TVR specialists, try before you trust!

TVR specialists, try before you trust!

Author
Discussion

Griffithy

Original Poster:

929 posts

275 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Following the topic of fellow Pistonheader DKERR84,
which sadly was removed quite quickly.
He told a nightmare story of his experiences with a very recommended
workshop.

Just a word of warning.
As having experienced some horrible things with some of the
highly praised workshops myself as well:

If you are searching for workshop recommendations here on PH just
move on. You would not get an unbiased view on here.

Moderator edit: no naming & shaming (even giving clues).


Edited by jeremyc on Thursday 13th August 18:12

julianc

1,984 posts

258 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
?

So you would prefer to try a TVR specialist without any recommendation at all?

You only build up trust after some time...

Or am I missing something here?

Griffithy

Original Poster:

929 posts

275 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
julianc said:
?

So you would prefer to try a TVR specialist without any recommendation at all?

You only build up trust after some time...

Or am I missing something here?
I mean, you only get the positiv reviews on here.
The bad reviews and warnings are removed.
So, be careful out there.

env

179 posts

189 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
The TVR Cerbera Facebook group is a great place for open discussion...

Grey Ghost

4,583 posts

219 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
OP, you are referring to someone who has made 2 posts in nearly 18 months of membership here on PH, not something anyone with an ounce of grey matter would bother taking into account. The rules of PH prevent naming and shaming but it is quite easy to get a reasonably balanced view with an enquiring post on the forum that would elicit replies, there are couple currently running for example. You would almost certainly get a few PM's from long standing members giving both positive and negative experiences and can make up your own mind based on those.

A substantial number of these outbursts boil down to the owner not being 100% clear to the "specialist" as to what they want them to deliver and/or constantly changing their requirements once the car is in situ, thus causing issues with workshop throughput and impacting other jobs for other clients. I only take my car to one place for it's annual service, MOT, fettle, upgrade etc. and I have an excellent relationship with the owner and his team. I am always clear with what I want them to do and they have always completed the work on time and within the agreed budget range. If extra work is identified I answer any queries about this and we move on.

Not an approach used by a significant proportion of those that come on here just to bh and moan biggrin

chris watton

22,477 posts

259 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Grey Ghost said:
OP, you are referring to someone who has made 2 posts in nearly 18 months of membership here on PH, not something anyone with an ounce of grey matter would bother taking into account. The rules of PH prevent naming and shaming but it is quite easy to get a reasonably balanced view with an enquiring post on the forum that would elicit replies, there are couple currently running for example. You would almost certainly get a few PM's from long standing members giving both positive and negative experiences and can make up your own mind based on those.

A substantial number of these outbursts boil down to the owner not being 100% clear to the "specialist" as to what they want them to deliver and/or constantly changing their requirements once the car is in situ, thus causing issues with workshop throughput and impacting other jobs for other clients. I only take my car to one place for it's annual service, MOT, fettle, upgrade etc. and I have an excellent relationship with the owner and his team. I am always clear with what I want them to do and they have always completed the work on time and within the agreed budget range. If extra work is identified I answer any queries about this and we move on.

Not an approach used by a significant proportion of those that come on here just to bh and moan biggrin
In this instance, I think the moans and bhes were borne from frustration of a job very badly done after a lot of money had been spent.

I have no reason to doubt the OP, no matter what their post count, as I could relate to a lot of what he wrote, as I had the same shoddy treatment with some aspects of what I had done.

I can post you pictures of some of the 'work' carried out by a 'specialist' if you like, for any avoidance of doubt. smile

Sometimes, there can be no excuses.

mikal83

5,340 posts

251 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Lol, attack the op day again.

Gazzab

21,061 posts

281 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Whilst I sympathise with those wanting to warn others or to vent...I think pistonheads, regardless of legals, have got it right. There is sometimes two sides to every story. The chimaera in question was soaked through - I would make sure the cause was attended to before going to a garage or whilst at the garage.
Equally some specialists have problems with some customers eg those that fail to pay bills despite work being properly carried out.

