Top 10 Car Services That Can Extend Your Vehicle's Life

 

Clayton Melbourne, Victoria
Clayton Road Shopping Precinct
Clayton Location in metropolitan Melbourne
Coordinates	37°54′54″S 145°07′48″E / 37.915°S 145.130°E / -37.915; 145.130
Population	18,988 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	2,466/km2 (6,390/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3168[2]
Area	7.7 km2 (3.0 sq mi)
Location	19 km (12 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Monash
State electorate(s)	Clarinda Oakleigh
Federal division(s)	Hotham
Suburbs around Clayton: Oakleigh East Mount Waverley Notting Hill Oakleigh South Clayton Mulgrave Clarinda Clayton South Springvale

Clayton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District,^[2] located within the City of Monash local government area. Clayton recorded a population of 18,988 at the 2021 census.^[1]

The main focus for the suburb of Clayton is the shopping strip that runs along Clayton Road. The local railway station, situated at the northern end of the shopping strip bears the name Clayton railway station.

In the 2021 census, there were 18,988 people in Clayton,^[1] down from 19,358 in 2016.^[3] The population is younger and more male-skewed than the average for the state; the median age is 28 compared to 38 for Victoria, while men and women make up 53.7% and 46.3% of the population respectively, compared to 49.2% and 50.8% for Victoria. The age curve is skewed, with 20-24 year olds and 25-29 year olds each making up approximately one-fifth of the population; for the state as a whole, 6.3% and 7.3% of the population are aged 20-24 and 25-29 respectively.^[1]

At the time the census was taken, 27.2% of the population reported being born in Australia, compared to 65% of the Victorian population and 66.9% of the Australian population. 16.4% reported their country of birth as India, while 14.7% reported it as mainland China.^[1] In the 2016 census, 24.7% of Clayton reported being born in Australia, while 27.4% reported being born in China and 10% in India.^[3] Clayton was at the time one of only two areas in Greater Melbourne where Australia was not the most common place of birth, with the Melbourne central business district being the other.^[4] 32.2% of the population in the 2021 census reported their ethnicity as Chinese, while 9.3% reported it as Indian, 8.6% as English, 7% as Australian, and 4.5% as Greek. Clayton's Chinese, Indian, and Greek populations are higher than the Victorian and Australian average (4.7%, 2.7%, 2.2% for Victoria; 3.9%, 2%, 1.3% for Australia), while its Anglo-Celtic Australian population is lower.^[1] A larger share of the population of Clayton than of the state or country report speaking a non-English language at home. 25.2% in 2016 and 28.3% in 2021 reported English as the only language they spoke at home. In both years, the main non-English language spoken was Mandarin; other prominent languages in 2021 were Greek, Hindi, Gujarati, and Cantonese.^[1][3]

Large shares of the Clayton population report being higher education students: 71.7% in 2016 and 54.4% in 2021. Amongst the suburb's population as a whole, 34% in 2016 and 42.3% in 2021 reported having a bachelor's degree or higher. The proportion holding such a degree for Victoria as a whole in those years was 24.3% and 29.2% respectively.^[1][3] A larger share of Clayton residents reported being employed as "professionals" than the general Australian population (28.3% vs 24%), but fewer reported being "managers" (6.4% vs 13.7%). The median weekly incomes for individuals and households were AU$594 and AU$1,494 respectively, compared to AU$803 and AU$1,759 for Victoria.^[1]

39.4% of Clayton residents in 2021 reported having no religious affiliation, and another 8.9% did not answer the question. Hinduism and Buddhism were more common compared to the general population; 7.3% and 6.7% of Clayton residents reported being Hindu or Buddhist respectively, compared to 2.3% and 3.1% of Victorians, and 1.9% and 2.4% of Australians. 13.9% reported being Catholic, compared to 23.2% of Victorians.^[1]

The area was first occupied for farming in the 1850s and was originally named after a property, "Clayton Vale", owned by lawyer John Hughes Clayton in the 1860s. A township was originally gazetted on Dandenong Road and in 1862 a primary school was opened at the corner of Dandenong Road and Clayton Road, to serve the whole of the Clayton district. This school changed its name to Clayton North Primary School in 1954.

The construction of the railway to Dandenong and Gippsland about 1 km south of Dandenong Road in 1878 prompted the start of a second township where the line crossed Clayton Road.

The Post Office opened on 18 November 1887 as Clayton's Road Railway Station and was renamed Clayton in 1891.^[5]

Clayton's rural lands and relative proximity to Melbourne attracted two institutions at the turn of the century: the Talbot Colony for Epileptics on land later occupied by Monash University, and a Women's Convalescent Home. Apart from that, in 1900 the community consisted of farms, three hotels, two churches, a tennis court and a few shops. Market gardens, fruit growing and a municipal abattoir were the leading industries.

