that plastic until it turns hazy, yellow, and oxidized.

It might look like just a cosmetic issue, but cloudy lenses severely cut down your vision at night. That thick haze scatters the light beam instead of focusing it on the road, cutting your visibility by up to 50%.

When you're driving on dark roads around Ballarat, that loss of light means you won't spot a kangaroo, a deep pothole, or a pedestrian until you're right on top of them.

How to check yours tonight:

Look at the lens: If it looks foggy like milk glass instead of crystal clear, your vision is impaired.

The Reflection Test: Park facing a garage door or wall at dusk. If the light pattern looks dull or scattered instead of a sharp beam, they need attention.

Don't drive blind when the sun goes down. If your headlights are hazy or yellowed, drop by the shop—we can restore them back to crystal clear so you can actually see where you're going.

📞 Call the workshop on (03) 5335 8920, drop past or book in by clicking the link!
https://ballaratroadworthy.com/

21/08/2026

I’d never overfill an engine with oil—and I wouldn't let a mate do it either. 🛢️⚠️

When people see their oil is a bit low, the most common DIY mistake is tipping the whole 5-litre bottle straight down the filler cap. But putting too much oil in your engine is just as bad as running it bone dry.

Here’s what actually happens when you overfill it:

Your crankshaft sits right above the oil sump. When there’s too much liquid in there, the metal crankshaft dips directly into the oil while spinning at thousands of RPMs. It whips the oil into a thick, frothy foam—just like a blender making a milkshake.

That foamy oil is full of air bubbles. Air bubbles can't build oil pressure, which means your engine's moving parts stop getting lubricated. On top of that, all that extra fluid builds up massive internal pressure, which blows out your expensive rubber engine seals and leaves oil leaking everywhere.

How to get it right:

Check your dipstick on flat ground when the engine is cool.

The gap between the MIN and MAX dots is usually only 1 Litre, not the whole bottle!

Add small splashes, wait a minute for it to settle, and re-check.

If you’ve accidentally poured in too much or you're not sure how to read your dipstick properly, don't start the car. Drop in or give us a call and we’ll help you drain it to the right level.

🔗 Tap the link to book in with the team!
https://ballaratroadworthy.com/

19/08/2026

I’d never let my kid drive off from the petrol station without making sure this cap is on right. ⛽🚗

It looks like a simple piece of plastic, but your fuel cap actually does three massive jobs every single time you drive.

First, it stops your fuel from evaporating into thin air. Fuel evaporates fast in hot weather, so a bad or missing cap is literally letting your hard-earned cash leak out as gas.

Second, it keeps dirt, water, and road grit from washing straight down your filler neck and into your fuel tank. A bit of rainwater or mud in your tank can ruin your fuel injectors and fuel pump in no time.

And third, it stops fuel from sloshing out when you’re taking corners or braking hard—which is a massive safety hazard on the road.

What to check on your cap:

Twist it until you hear a solid CLICK every time you fill up.

Check the rubber ring underneath—if it’s cracked or perished, it won't seal properly.

Don't leave it sitting on your roof at the servo!

Lost your cap or got a snapped plastic strap? Drop into the shop—we’ll help you find a proper replacement that fits right.

🔗 Tap the link to book in with the team!
https://ballaratroadworthy.com/

📢 OUR MONTHLY REWARD WINNER IS HERE! 🏆A huge congratulations to AF, the lucky winner of this month's FREE MOVIE TICKET! ...
19/08/2026

📢 OUR MONTHLY REWARD WINNER IS HERE! 🏆

A huge congratulations to AF, the lucky winner of this month's FREE MOVIE TICKET! 🎟️🎬 We hope you have an incredible time at the movies on us!

At the Ballarat Roadworthy Centre (BRC) and the Ballarat Automotive Service Centre (BASC), keeping you safely on the road is our top priority. We truly appreciate your support and your reviews mean the world to us. They help us continue providing the best possible service to our community. ❤️

Want to be our next lucky winner? It’s simple:

1️⃣ Leave us a 5-star review on Google or Facebook for either BRC or BASC. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2️⃣ Keep an eye out for our next monthly announcement!

You could be the next person heading to the cinema for free!

Thank you again, AF, and a massive thank you to all our customers for trusting us with your automotive needs.

Good luck for next month, everyone!

Address

35 Martin Drive
Delacombe, VIC
3356

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 7:30am - 5:30pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ballarat Roadworthy Centre posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category