Mercedes-Benz experts have cast doubt on a key claim made by Borce Ristevski, named by his own lawyer as the police's "number-one suspect" in the murder of his wife, Karen.
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Mr Ristevski, who has always denied involvement, reportedly told police last year that he'd taken his wife's 2004 Mercedes-Benz coupe for a drive on the day she disappeared to test a faulty fuel gauge.
He said the fault rectified itself after he drove the car over a bump in the road near Calder Park Raceway so he returned home, according to reports.
But a series of Mercedes mechanics said the luxury car was "not an FJ Holden" and that a faulty gauge would not be fixed by a jolt.
"I have been dealing with Mercedes for more than 35 years and I have never heard of this," Nick Theodossi, of Nick Theodossi Prestige Cars, said.
Another mechanic said the 2004 Mercedes has two sensors in the fuel tank and both would have to be faulty to give an empty or half-full reading.
"If it was the gauge itself then all gauges would be faulty as they run off the same circuit board," he said.
"It's not an FJ Holden that you can fix by going over bumps. If it was broken then it is broken. Maybe a car 40 years ago but not now."
Two other mechanics had similar reactions.
"I've really haven't heard of anyone doing it," one said.
"To be honest I've never heard of it as a way of correcting itself. I'd say that's a no for that," said another.
It's believed Mr Ristevski did not mention his Calder Freeway drive to police until he was told his mobile phone had "pinged" at Diggers Rest on transmitter towers.
When Ms Ristevski went missing on June 29, her husband said she had left on foot after an argument to "clear her head".
Ms Ristevski's badly decomposed remains were found by a bushwalker on Monday, dumped between two logs in bushland at the base of Mount Macedon, north of Melbourne. Police believe the killing was unplanned.
The location is about 30 kilometres north of Diggers Rest and close to Gisborne, where Ms Ristevski's phone was also reportedly recorded by transmitter towers on the Calder.
Leading criminal lawyer Rob Stary said on Wednesday it was clear his client was considered a suspect by police.
Mr Ristevski visited Mr Stary's Queen Street offices on Wednesday morning to seek guidance on what the discovery of his wife's remains could mean to the investigation, Mr Stary said.
"We've been advising him since day one, really," he said.
"Obviously his wife has been found and there's an autopsy report completed, he wants to see what that could mean.
"It's pretty clear police have him as their number one suspect."
With Nino Bucci
