Discussion
All this talk of how cheap modern motors are to service compared to TVR makes me laugh. They're not really in the same league are they?! And besides... girlfriends Clio, cheap as chips on regular servicing agreed but £168 to supply and fit new rear brake shoes with 1.8hrs labour at our local Renault main dealer. Hardly reasonable is it.
Washy
Washy
Oh dear, I,ve hit a nerve, sorry.
But I was doing like for like, the "M" on a bmw stands for motorsport and that means a performance type set-up.
I am well aware that the griff is a bit different, but there are a lot of cars out there that fall into this category, just seems to me that there are a lot of people pi**ed off on here at getting charged too much and probably paying for the garage owners luxury holiday, when really there is no need if you just shop around and get the terms you want, obviously you have to be happy with the work or false economy rears it's ugly head, anyway sorry again if I hit a nerve with anyone, certainly wasn't slagging the car off, no point in looking for one myself if I didn,t think they are worth it, just like to get the best deal going, that goes for buying and servicing, don't want to waste my hard earned dosh.
But I was doing like for like, the "M" on a bmw stands for motorsport and that means a performance type set-up.
I am well aware that the griff is a bit different, but there are a lot of cars out there that fall into this category, just seems to me that there are a lot of people pi**ed off on here at getting charged too much and probably paying for the garage owners luxury holiday, when really there is no need if you just shop around and get the terms you want, obviously you have to be happy with the work or false economy rears it's ugly head, anyway sorry again if I hit a nerve with anyone, certainly wasn't slagging the car off, no point in looking for one myself if I didn,t think they are worth it, just like to get the best deal going, that goes for buying and servicing, don't want to waste my hard earned dosh.
siwes said:
alex mcintosh
to say a fully blown T5R is nor a performance car is ridiclous see what type of police car pulls you over when you are speeding on the motorway. It is every bit and more complicated than a TVR I own both and should know
Simon
I never said that a T5R isn't a perfomance car. However, since you've brought it up it isn't. Fast family car maybe..... And of course it's more complicated than a Griff - my next door neighbours Rover 200 is as well!! But what's that got to do with it?
There are plenty of motorway patrol cars that aren't T5Rs either. I expect that these are chosen for a number of reasons (reliability, load capacity) as well as performance.
What I'm saying is before you moan about the cost of TVR servicing, compare it with similar cars (Porsche, Noble, Ferrari, etc).
Alternatively take the Griff to your Volvo dealer and get it serviced for much less. (But when the diff falls off because they haven't checked the tightness of the mounting bolts because it's not part of a standard service, don't be surprised). Independent TVR specialists are a good alternative but you won't get the stamp.
Simple fact is you cant compare a TVR with ANYTHING else really. Isnt that why we love them in the first place???
If you feel you are paying too much for your servicing you have a number of options. Go somewhere else. Do it yourself. Sell it and buy 2 volvo's
Anything is fine as we are all individuals. Dont confuse bad dealerships and crap mechanics with an expensive car per se. I always used Fernhurst who are NOT a franchised dealer anymore and their servicing was very good. As others have said always agree a price and dont authorise anything else unless you are happy its needed. I have been ripped off more times than I'd like to recall by main dealers of massive car companies like Ford and GM. I had a 1991 Vauxhall Cavalier serviced 2 years ago and they charged me £60 an hour labour!!!!! As I shouted at the manager down the phone - "thats more than I get charged for my TVR for fooks sake!!"
If you feel you are paying too much for your servicing you have a number of options. Go somewhere else. Do it yourself. Sell it and buy 2 volvo's
Anything is fine as we are all individuals. Dont confuse bad dealerships and crap mechanics with an expensive car per se. I always used Fernhurst who are NOT a franchised dealer anymore and their servicing was very good. As others have said always agree a price and dont authorise anything else unless you are happy its needed. I have been ripped off more times than I'd like to recall by main dealers of massive car companies like Ford and GM. I had a 1991 Vauxhall Cavalier serviced 2 years ago and they charged me £60 an hour labour!!!!! As I shouted at the manager down the phone - "thats more than I get charged for my TVR for fooks sake!!"
Alex, So I suppose what you,re saying is, although you might be happy with there work, when it comes to selling the car this might not be ok for prospective buyer. If this is the case though, surely any future buyers have only to get the car inspected by specialist garage to make sure car is up to scratch, thus eliminating any worries, and then it's up to them where they go in future.
I suppose this debate could go on and on, at the end of the day it's personal choice on how much emphasis you place on main dealer service history, some say, it shows that the owner has kept the vehicle serviced and maintaned no matter what cost, but others might say that this is false economy if the main dealer guys are not as good as the independants who are half the price, it might just be that the owner has done his home work and found someone that does a good job at reasonable rates.
As I say it must come down to personal choice.
>> Edited by steve1 on Wednesday 7th January 14:49
I suppose this debate could go on and on, at the end of the day it's personal choice on how much emphasis you place on main dealer service history, some say, it shows that the owner has kept the vehicle serviced and maintaned no matter what cost, but others might say that this is false economy if the main dealer guys are not as good as the independants who are half the price, it might just be that the owner has done his home work and found someone that does a good job at reasonable rates.