TOV!E

2,016 posts

233 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Gazzab said:
Whilst I sympathise with those wanting to warn others or to vent...I think pistonheads, regardless of legals, have got it right. There is sometimes two sides to every story. The chimaera in question was soaked through - I would make sure the cause was attended to before going to a garage or whilst at the garage.
Equally some specialists have problems with some customers eg those that fail to pay bills despite work being properly carried out.
Just ask Chris Watton about work done PROPERLY

Grey Ghost

4,583 posts

219 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
The replies from Tovie and Chris are good examples of what is bad about PH with regard to naming and shaming. I have no doubt that all the "specialists" we go to have had unhappy customers but we are not allowed to hear about it unless someone is kind enough to drop you a PM when you take part in a thread on a specific subject. This has happened to me and I decided to avoid one or two places and have since heard both good and bad things about these in my 5 1/2 years of TVR ownership

My personal experience of the "specialist" we appear to be discussing here is excellent with a significant piece of work they did for me. This won't balance out the experience of the OP or Chris (cracking profile write up by the way yes) but it is all we can write on the forums.

On a positive note perhaps the launch of the new TVR brand and associated partnerships will drive those outside of the new group to up their game and ensure all customers are happy/communicated with/asked for feedback to improve levels of service.............but I doubt it frown

chris watton

22,477 posts

259 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
It is a difficult balancing act, I agree, and there is always two sides to every story.

I guess all we can do is give honest options of our own experiences when people ask, via PM (or Facebook)

I also think that the best way to not break the N&S rules is to simply post pictures up of the work carried out, they are worth more than a thousand (angry) words.

portzi

2,296 posts

174 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
chris watton said:
It is a difficult balancing act, I agree, and there is always two sides to every story.

I guess all we can do is give honest options of our own experiences when people ask, via PM (or Facebook)

I also think that the best way to not break the N&S rules is to simply post pictures up of the work carried out, they are worth more than a thousand (angry) words.
Hi Chris are we talking about the same company that did the work on your car?

chris watton

22,477 posts

259 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
portzi said:
chris watton said:
It is a difficult balancing act, I agree, and there is always two sides to every story.

I guess all we can do is give honest options of our own experiences when people ask, via PM (or Facebook)

I also think that the best way to not break the N&S rules is to simply post pictures up of the work carried out, they are worth more than a thousand (angry) words.
Hi Chris are we talking about the same company that did the work on your car?
The re-trim, along with a lot of other cosmetic stuff that came to £6k, yes.

Zippee

13,442 posts

233 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all


I also think that the best way to not break the N&S rules is to simply post pictures up of the work carried out, they are worth more than a thousand (angry) words.
[/quote]

You mean like these? Not from the bodyshop in question but another large cowboy outfit.
Elastic paint anyone?



How many layers of paint then filler then paint then filler would sir like? Each layer uncovered still being soft and not dry.


Pursyluv

1,927 posts

173 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Gazzab said:
Whilst I sympathise with those wanting to warn others or to vent...I think pistonheads, regardless of legals, have got it right. There is sometimes two sides to every story. The chimaera in question was soaked through - I would make sure the cause was attended to before going to a garage or whilst at the garage.
Equally some specialists have problems with some customers eg those that fail to pay bills despite work being properly carried out.
Agree with this 100%, recently heard horror stories from those having work done and those doing the work, on balance the redress for the customer appears to be easier to obtain than it is for a small business.

ChazUwe

245 posts

234 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Oh my god, I have never seen car paint come off like that!!!

chris watton

22,477 posts

259 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Cripes, Zippee, how thick! yikes

Some of mine (although not nearly as catastrophic as yours), but over £6k spent:




[URL=http://s203.photobucket.com/user/chriswatton/media/Tamora/Targarubberseal_zps526445e5.jpg.html][IMG]
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa249/chriswatt...

Noticed this when I got it home and opened the bonnet:


Will need to get this sorted soon:


£360 painted callipers, savour the professional finish..:


Brand new rear hood with threads showing and tension wire completely missing:


In fairness, a lot was rectified, but the windscreen and callipers will be done at my cost by professionals.

Edited by chris watton on Thursday 13th August 19:24

Zippee

13,442 posts

233 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
chris watton said:
Cripes, Zippee, how thick! yikes

.
I've got loads more smile
To think I was even called an ungrateful by a certain pher (who works for said garage) for not accepting this quality of workmanship.

ChazUwe

245 posts

234 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
There is some shocking examples of bad workmanship out there!

chris watton

22,477 posts

259 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Raw photographs don't lie, cuts out any ambiguity that may creep into the written word by disgruntled customers. You either think the work you see is acceptable, and you'd be happy to spend thousands of your hard earned on something with a (possibly) similar end result, or you don't. smile