The 1960s saw the rapid disappearance of market gardens as urbanisation and industry advanced. At the western edge of Clayton the Oakleigh High School had been opened in 1955 and a second primary school was opened next year at Clayton South. Clayton East Post Office opened in 1958 (and closed 1979).^[5]

Melbourne's second metropolitan university, Monash, was opened at Clayton in 1961. Monash is now Australia's largest university. Primary schools at Westall and Clayton West opened in 1961 and 1962, and high schools at Westall and Monash (Clayton North) in 1963 and 1965. In the early sixties Clayton Technical School was opened (Mr Warby inaugural Principal) at the northern end of Browns Rd Clayton, and had pupils attend from wide and far. It had a Science wing and Woodwork and Metalwork workshops, as well as providing studies of the main matric curriculum, however, it was only up to 5th form (year 11). To complete Matric students mainly transferred to the Oakleigh High School for the last year of studies. At its peak attendance would have been over 1000 male pupils. It was closed sometime in the 1980s. The only piece of land left from where the school once stood, is now titled Fregon reserve. In 1971 the Catholic bishops of Victoria and Tasmania purchased land adjacent to Monash University to house their seminary, Corpus Christi College. The seminary was moved to Carlton in 1999, and the site now serves as a conference centre.

Numerous factories, including Volkswagen (later became the Datsun/Nissan plant), Wilke Printing, Robert Bosch GmbH and Repco were opened after the Second World War. Clayton South and Westall are closer to the sandbelt areas, with the Spring Valley Golf Club, The Grange Reserve and Heatherton Park. Sanitary landfill sites occupy former sand quarries.

While the local community was formerly a part of the now defunct City of Oakleigh local council, in 1995 the municipality became the south-western corner for the City of Monash.

A large new building at the corner of Cooke Street and Centre Road was opened in April 2008. It houses the Clayton branch of the [1] Monash Public Library Service, a swimming pool, gym, counselling services, health and child care services, theatre and meeting rooms.

Clayton is one of the largest centres of science, technology and research in Australia. It is located in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs, which contains the highest density of high technology industries in Victoria.

Some of the science and technology institutions located in Clayton include:

• Monash University
• Monash Medical Centre
• Australian Synchrotron
• Australian Stem Cell Centre
• Monash Science Technology Research and Innovation Precinct
• CSIRO
• Bosch
• Telstra Research Laboratories
• Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute
• Monash University Accident Research Centre
• Monash Centre for Synchrotron Science
• Centre for Human Bioethics
• Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication^[6]
• John Monash Science School^[7]

Clayton is also a hub for both local and international businesses, with a long history of local manufacturing.

Some of the current and former manufacturers located in Clayton include:

• GMSV
• Bosch
• PPG
• Unidrive (now demolished)

• Clayton North Primary School
• St Peter's Primary School
• John Monash Science School
• Monash Tech School

The suburb is home to Clayton Football Club, currently competing in the Southern Football League and located at Meade Reserve, Haughton Rd, Clayton. The club was formed in 1908 and after commencing at a ground on the corner of Crawford Rd & Centre Rd, Clarinda, moved to its current ground in 1919.^[8] Clayton District Cricket Club also plays at Meade Reserve, Haughton Rd, Clayton. The club was founded as 'Clayton Vale Cricket Club' in 1924 with its original ground in Wordsworth Ave, Westall. The Club moved to Namatjira Park, Springs Rd, Clayton South in 1953 before settling at Meade Reserve in 1977.

The suburb is home to Waverley Wanderers Soccer Club of Football Federation Victoria and also Waverley Oakleigh Panthers of Victoria Rugby League.

The suburb is home to Clayton Bowls Club, located in Springs Rd, Clayton South.

• Regeneration Church Monash^[9]
• St. Andrews Presbyterian Church^[10]
• Clayton Church of Christ^[11]
• All Saints Anglican Church^[12]
• St. Peters Catholic Church^[13]
• Clayton Christadelphians^[14]
• Monash Mosque^[15]

• City of Oakleigh – Clayton was previously within this former local government area.
• Clayton railway station

• 
  Clayton Road Shopping Precinct
• 
  The exterior of the Australian Synchrotron facility
• 
  The Monash Homemaker centre in Clayton on Blackburn Road-Princes Hwy
• 
  St Peter's Primary School, Mary St.
• 
  Clayton Church of Christ on Burton Ave
• 
  Clayton Community Centre, Cooke St

• Australian Places - Clayton

 

An automobile repair shop (also known regionally as a garage or a workshop) is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians. The customer interface is typically a service advisor, traditionally called a service writer.

Automotive garages and repair shops can be divided into following categories:^[1]

First appearing in the early 1900s,^[2] many filling stations offered vehicle repair services as part of their full service operation. This once popular trend has declined significantly over the years as many locations found it more profitable to exchange vehicle service bays for grocery isles, which ultimately led to the emergence of the quick oil change industry.^[1][3]

Commonly referred to as a quick lube or express service shop, this type of facility specializes in preventive maintenance and safety inspections rather than repairs. Product sales are typically limited to automotive fluids, belts and hoses.^[1] With a focus on basic procedures, labor is often performed by entry-level technicians which simplifies the business overhead resulting in a less expensive service as compared to a traditional automotive workshop.^[4]

In the United States, new car dealerships have service departments that are certified by their respective OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to perform warranty and recall repairs. Customer-pay repairs can also be completed, however most service departments tend to only work on the vehicle brand of which they are a dealer. Dealership technicians must complete additional training provided by the OEM, and in doing so become specialized and certified for that particular vehicle make.^[1]

Independent auto repair shops are businesses that are independently owned and operated. In states regulating a smog or emission test, often, independent auto repair shops offer these tests as well. These may also include regional or national chains and franchises. It is rather common for a dealership technician to start this type of competing business after leaving the employment of a new car dealership.^[1] Independent automobile repair shops in the US may also achieve OEM certification through manufacturer sponsored programs.^[5] European Union law (The EC Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002 (October 2003^[6])) permits motorists more flexibility in selecting where their car is serviced. Maintenance and service work does not have to be done by the dealership providing that the independent garage uses Original Equipment 'Matching Quality' parts and follows the manufacturer's service schedules. The Block Exemption Regulation (BER) covers service and maintenance during the warranty period and prohibits vehicle manufacturers' warranties from including restrictive conditions.

A shop that is dedicated to repairing and maintaining a particular group of vehicles is called a fleet shop. Common examples of a fleet include taxi cabs, police cars, mail trucks and rental vehicles. Similar to a lubrication/safety shop, a fleet shop focuses primarily on preventative maintenance and safety inspections, and will often outsource larger or more complex repairs to another repair facility.^[1]

Shops that specialize in cylinder head and cylinder block machining are called engine machine shops. These facilities utilize large electromechanical machines that are not found in the average automotive repair shop. In the US, engine machining is typically performed by an ASE certified machinist in order to correct worn or damaged engine components as an alternative to component replacement.^[1] Performance engine building is another popular service frequently offered by this type of workshop.^{[citation needed]}

Some repair shops specialize in tires and wheels. These businesses usually have a large inventory of tires and aftermarket wheels, some of which may be on display while others require special ordering. In addition to parts, common labor services include tire rotation, balancing and repair as well as wheel alignment which can prevent premature tire wear.^[1]

In the Philippines, roadside tire repair shops are called vulcanizing shops in Philippine English. They specialize in quickly and cheaply repairing flat tires by patching punctures with a rubber compound patch.^[7][8]

A muffler shop, also called an exhaust shop, is a business model that concentrates solely on the engine exhaust system. These facilities utilize large tubing benders which allow a technician to fabricate a new exhaust system out of otherwise straight lengths of pipe.^[1] Welding is often necessary in this line of work.

Automotive repair shops that specialize in bodywork repair are known as body shops. Auto body technicians can perform paintwork repairs to scratches, scuffs and dents, as well as repairs to the bodies of vehicles damaged by collisions. Many body shops now offer paintless dent repair and auto glass replacement. Automotive repair shops that specialize in auto glass repair are known as auto glass repair shops. They offer auto glass repairs to chips, cracks and shattered glass. The types of glass they repair include windshields, car windows, quarter glass and rear windows. This type of damage is often caused by hail, stones, wild animals, fallen trees, automobile theft and vandalism.

Mobile mechanics provide doorstep repair services and home delivery of new and used auto parts of different late model and classic cars whose parts are not widely available in the market.

In countries such as the UK, the mobile car body repair sectors has experienced high growth by way of mobile SMART Repair companies providing mobile car body repair services, such as Bumper Repairs, auto body repair, paintless dent repair and paintwork defect repairs to private and commercial consumers, typically within the industry framework of refinishing vehicle damage on a localised basis, where the area of damage being repaired is not in excess of an A4 sheet of paper.

• Auto mechanic
• Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
• Breakdown (vehicle)
• Preventive maintenance
• Service Labor Time Standards