As I say it must come down to personal choice.
>> Edited by steve1 on Wednesday 7th January 14:49
As you say pros and cons of dealer vs independant for servicing. My preference would be to get the dealer stamp for the service as a minimum and then get a good independant to do any other major work.
When you come to sell, it will make it easier if it has full TVRSH unless you are selling to a TVR officianado (sp?).....
When you come to sell, it will make it easier if it has full TVRSH unless you are selling to a TVR officianado (sp?).....
siwes said:We are debating the cost of service not how fast you can get to the garden centre/tip/supermarket. Performance does not equal serive costs. The number of hours labour put into servicing your Volvo will be nothing like teh hours to service a Griff or whatever. As has been said for a start the entire suspension is checked greased, re-aligned etc. every 12k the brake fluid is changed and the exhaust removed to check the prop shaft etc. It's not like a quick plugs/oil change/filter and a wipe-over like most Volvos and BMWs get
to say a fully blown T5R is nor a performance car is ridiclous <etc>
Rich... This is the service schedue taken from Henley's web site www.henley-tvr.com/madstyleweb/frames/service2.htm
Lets face it
the first thing we all looked for when we bought out TVRs is the full service history stamps in the hand book its what everybody say to look for , the dealers know this , and they know the type of people that own these cars can afford to foot the stupidly high bills they present us with.
Look at one of my previous posts I took my car to a well know ex tvr mechanic in Manchester someone who came highly recommended from PHers for a head gasket change ONE head gasket and rocker arms change 8 off he charged 1472pounds and 52 pence. RIP OFF, simply because its the car it is.
That sort of thing is very rare with any other make of car. A good friend gets his Porsche 911 turbo serviced for 178 pounds plus vat!! at a main dealer no less .
as you say the topic is nearly dead but by all the replies at least half are not happy with their services.
Simon
the first thing we all looked for when we bought out TVRs is the full service history stamps in the hand book its what everybody say to look for , the dealers know this , and they know the type of people that own these cars can afford to foot the stupidly high bills they present us with.
Look at one of my previous posts I took my car to a well know ex tvr mechanic in Manchester someone who came highly recommended from PHers for a head gasket change ONE head gasket and rocker arms change 8 off he charged 1472pounds and 52 pence. RIP OFF, simply because its the car it is.
That sort of thing is very rare with any other make of car. A good friend gets his Porsche 911 turbo serviced for 178 pounds plus vat!! at a main dealer no less .
as you say the topic is nearly dead but by all the replies at least half are not happy with their services.
Simon
Second verse same as the first.... owning this car is clearly giving you more pain than pleasure. Sell it and get something that will make you happy.
The dealers all cost about the same. The well respected independents all cost about the same. I know my independent pretty well (well enough to have seen his accounts) and trust me, his customers are not getting ripped off and regulars do get bits of work done gratis - on this basis I'm assuming that the others aren't screwing customers either. I don't know the independent you refer to, but I do seem to think that he gave you a full explanation here on PH after you'd slagged him down (without discussing it with him first) - fair play to him for that.
This is what it costs to own the car. If that displeases you more than the car pleases you, get shot of it.
I lead a simple life....
The dealers all cost about the same. The well respected independents all cost about the same. I know my independent pretty well (well enough to have seen his accounts) and trust me, his customers are not getting ripped off and regulars do get bits of work done gratis - on this basis I'm assuming that the others aren't screwing customers either. I don't know the independent you refer to, but I do seem to think that he gave you a full explanation here on PH after you'd slagged him down (without discussing it with him first) - fair play to him for that.
This is what it costs to own the car. If that displeases you more than the car pleases you, get shot of it.
I lead a simple life....
Let me talk from my experience in the motorcycle trade.As with tivs bikes are very high performance machines and although there are service scheduals for each machine,it is very difficult to accurately quote on a service because everyone uses them in a different way.If you drive your tiv hard,it will cost more to maintain Fact.You must not forget these are some of the most high performance cars on the road,and will obviously cost quite a lot of your hard earned to keep spot on.As for the gent with the porsche,depending on the model,wait till he has his engine out major 5grand service.
If you don't mind me changing the subject slightly, this one seems to be going around in circles, could even dissapear up someones ar**hole, when I find the griff for me, can anyone recommend a decent place to get it serviced/ repaired in the south west, Glos, Bristol, Cheltenham area.
alex.mcintosh said:
As you say pros and cons of dealer vs independant for servicing. My preference would be to get the dealer stamp for the service as a minimum and then get a good independant to do any other major work.
When you come to sell, it will make it easier if it has full TVRSH unless you are selling to a TVR officianado (sp?).....
I would agree.........except that our Griff had full TVRSH when we bought it, but we had a problem with the speedo sender shortly after. The nice chaps down at David Geralds sorted it out for us, and I happened to see one of the bolts that came out of the exhaust system, and the hole at the trailing arm mount where the bolt should have been. If the main dealer cane miss/bodge like this, why should they see the car again? And no, I'm not going to say the dealers name.
he makes you pay Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff